Separable and non-separable phrasal verbs

Separable and non-separable phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are either separable or nonseparable. Unfortunately, there is no rule that will help you to look at a phrasal verb and always know whether it is separable or nonseparable.

Separable phrasal verbs

Separable phrasal verbs can be separated by their object. When the object is a noun, it is usually entirely optional whether the object is placed between the verb and the particle or placed after the particle. Both sentences below are correct:

I took my shoes off.

I took off my shoes.

However, when a pronoun is used instead of a noun, the pronoun must be placed between the verb and the particle:

I took them off.

I took off them. (incorrect form)

But in one type of sentence, separable phrasal verbs must be separated — when the phrasal verb has two objects:

She put a blanket on.
She put on a blanket.

She put a blanket on the bed.
She put on a blanket the bed. (incorrect form)

Nonseparable phrasal verbs

Nonseparable phrasal verbs cannot be separated by their object:

He ran into a tree.
He ran a tree into. (incorrect form)

1a. come from p.v. When you come from a place, you were born there or lived there previously. When you come from a family or a social situation, your past experience helps to explain your present attitudes and behavior.

Mike comes from Alaska, so he's used to cold weather.

Jane had a difficult childhood. She came from a broken home.

1b. come from p.v. When something comes from a source, that is where it originated.

The word "admiral" comes from an Arabic word.

The mechanic heard a strange sound coming from the engine.

2. figure ... out p.v. [the object can be a noun or a noun clause] When you figure out something, such as the answer to a question, the solution to a problem, or why a person is a certain way or acts a certain way, you think about and succeed in under­standing it.

Joe's so hostile all the time. I can't figure him out.

 I looked everywhere for my keys, but I couldn't figure out where I put them.

3. give ... back (to) p.v. When you return something to someone, you give it back.

Can I use your pen? I'll give it back after the test.

Timmy, give that toy back to your sister right now!

4. look for p.v. When you look for things or people, you try to find them.

I looked for you at the party, but I didn't see you.

Excuse me, can you help me? I'm looking for 303 Main St.

5a. put... on p.v. When you place something on or apply something to your body, you put it on.

 I put on my new dress before going to the party.

Eric forgot to put suntan lotion on, and now he's as red as a lobster.

5b. put... on p.v. When you place something on or apply something to another surface, you put it on.

I put the book on the table.

 Jerry put too much fertilizer on his lawn[S1] , and now he has to cut it twice a week.

5c. put... on p.v. When you attach or affix something to another thing, you put it on.

The Wilson’s put a new roof on their house last year.

 I told the tailor to put red buttons on the dress he's making for me.

5d. put... on p.v. When you put on weight, you gain weight.

 n. (area of grass); lawn tennis.

Did you see Mike? He's put on so much weight that I didn't recognize him.
 I need to go on a diet. I've been putting on a lot of weight lately.

5e. put ...on p.v. When you organize or perform something for other people's entertainment, such as a play or a concert, you put it on.

The club put on a show to raise money for the party.

 That opera hasn't been put on in more than 200 years.

5f. put.. .on p.v. [informal] When you put people on, you kid or tease them.

You won the lottery? You're putting me on!

Don't put me on — tell me the truth.

5g. put-on n. Something done with the intention of fooling or deceiving people is a put-on.

He didn't really win the lottery. It was all a big put-on to impress his girlfriend.

n. it was quite without intentional 
I have no intention of going to the party.
His intentions are good.
Has he made known his intentions? 

v.t. deceive I have been deceived in him.; his hopes were deceive; we were deceived into believing that ... 

6a. run into p.v. When you are driving and hit another vehicle or something near the road, such as a tree or a telephone pole, you run into it.

Ali was driving too fast, and he ran into a telephone pole.
 I was run into by a drunk driver.

6b. run into p.v. When you meet people unexpectedly or unintentionally, you run into them. Bump into is the same as run into.

We ran into Karen and her new boyfriend at the supermarket yesterday.

 I owe Frank $300, so I hope I don't run into him.

6c. run into p.v. When you unexpectedly encounter difficulties or problems, you run into them.

I thought it would be easy to fix my car, but I've been running into problems.

Janice ran into one problem after another at work today.

6d. run into p.v. When the total of something grows to a large amount or number, it runs into that amount or number.

If you fixed everything on that old car that needs fixing, it would run into thousands of dollars.
The number of starving people in the country ran into millions.

7a. show up p.v. When you appear somewhere, you show up. Turn up is similar to show up.

I was supposed to meet my sister for lunch, but she hasn't shown up yet.

Over a hundred people showed up for the news conference.

7b. show up p.v. When something appears or becomes visible, it shows up.

It's hard to photograph polar bears because they don't show up well against the snow. The spots won't show up until the last stages of the disease.

8a. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from your body, you take it off.

I was so tired when I got home that I took my clothes off and went straight to bed. Take off your shoes. You're getting mud on the carpet.

8b. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from a surface, you take it off.

I took the book off the table. You need to take the old wax off the floor before you wax it again.

8c. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from something it is attached or affixed to, you take it off.

Alfonso always takes the skin off chicken before he cooks it. After Jane took the flat tire off her bicycle, she put on the new one.

8d. take ... off p.v. When you take time off from work or study, you do something different, in stead of working or studying.

I can't work tomorrow. I have to take the day off for some tests at the hospital. Our company always lets us take the week between Christmas and New Year's Day off.

8e. take off p.v. When an airplane leaves the ground and flies up into the air, it takes off.

Our plane took off an hour late because of the snow.
Put on your seat belt; we're taking off now.

8f. takeoff n. Take off is when an airplane leaves the ground and flies up into the air. The takeoff was delayed because of the snow.

8g. take off p.v. When a business or other organized activity becomes very successful, it takes off.

The new restaurant's business is taking off because it got a good review in the news­paper.
If this business takes off, we could make a lot of money.

8h. take off p.v. [informal] When you leave suddenly or quickly, you take off.

After he found out the FBI was looking for him, he took off in a hurry.
This party's boring — let's take off.


8i. take ... off p.v. When you reduce the price of something that is for sale by a certain amount, you take that amount off the price.

The sign in the store window said, "Every Monday take 10 percent off all marked prices."
The car dealer took $2,000 off the list price.