Volume 5
Syntactic Separability, Pronoun Movement Rules & Systematic Particle Semantics
A · The Pronoun Placement Visualizer (“The Sandwich Rule”)
B · The 4-Type Syntactic Classification
Type 1 · Intransitive
No object. The verb and particle stand alone.
take off · grow up · break down · show up
The plane took off at nine.
Type 2 · Separable
Takes an object that can go between or after. A pronoun MUST go in the middle.
turn off · pick up · put on · throw away
Turn the TV off. · Turn off the TV. · Turn it off.
Type 3 · Inseparable
Takes an object that always follows the particle — never in the middle.
look after · call on · get over · run into
She looks after her nephew. · She looks after him.
Type 4 · 3-Part
Verb + particle + preposition. Inseparable; the object goes at the end.
run out of · put up with · look forward to
I can't put up with the noise. · I can't put up with it.
86 phrasal verbs
Cancel a planned event
“They called off the meeting because of the storm.”
Take someone or something to a place and leave them
“I drop off the children at school every morning.”
Leave a bus, train or plane
“We got off the bus near the museum.”
Leave the ground (a plane); become successful quickly
“Our flight took off thirty minutes late.”
Stop a machine or light
“Please turn off the lights when you leave.”
Postpone
“We put off the trip until next spring.”
Begin a journey
“We set off for the coast at dawn.”
Try to impress others with your abilities or possessions
“He always shows off when his friends are around.”
Finish paying a debt
“They finally paid off their mortgage.”
Dismiss workers because there is not enough work
“The factory laid off two hundred workers.”
Fall asleep unintentionally
“Grandpa dozed off in front of the television.”
Understand or solve after thinking
“I can't figure out how this app works.”
Discover information
“She found out the truth from a neighbor.”
Distribute to a group
“The teacher handed out the exam papers.”
Exercise; be successful in the end
“I work out at the gym three times a week.”
Stop working because of exhaustion or age
“My old laptop finally gave out last night.”
Organize; solve a problem
“We need to sort out these files before Friday.”
Draw attention to a fact
“She pointed out a mistake in the report.”
Start suddenly (war, fire, disease)
“A fire broke out in the kitchen.”
Leave a hotel after paying
“We checked out of the hotel at noon.”
Complete a form
“Please fill out this application form.”
Faint, lose consciousness
“He passed out because of the heat.”
Continue
“Carry on with your work; I'll be back soon.”
Dress yourself in clothes
“Put on your coat; it's cold outside.”
Start a machine or light
“Can you turn on the heater, please?”
Depend on someone
“You can always count on your sister.”
Put on clothes to test the fit
“Can I try on these jeans?”
Wait for a short time
“Hold on a minute; I'll get a pen.”
Continue; happen
“The concert went on until midnight.”
Become popular; understand
“The new app caught on quickly with teenagers.”
Visit briefly; ask someone formally to speak
“The teacher called on Ana to answer.”
Progress to the next stage or topic
“Let's move on to the next item.”
Make tidy completely
“We cleaned up the kitchen after the party.”
Stop doing a habit; stop trying
“My father gave up smoking ten years ago.”
Lift; collect someone
“I'll pick up the kids at five.”
Become an adult
“She grew up in a small village in Chile.”
Arrive, appear
“Only three students showed up for the class.”
Search for information in a reference
“Look up the word in the dictionary.”
Establish; prepare equipment
“They set up a small bakery downtown.”
Raise children; mention a topic
“She brought up an interesting point.”
Stop sleeping
“I usually wake up at six.”
Increase volume; arrive
“Turn up the radio — I love this song!”
Invent a story; reconcile
“He made up an excuse for being late.”
Make or become happier
“This news will cheer up your grandmother.”
Finally be in a place or situation
“We ended up eating pizza at home.”
Stop working (a machine); lose control emotionally
“Our car broke down on the highway.”
Reject; reduce volume
“She turned down the job offer.”
Record on paper
“Write down my phone number.”
Become less angry or excited
“Calm down and tell me what happened.”
Reduce speed
“Slow down! The road is wet.”
Disappoint
“Don't let down your team.”
Put in the rubbish
“Don't throw away those old photos.”
Give something free; reveal a secret
“She gave away all her old books.”
Return something to its place
“Put away your toys before dinner.”
Escape; leave quickly
“The dog ran away during the storm.”
Die (polite)
“Her grandfather passed away last year.”
Leave a place; disappear
“The headache finally went away.”
