Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs Explained: Clear Rules, Examples & Exam Tips (B2–C1 Guide)

Separable and inseparable phrasal verbs are one of the most important — and confusing — parts of English grammar. These structures appear constantly in everyday conversations, academic writing, and Cambridge exams such as B2 First and C1 Advanced. Native speakers use them naturally, but many learners struggle with word order, pronoun placement, and knowing which phrasal verbs can be separated.

One of the biggest sources of confusion is this:

Which phrasal verbs can be separated… and which cannot?

• Why can we say “turn the light off” but not “look the baby after”?
• Why must we say “turn it off” and never “turn off it”?
• Are three-word phrasal verbs different?

In this complete guide, you will learn:

• The difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs
• Clear structural rules
• Pronoun placement rules
• Transitive vs intransitive distinctions
• Three-word phrasal verbs
• Common mistakes
• Cambridge exam tips (B2 First & C1 Advanced)
• Practice exercises

By the end, you won’t just “know the rule” — you’ll feel confident using these structures naturally.

Let’s begin.

What is a Phrasal Verb?

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a particle (an adverb or preposition).

Examples:

• turn off
• give up
• look after
• run into
• put on
• carry on

Very often, the meaning of the phrasal verb is different from the original verb:

• Turn off ≠ simply “turn”
• Give up ≠ simply “give”
• Run into ≠ literally “run”

This is why phrasal verbs must be learned as complete expressions.

They are not decoration. They are core English.

Why This Topic Matters (Especially for Cambridge Exams)

Understanding separable and inseparable phrasal verbs is not just grammar theory.

It affects:

• Word order accuracy
• Pronoun placement
• Speaking fluency
• Writing naturalness
• Use of English scores

In B2 First and C1 Advanced, you will encounter phrasal verbs in:

• Open cloze
• Key word transformations
• Multiple-choice cloze
• Speaking tasks
• Informal and semi-formal writing

Incorrect separation is a very common mistake — and it’s an easy mark to lose.

Let’s fix that today.

Separable Phrasal Verbs

A separable phrasal verb allows the object to go either:

1. After the particle
   OR
2. Between the verb and the particle

Structure

Verb + particle + object

OR

Verb + object + particle

Both structures are grammatically correct.

Example 1: Turn off

• Turn off the light.
• Turn the light off.

Both are correct.

Example 2: Pick up

• I picked up the phone.
• I picked the phone up.

Again, both are correct.

Example 3: Bring up

• She brought up the issue.
• She brought the issue up.

Correct in both forms.

The Golden Rule: Pronouns Must Go in the Middle

This is crucial. When the object is a pronoun (it, him, her, them, me, us), it must go between the verb and the particle.

❌ Turn off it.

❌ Pick up it.

❌ Bring up it.

✅ Turn it off.

✅ Pick it up.

✅ Bring it up.

There is no flexibility here. If you remember only one rule from this article, remember this one.

Common Separable Phrasal Verbs

Let’s deepen your understanding with more real-life examples across different contexts: everyday life, work, school, and exams.

Turn on / Turn off

• She turned on the heating because it was freezing.
• She turned the heating on because it was freezing.
• She turned it on because it was freezing.
• Please turn off your phone during the exam.
• Please turn your phone off during the exam.
• Please turn it off during the exam.
• The manager turned off the projector after the presentation.
• The manager turned the projector off after the presentation.
• The manager turned it off after the presentation.

Put on / Take off

• He put on his jacket before leaving the house.
• He put his jacket on before leaving the house.
• He put it on before leaving the house.
• She took off her glasses to clean them.
• She took her glasses off to clean them.
• She took them off to clean them.
• The actor put on a convincing performance.

(The object here is abstract — still separable.)

The actor put a convincing performance on.

Give up

• She gave up sugar last year.
• She gave sugar up last year.
• She gave it up last year.
• He gave up his seat for the elderly passenger.
• He gave his seat up for the elderly passenger.
• He gave it up immediately.

