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English grammar

Phrasal Verbs: Separable and Inseparable

Updated 27 Oct 2026 4 min read LingoLadder Editorial Team
Cover: phrasal verbs — a verb joined to a particle such as turn on, look after and give up
Short answer

A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle (turn on, look after) whose meaning you cannot always guess. Separable verbs let the object move (turn the TV on / turn it on); inseparable verbs stay together (look after her).

On this page12 sections · tap to jump
  1. 01The rule
  2. 02The two patterns
  3. 03Common phrasal verbs to start with
  4. 04Example sentences
  5. 05Common mistakes
  6. 06A short conversation
  7. 07Usage notes
  8. 08Compared with…
  9. 09Practice
  10. 10Quiz
  11. 11Recap cheat-sheet
  12. 12How to say it

Level: B1. A phrasal verb is an ordinary verb plus a little word like on, up, after or out — and together they often mean something you could never guess: give up means stop, look after means take care of. The grammar question is simply: where does the object go? This lesson gives you the two patterns and the one pronoun rule that learners most often break.

The rule

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a particle (a short word such as up, on, off, out, after, in). The particle changes the meaning of the verb: look means use your eyes, but look up means search for information and look after means take care of. You cannot always work out the meaning from the two words — that is what makes them tricky and worth learning as whole units.

For grammar, the important split is separable versus inseparable:

  • Separable phrasal verbs (the particle is an adverb) take an object that can go after the whole verb or between the verb and the particle: Turn off the light = Turn the light off. Both are correct.
  • Inseparable phrasal verbs (the particle is a preposition) keep the verb and particle together; the object always comes after both: Look after the baby. You cannot say Look the baby after.

A particle is the small word attached to the verb; an object is the thing or person the action affects. The one rule that never bends: with a separable verb, an object pronoun (it, him, them…) must go in the middle: Turn it off, never Turn off it.

The two patterns

Type Particle is Noun object Pronoun object Example
separable adverb either side middle only turn the TV on / turn it on
inseparable preposition after both after both look after her
intransitive adverb, no object — — The car broke down.

Common phrasal verbs to start with

Phrasal verb Meaning Type
turn on / off start / stop a machine separable
put on / take off dress / undress separable
pick up collect, lift separable
give up stop doing separable
fill in complete a form separable
look after take care of inseparable
look for search for inseparable
get on board; have a relationship inseparable
run into meet by chance inseparable
break down stop working intransitive
grow up become an adult intransitive

Example sentences

  1. Please turn off the light.
    Separable: noun after the particle.
  2. Please turn the light off.
    Separable: noun between verb and particle — also correct.
  3. Please turn it off.
    Separable: a pronoun must go in the middle.
  4. Can you pick up the kids at three?
    pick up = collect; noun after particle.
  5. Can you pick them up at three?
    Pronoun 'them' goes in the middle.
  6. I gave up smoking last year.
    give up = stop doing.
  7. She filled in the form.
    fill in = complete; separable.
  8. She filled it in.
    Pronoun in the middle.
  9. He looks after his grandmother.
    Inseparable: object after both words.
  10. He looks after her.
    Inseparable: the pronoun still stays after both.
  11. I'm looking for my keys.
    look for = search for; inseparable.
  12. We ran into an old friend yesterday.
    run into = meet by chance.
  13. How do you get on with your boss?
    get on with = have a relationship with.
  14. Put on your coat, it's cold.
    put on = dress; separable.
  15. Put it on.
    Pronoun in the middle of the separable verb.
  16. The car broke down on the motorway.
    break down = stop working; no object.
  17. They grew up in Manchester.
    grow up = become an adult; no object.
  18. Could you fill in this form, please?
    Noun after the particle.
  19. I look forward to meeting you.
    Three-part verb: always inseparable.
  20. I can't put up with the noise.
    put up with = tolerate; three-part, inseparable.

