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Phrasal Verbs as
IdiomsTransitive, Separable
As stated earlier, in some transitive phrases the
verb can be separated from the preposition or adverb so that a noun
or pronoun (the direct object) can be inserted between them.
For Example: All three of these sentences are correct.
1. Can you add up the total in your head?
*In this sentence, you see that the phrase is not separated. The
direct object comes after the phrase “add up”.
2. She added it up in her head.
*In this sentence the phrase is separated by the direct object, it,
which is a pronoun. Because the direct object is a pronoun, it must
come between the verb and the preposition.
3. She added the total up in her head.
*In this sentence you see that the phrase is separated by the direct
object, the total, which is a noun. The direct object comes between
the verb and the preposition.
The following chart is a brief list of transitive, separable phrases
and several of their meanings. By no means is this a complete list.
It is important to remember that there can be several idiomatic meanings
for just one phrasal verb.
Verb |
Meaning(s) |
| calm down |
to relax, to cause someone or some creature to be less active
or upset |
| carry out |
fulfill, complete, accomplish perform, to lift up and move someone
or something out |
| hand down |
pass something to someone on a lower level, to issue a ruling,
pass something down through many generations |
| keep up |
continue, keep the same pace, maintain a certain behavior |
| put on |
dress in, deceive or fool |
| set up |
arrange, to place someone or something in an upright position |
| take down |
remove from a high position, write from dictation, to write
something down in something, to move someone or something to a
lower position |
| think through |
consider from beginning to end |
| wear out |
use until no longer usable, tire greatly |
Continue to Phrasal Verbs as Idioms: Transitive, Inseparable
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