Notice how natural the pronoun structure sounds — this is what examiners expect to hear in speaking tasks.

Fill in / Fill out

• Please fill in the form carefully.
• Please fill the form in carefully.
• Please fill it in carefully.
• She filled out the application online.
• She filled the application out online.
• She filled it out online.

In exams, instructions often say:

“Fill in the missing words.”

You would never say:

❌ Fill the missing words in them.

Work out

• He worked out the answer quickly.
• He worked the answer out quickly.
• He worked it out quickly.
• We need to work out a solution before tomorrow.
• We need to work a solution out before tomorrow.
• We need to work it out before tomorrow.

“Work it out” is extremely common in natural English — learners who master this structure immediately sound more fluent.

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

An inseparable phrasal verb cannot be divided.

The object must come after the complete phrasal verb.

Structure

Verb + particle + object

Never separate them.

Example 1: Look after

❌ Look the baby after.

✅ Look after the baby.

Example 2: Run into

❌ I ran my teacher into.

✅ I ran into my teacher.

Example 3: Look for

❌ I’m looking my keys for.

✅ I’m looking for my keys.

Common Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Now let’s strengthen your understanding of inseparable verbs with varied contexts.

Look after

• She looks after her younger brother every afternoon.
• The nurse looked after the patient overnight.
• Who will look after the children while you’re away?

You cannot say:

❌ She looked the patient after.

Run into

• I ran into my old maths teacher at the supermarket.
• She ran into financial difficulties last year.
• We ran into unexpected problems during the project.

Notice something important:

“Run into” can be literal (meet someone) or abstract (encounter problems).

In both cases, it remains inseparable.

Come across

• I came across an interesting article online.
• He came across as confident during the interview.
• She came across a rare book in a small shop.

The structure never changes:

Verb + particle + object

Deal with

• She deals with customer complaints professionally.
• We need to deal with this issue immediately.
• He struggled to deal with the pressure.

Never:

❌ She deals customer complaints with.

Get over

• He got over the disappointment quickly.
• She got over her fear of public speaking.
• It took him months to get over the breakup.

The object always follows the full verb.

Apply for

• She applied for the scholarship.
• He applied for a job abroad.
• Thousands of students apply for university places each year.

Never:

❌ She applied the scholarship for.

Transitive vs Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

This distinction helps you understand why separation happens.

Transitive Phrasal Verbs

They require an object.

Examples:

• Turn off the light.
• Pick up the phone.
• Call off the meeting.

These can be separable or inseparable.

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

They do not take an object.

Examples:

• Wake up!
• Sit down.
• Hurry up.
• Grow up.
• Break down (when referring to a machine)

Because there is no object, separation is impossible.

You cannot say:

❌ Wake it up! (unless “it” is something you are waking — then it becomes transitive)

Understanding this distinction adds clarity, especially at C1 level.

Three-Word Phrasal Verbs (Always Inseparable)

When a phrasal verb contains three words (verb + particle + preposition), it is almost always inseparable.

Examples:

• Look forward to
• Put up with
• Get along with
• Run out of
• Come up with
• Catch up with

You cannot separate these.

❌ Put the noise up with.

❌ Run the milk out of.

Correct forms:

• She can’t put up with the noise.
• We ran out of milk.
• I’m looking forward to the holidays.

Three-word verbs stay together. Always.

More Three-Word Phrasal Verb Examples

Put up with

• I can’t put up with the noise anymore.
• She puts up with a lot of stress at work.
• He had to put up with unfair criticism.

Never:

❌ Put the noise up with.

Get along with

• She gets along with her colleagues.
• Do you get along with your neighbours?
• He doesn’t get along with his brother.

Run out of

• We ran out of time.
• She ran out of patience.
• They ran out of money.

These are extremely common in exams and speaking.