Common mistakes

  • ❌ Turn on it. → ✅ Turn it on. With a separable verb, a pronoun object must go in the middle.
  • ❌ Look her after. → ✅ Look after her. Look after is inseparable; the object never splits it.
  • ❌ Pick up them from school. → ✅ Pick them up from school. A pronoun cannot follow the particle in a separable verb.
  • ❌ I gave up it. → ✅ I gave it up. Give up is separable, so the pronoun goes in the middle.
  • ❌ I’m looking my keys for. → ✅ I’m looking for my keys. Look for is inseparable — keep the two words together.
  • ❌ The computer broke it down. → ✅ The computer broke down. Break down has no object; don’t add one.

A short conversation

A: Can you turn the heating on? It’s freezing. B: I already turned it on. Maybe the boiler has broken down again. A: Not again. Who looks after it — the landlord? B: Yes. I’ll fill in a repair form and we’ll see.

Usage notes

  • Only transitive verbs can be separable. A phrasal verb with no object (break down, grow up, come back, wake up used alone) cannot split, because there is nothing to put in the middle.
  • Three-part phrasal verbs are always inseparable. Verbs like look forward to, put up with, get on with, run out of keep all three words together and the object follows: I can’t put up with it, never put it up with.
  • Register. Phrasal verbs are everywhere in everyday speech; their one-word Latinate equivalents (tolerate for put up with, postpone for put off, continue for carry on) sound more formal. Learn both.
  • Meaning depends on the particle, not logic. Take off can mean remove (take off your shoes) or leave the ground (the plane took off). Context tells you which; learn each meaning as a separate item.

Compared with…

  • This lesson covers the common, fairly transparent verbs. Many phrasal verbs are fully idiomatic (put up with, come across, get away with) and have several meanings each; those are collected in Advanced Phrasal Verbs.
  • Phrasal verbs build on basic sentence patterns, so make sure the Present Simple (Affirmative) feels easy first.

Recap card for English phrasal verbs showing separable verbs with the pronoun in the middle and inseparable verbs kept together

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Practice

Phrasal verbs practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Choose the correct sentence (separable verb, pronoun object):
Show answer

Turn it on. — A pronoun object goes in the middle of a separable verb: 'turn it on'.

2 Choose the correct sentence (inseparable verb):
Show answer

Look after her. — 'Look after' is inseparable, so the object follows both words: 'look after her'.

Hint: children = them

Show answer

them — A pronoun goes between the verb and the particle: 'pick them up'.

4 Put the words in order: 'I gave ... yesterday.'

Show answer

I gave it up — 'Give up' is separable, so the pronoun 'it' goes in the middle: 'I gave it up'.

5 Match each phrasal verb to its meaning.

  • give up
  • look after
  • break down
  • look for
Show answer
  • give up → stop doing
  • look after → take care of
  • break down → stop working
  • look for → search for

Learn each phrasal verb as a whole unit with its own meaning.

6 Which verb cannot be separated?
Show answer

look after — 'Look after' is inseparable; the others are separable.

Quiz

Check yourself

Phrasal verbs quiz

12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/12 0 answered
  1. 1Choose the correct sentence:
    Show answer

    Switch it off. — A pronoun goes in the middle of a separable verb: 'switch it off'.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence:
    Show answer

    I look after my sister. — 'Look after' is inseparable: the object comes after both words.

  3. 3What does 'give up' mean here: 'She gave up chocolate.'?
    Show answer

    stopped having — 'Give up' means to stop doing or having something.

  4. 4Choose the correct sentence with a pronoun:
    Show answer

    Pick them up. — A pronoun object goes between the verb and the particle.

  5. 5Which sentence is WRONG?
    Show answer

    Turn off it. — A pronoun cannot follow the particle: say 'turn it off'.

  6. 6'The car broke down.' This phrasal verb is:
    Show answer

    intransitive (no object) — 'Break down' takes no object, so it cannot be separated.

  7. 7Choose the best meaning: 'I can't put up with the noise.'
    Show answer

    tolerate — 'Put up with' means to tolerate or bear something.

  8. 8Where does the pronoun go? 'I filled ___ in.'
    Show answer

    it (in the middle) — 'Fill in' is separable, so the pronoun goes in the middle: 'filled it in'.

  9. 9Which is a three-part (always inseparable) phrasal verb?
    Show answer

    look forward to — 'Look forward to' has three parts and is always inseparable.

  10. 10Choose the correct sentence:
    Show answer

    Put it on. — 'Put on' is separable, so a pronoun goes in the middle: 'put it on'.

