Skip to content
English (UK) · Phrasal Verbs in Context

Phrasal Verbs with it, them, me

Many phrasal verbs are separable: the object can go between the verb and the particle. With a noun, both orders are correct: Turn off the light and Turn the light off. With a pronoun (it, them, me, you, him, her, us), there is only one order: the pronoun goes between the verb and the particle.

  • Turn it off. (not Turn off it)
  • Pick me up after work.
  • Try them on before you buy them.

This rule works for separable verbs like turn on/off, pick up, put on, try on, write down, call back, give back, throw away, fill in, look up and wake up. Three-part verbs such as look forward to and put up with are different: the pronoun goes after the whole verb (I'm looking forward to it, not looking it forward to).

Examples

  • Your coat is on the floor. Pick it up, please.
  • I don't know this word. I'll look it up.
  • These shoes look great. Try them on.
  • The radio is too loud. Turn it down.

Try it yourself

|off | it | turnShow answer
Turn it off.
|it | turn | onShow answer
Turn it on.
|me | up | pickShow answer
Pick me up.
|on | put | itShow answer
Put it on.
|them | on | tryShow answer
Try them on.
|it | down | writeShow answer
Write it down.
|back | give | itShow answer
Give it back.
|up | me | wakeShow answer
Wake me up.
|away | them | throwShow answer
Throw them away.
|up | it | lookShow answer
Look it up.