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Picked It Up OR Picked Up It?

Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Some phrasal verbs separate the verb from the preposition(s) (or particles) while others do not. Phrasal verbs are either separable or inseparable.

Separable Phrasal Verbs

Separable phrasal verbs can either remain together when using an object that is a noun or noun phrase, or separate:

Example:

This company will put up a record of their assets and liabilities for review.

Our bank's monetary policy puts off many clients from investing their money with us.

It is important to remember that separable phrasal verbs MUST be separated when using a pronoun as an object of the phrasal verb.

Example:

Don't forget to look the issuing bank up online.

Our mutual fund will help us out greatly.

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Inseparable phrasal verbs never separate and must remain together whether a noun, noun phrase or pronoun is used.

Example:

It is imperative that traders keep up with the futures market.

He kept up with fluctuations in cost of goods sold.

Usage Tip

When you are not sure whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable, ALWAYS use a noun or noun phrase and DO NOT separate. As separable phrasal verbs must separate when using a pronoun, using the noun or noun phrase will help you avoid this problem and will always be correct.