  11. Show answer

    in — 'Fill in' (BrE) or 'fill out' (AmE) means to complete a form.

  12. 12Which sentence is correct?
    Show answer

    I'm looking for my keys. — 'Look for' is inseparable; keep the verb and particle together.

Recap cheat-sheet

Type Object noun Object pronoun Example
separable either side middle only turn it on
inseparable after both after both look after her
intransitive no object no object it broke down
three-part after all three after all three put up with it

How to say it

Phrasal verbs have their own stress pattern, which helps listeners hear them:

  • Stress the particle, not the verb: turn it OFF, pick it UP, give it UP [stress on off/up]. English speakers rely on this stress, so copy it.
  • Link the words together: pick it up sounds like “pi-ki-tup” — the sounds run into each other in natural speech.
  • look after is said “loo-KAF-ter” [lʊkˈɑːftə] in British English, with the t soft; don’t pause between the two words.

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125 topics 125 ready now
A1 30 topics · 30 ready
  1. 01 Verb 'To Be' in the Present (am, is, are)
  2. 02 Subject Pronouns: I, You, He, She, It, We, They
  3. 03 Present Simple: Affirmative and the -s Ending
  4. 04 Present Simple: Negatives and Questions (do/does)
  5. 05 Articles: a / an and When to Use Each
  6. 06 The Definite Article 'The': When to Use It
  7. 07 Zero Article: When to Use No Article
  8. 08 Plural Nouns: Regular and Irregular Forms
  9. 09 This, That, These, Those (Demonstratives)
  10. 10 Possessive Adjectives: my, your, his, her
  11. 11 Possessive 's and s' (Showing Belonging)
  12. 12 There Is / There Are (Saying What Exists)
  13. 13 Have Got: Talking About Possession
  14. 14 Can and Can't for Ability
  15. 15 Present Continuous (am/is/are + -ing)
  16. 16 Imperatives: Giving Orders and Instructions
  17. 17 Adjectives: Position and Basic Use
  18. 18 Prepositions of Place: in, on, at
  19. 19 Prepositions of Time: in, on, at
  20. 20 Question Words: What, Where, When, Who, Why, How
  21. 21 How Much vs How Many
  22. 22 Countable and Uncountable Nouns
  23. 23 Some and Any: Which One to Use
  24. 24 Object Pronouns: me, you, him, her, us, them
  25. 25 Adverbs of Frequency and Their Position
  26. 26 Like, Love, Hate + -ing (Expressing Preferences)
  27. 27 Would Like: Polite Wants and Offers
  28. 28 Making Requests: Can, Could, May I
  29. 29 Past Simple of 'To Be' (was / were)
  30. 30 Let's and Shall We: Making Suggestions
A2 25 topics · 25 ready
  1. 31 Past Simple: Regular Verbs and -ed Spelling
  2. 32 Past Simple: Irregular Verbs (go, see, have)
  3. 33 Past Simple: Negatives and Questions (did)
  4. 34 Comparative Adjectives (bigger, more expensive)
  5. 35 Superlative Adjectives (the biggest, the most)
  6. 36 Going To: Plans and Predictions
  7. 37 Will: Predictions, Decisions and Offers
  8. 38 Present Continuous for Future Arrangements
  9. 39 Present Perfect for Experience (ever / never)
  10. 40 Present Perfect with just, already, yet
  11. 41 Present Perfect vs Past Simple
  12. 42 Have To and Don't Have To (Obligation)
  13. 43 Should and Shouldn't for Advice
  14. 44 Could: Past Ability and Polite Use
  15. 45 Much, Many, A Lot Of
  16. 46 A Few, A Little, Few, Little
  17. 47 Adverbs of Manner (quickly, well, hard)
  18. 48 Verb + -ing or Verb + to (Introduction)
  19. 49 Zero Conditional (Facts and Rules)
  20. 50 First Conditional (Real Future Possibility)
  21. 51 Prepositions of Movement (to, into, through)
  22. 52 Possessive Pronouns: mine, yours, hers
  23. 53 Past Continuous (was/were + -ing)
