Place the Object of Transitive Two-word Verb Correctly
Two-word verbs consist of a main verb plus a particle (a preposition or adverb). Note that the particle changes the meaning of a verb completely.
let down [disappoint]
let out [free]
These combinations of verb + particle are idiomatic; that is, the separate meanings of the verb and the particle do not predict their meaning when they are combined into a two-word verb.
Like other verbs, two-word verbs may be either transitive or intransitive.
Transitive come across [find], let down [disappoint], tell off [rebuke]
Intransitive catch on [understand], crop up [occur], give in [yield]
Transitive two-word verbs are either inseparable or separable. The verb and particle of inseparable two-word verbs are never separated by the direct object. However, the verb and particle of separable two-word verbs are sometimes separated by the direct object. There is no way of telling which two-word verbs are inseparable and which are separable except by noting how a writer handles the object of these verbs. You must, therefore, note this distinction when you learn each new two-word verb.
Follow these four rules in placing the direct object of transitive two-word verbs.
- Do not separate the verb and particle of inseparable two-word verbs. Place the noun or pronoun after the particle.Lucy does not take after her older sister. [DO]
Lucy does not take after her. [DO]
- When the object of a separable two-word verb is a noun, place it either between the main verb and the particle or after the particle.We turned the offer down. [DO]
We turned down the offer. [DO]
- When the object of a separable two-word verb is a pronoun, place the object only between the verb and the particle.We turned it down because it came too late. [DO]
- Learn some common separable and inseparable transitive two-word verbs.
Separable
fill out an application/fill it out
give up smoking/give it up
look up some words/look them up
put out a fire/ put it out
tear down a house / tear one down
throw away the paper / throw it away
try on some clothes / try some on
turn down the TV / turn it down
turn up the volume/turn it upInseparable
call on a student/ call on her
come across an article / come across it
get over a cold/get over it
hear from an old friend/hear from him
look after his mother / look after her
look through an encyclopedia/look through it
pick on someone smaller / pick on someone
run into a neighbour / run into her
take after a grandparent/ take after him