Come up with

• She came up with a brilliant idea.
• He came up with an excuse.
• They came up with a solution.

Never:

❌ She came a brilliant idea up with.

How to Guess if a Phrasal Verb is Separable

There is no perfect formula — but there are patterns.

1. If the second word is clearly a preposition (after, into, with, for), it is usually inseparable.

Examples:

• Look after
• Run into
• Deal with
• Apply for

2. If the particle changes direction or movement, it is often separable.

Examples:

• Take off
• Put on
• Turn off
• Pick up

3. If it has two particles (three words), it is inseparable.

These guidelines work most of the time.

But ultimately, exposure builds intuition.

When Separation Changes Emphasis

Sometimes the choice is stylistic.

Compare:

She turned off the light.

She turned the light off.

Both are correct. The second often sounds slightly more informal and conversational.

In formal writing, learners sometimes prefer:

Turn off the device.

But in speaking, native speakers frequently place the object in the middle.

Understanding this helps you sound natural, not mechanical.

Why English Uses So Many Phrasal Verbs

English developed from Germanic roots. Germanic languages use particles to modify meaning. Over time, English kept these structures, especially in everyday speech.

Often, there is a Latin-based alternative:

• Continue → Carry on
• Tolerate → Put up with
• Discover → Find out
• Extinguish → Put out

In formal academic writing, longer verbs are common. In spoken English and exams, phrasal verbs dominate. Knowing both gives you flexibility.

Common Learner Mistakes

Let’s correct typical errors.

Mistake 1: Separating inseparable verbs

❌ I’m looking my passport for.

✅ I’m looking for my passport.

Mistake 2: Incorrect pronoun placement

❌ Turn off it.

✅ Turn it off.

Mistake 3: Avoiding phrasal verbs completely

Some learners overuse formal verbs:

“I extinguished the light.”

Native speakers say:

“I turned off the light.”

In B2 and C1 exams, natural phrasal verbs improve your lexical resource score.

Cambridge Exam Focus

Key Word Transformations

She cancelled the meeting.

→ She called ______.

Answer: off

Full answer: She called off the meeting.

Or:

She called it off.

Open Cloze

He ______ up the problem during the discussion.

Answer: brought

Correct: He brought up the problem.

Understanding separability prevents mistakes like:

❌ He brought the problem up it.

Quick Memory Guide

If you feel overwhelmed, remember:

✔ Pronouns go in the middle (for separable verbs).

✔ Prepositional verbs are usually inseparable.

✔ Three-word verbs are inseparable.

✔ Intransitive verbs cannot be separated.

Consistency and exposure make patterns natural.

Final Thoughts

Separable and inseparable phrasal verbs are not random chaos.

They follow patterns. They have structure. They reflect the history of English.

Mastering them improves your grammar accuracy, strengthens your Use of English score, makes your speaking sound natural and builds confidence.

And here is the encouraging truth:

The more you read, listen, and practise, the less you will “think” about these rules. Your ear will guide you.

English rewards familiarity.

Keep practising. Keep noticing patterns. And don’t give up.

Because when you finally “work it out”… you really work it out. 😉

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all phrasal verbs separable?

No. Some phrasal verbs are separable, while others are inseparable. Three-word phrasal verbs are almost always inseparable.

How do I know if a phrasal verb is inseparable?

If the second word is clearly a preposition (after, into, with, for), it is usually inseparable.

Where does the pronoun go in separable phrasal verbs?

The pronoun must go between the verb and the particle (e.g. turn it off, pick it up).

Are separable phrasal verbs informal?

Not necessarily. They are common in both everyday English and Cambridge exams.

Download Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs – Practice Worksheet (B2–C1)in PDF here

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Phrasal verbs to use in formal writing

50 phrasal verbs for C1 Advanced

Phrasal verbs and their one-word alternatives

Three-part phrasal verbs in English

How to write an article for B2 First

How to prepare for the Cambridge B2 First exam

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