  24. 54 Too and Enough (Degree)
  25. 55 Order of Adjectives Before a Noun
B1 27 topics · 27 ready
  1. 56 Past Continuous vs Past Simple
  2. 57 Used To and Would for Past Habits
  3. 58 Present Perfect Continuous (have been -ing)
  4. 59 Present Perfect: Simple vs Continuous
  5. 60 Past Perfect (had + past participle)
  6. 61 Second Conditional (Unreal Present/Future)
  7. 62 Third Conditional (Unreal Past)
  8. 63 Reported Speech: Statements (Backshift)
  9. 64 Reported Questions
  10. 65 Reported Commands and Requests
  11. 66 Passive Voice: Present and Past Simple
  12. 67 Must and Mustn't (Strong Obligation)
  13. 68 May, Might, Could for Possibility
  14. 69 Defining Relative Clauses (who, which, that)
  15. 70 Non-Defining Relative Clauses (with commas)
  16. 71 Gerunds and Infinitives: Full Verb Patterns
  17. 72 Verbs Where -ing vs to Changes Meaning
  18. 73 Future Continuous (will be -ing)
  19. 74 So and Such (Emphasis)
  20. 75 As...As Comparisons (equality)
  21. 76 Question Tags (isn't it? do you?)
  22. 77 Phrasal Verbs: Separable and Inseparable You are here
  23. 78 Linking Words: because, so, although, but
  24. 79 Infinitive of Purpose (to / in order to)
  25. 80 Indirect Questions (Can you tell me...)
  26. 81 Make, Let, Allow, Help (Causatives Intro)
  27. 82 Be Used To and Get Used To (+ -ing)
B2 25 topics · 25 ready
  1. 83 Narrative Tenses for Storytelling
  2. 84 Past Perfect Continuous (had been -ing)
  3. 85 Mixed Conditionals
  4. 86 Wish and If Only (Regrets and Wishes)
  5. 87 Wish/If Only + would (Complaints)
  6. 88 Passive Voice: All Tenses and Modals
  7. 89 Reporting Passive (It is said that / is said to)
  8. 90 Causative: Have/Get Something Done
  9. 91 Reduced Relative Clauses (Participles)
  10. 92 Modals of Deduction: Present and Past
  11. 93 Needn't Have vs Didn't Need To
  12. 94 Future Perfect (will have done)
  13. 95 Participle Clauses (-ing / -ed / having done)
  14. 96 Advanced Comparatives (far/much + er, the more)
  15. 97 Conditional Alternatives: unless, as long as, provided
  16. 98 Advanced Determiners: each, every, either, neither
  17. 99 Intensifiers and Adverbs of Degree
  18. 100 Advanced Contrast: despite, in spite of, however
  19. 101 Advanced Linkers: therefore, moreover, consequently
  20. 102 Advanced Article Use (generalisations, names)
  21. 103 Verb + Preposition and Adjective + Preposition
  22. 104 Relative Clauses: whose, where, when, quantifier + whom
  23. 105 Subject-Verb Agreement: Tricky Cases
  24. 106 Emphatic Do (I do like it)
  25. 107 Would for Past Habits (Formal Narrative)
C1 18 topics · 18 ready
  1. 108 Inversion with Negative Adverbials
  2. 109 Inversion in Conditionals (Had I known)
  3. 110 Cleft Sentences (It was... / What I need is...)
  4. 111 Fronting and Emphasis (Word Order)
  5. 112 Subjunctive and Mandative (I suggest he be)
  6. 113 Ellipsis and Substitution (so, do, one)
  7. 114 Hedging and Cautious Language
  8. 115 Nominalisation (Academic Noun Style)
  9. 116 Advanced Discourse Markers (Spoken & Written)
  10. 117 Advanced Passive (passive + infinitive, get-passive)
  11. 118 Advanced Comparative Structures (no sooner...than)
  12. 119 Future in the Past (was going to / would)
  13. 120 Advanced Modals (may well, might as well, would rather)
  14. 121 Advanced Reported Speech (Reporting Verbs + Patterns)
  15. 122 Advanced and Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs
  16. 123 Collocation and Colligation (Natural Combinations)
  17. 124 Advanced Concession (much as, whatever, however + adj)
  18. 125 Absolute and Non-Finite Clauses (Formal)