Return to a place
“We got back from Spain on Sunday.”
Return a phone call
“I'll call back the client after lunch.”
Return something to its owner
“Please give back my umbrella tomorrow.”
Return borrowed money
“I'll pay back the loan next month.”
Submit work
“Hand in your essays by Friday.”
Register at a hotel or airport
“We checked in at the hotel at three.”
Visit informally without arranging
“Drop by whenever you're in the neighborhood.”
Complete a form or blank spaces
“Fill in your name and address here.”
Stop resisting; surrender
“The children begged until their mother gave in.”
Start living in a new home
“Our new neighbors moved in last week.”
Think about the past
“When I look back, I miss those summers.”
Take care of
“Our neighbor looks after our dog when we travel.”
Recover from an illness or disappointment
“It took her months to get over the flu.”
Meet by chance
“I ran into my old teacher at the supermarket.”
Try to find
“I'm looking for my car keys.”
Resemble an older family member
“She takes after her mother.”
Find by chance
“I came across an old letter in the attic.”
Use all of a supply
“We ran out of laundry detergent this morning.”
Tolerate something unpleasant
“I cannot put up with the noise any longer.”
Think of an idea or plan
“She came up with a brilliant solution.”
Feel happy about a future event
“I'm looking forward to the holidays.”
Have a friendly relationship
“I get along with my roommates very well.”
Reach the same level or place as someone
“Go ahead; I'll catch up with you later.”
Reduce the amount of something
“I'm trying to cut down on sugar.”
Stay at the same pace or level
“It's hard to keep up with the latest technology.”
Throw away; eliminate
“We need to get rid of these old boxes.”
Think you are better than someone
“Never look down on people who earn less than you.”
Leave school or a course before finishing
“He dropped out of university after one year.”
Defend or support
“You should stand up for your beliefs.”
Part 3 · Reference Tables
Part 4
Tier 1 · Pronoun Placement & Separability Syntax
If the object is a pronoun (it/them), place it between the verb and particle.
The television was too loud, so my mother ________.
Here are your running shoes. ________ before we leave.
I don't know what this English word means; can you ________?
We finished our coffee and the waiter ________.
If you make a mistake, don't worry; just ________.
Tier 2 · Particle Selection & Contextual Completion
Fill in the missing particle: off · out · up · on · down · away · after
Hurry up! We are running ________ of milk and coffee for breakfast.
Don't throw ________ those old magazines; my sister wants to read them.
Can you please turn ________ the volume? I can barely hear the news.
Our neighbor agreed to look ________ our husky while we were on vacation.
The commuter bus was crowded, but forty people got ________ at the central terminal.
I need to cut ________ on sugar and fried food to improve my health.
Tier 3 · Three-Part Phrasal Reconstruction
Build a complete sentence from the prompt — adjust verb forms as needed.
(I / cannot / put up with / the / loud / construction noise / anymore)
(we / look forward to / catch up with / our / old / friends / this weekend)
(he / come up with / a / brilliant / solution / to / the / problem)
(she / get along with / all / her / coworkers / at / the office)
Tier 4 · Error Calibration & Idiomatic Repair
The baby was finally sleeping, so my wife turned off it very quietly.
We ran out laundry detergent this morning and had to buy more.
He decided to give in smoking because his lungs were hurting.
I don't know how she puts up her difficult roommate.
Extended Practice · 20 exercises
0/20 calibrated
Clear your answers and start again, or use Scribe's new variations (uses credits) only when you want something new.
1. Fill the gap
The client canceled, so we had to call the meeting.
2. Fill the gap
We have run out printer paper.
3. Fill the gap
I look forward hearing from you.
4. Fill the gap
Can you figure what went wrong?
5. Fill the gap
She set her own consultancy in 2019.
6. Fill the gap
The engineers carried a full safety inspection.
7. Fill the gap
I can't put up this noise any longer.
8. Fill the gap
Please fill the form and return it today.
9. Choose
The heater is on. Please .
10. Choose
Who will the children?
11. Choose
The launch was until next month.
12. Choose
I an old colleague at the airport.
13. Choose
They decided to the offer.
14. Choose
Here is the report. Please before Friday.
15. Calibrate the sentence
I wrote down it in my notebook.
16. Calibrate the sentence
We need to find out it before the audit.
17. Calibrate the sentence
I look forward to meet you.
18. Calibrate the sentence
She is looking the documents after.
19. Calibrate the sentence
Can you pick up me at six?
20. Calibrate the sentence
We came up a new idea.