5 exercises — the critical grammar rule that trips up even advanced English speakers: when can you split a phrasal verb, and where does the pronoun go?
The key rule at a glance
Separable + noun: "set up the env" ✓ or "set the env up" ✓ — both fine
Separable + pronoun: "set it up" ✓ — pronoun MUST go in the middle
Inseparable + noun: "look into the bug" ✓ — object always follows
Inseparable + pronoun: "look into it" ✓ — same rule, no splitting
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
The phrasal verb "set up" is separable. A developer says: "Can you set up the local environment?" Which sentence is grammatically INCORRECT?
With separable phrasal verbs, the object (noun or noun phrase) can go either after the particle OR between the verb and the particle: "set up the environment" ✅ and "set the environment up" ✅ — both are correct. However, when the object is a pronoun (it, them, him, her), it must go between the verb and the particle: "set it up" ✅ but "set up it" ❌. This is a fixed rule with no exceptions for separable phrasal verbs. More IT examples: "back up the database" ✅ / "back the database up" ✅ / "back it up" ✅ / "back up it" ❌. The pronoun rule catches many non-native speakers off guard because it feels unnatural — but it is standard English grammar.
2 / 5
"Look into" is an inseparable phrasal verb. Which sentence is grammatically INCORRECT?
Inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be split — the object must always come after both the verb and the particle as a unit. With "look into": ✅ "look into the bug" / ✅ "look into it" / ❌ "look the bug into" / ❌ "look it into." This is the key difference from separable phrasal verbs. Other common inseparable IT phrasal verbs: come across ("I came across a useful library"), run into ("we ran into an issue"), look forward to, deal with, carry out (in some usages). Unfortunately, there is no single rule to tell separable from inseparable just by looking at the verb — you need to learn them individually or check a dictionary. A good habit: when you learn a new phrasal verb, also check whether it is separable or inseparable.
3 / 5
"Turn off" is a separable phrasal verb. Which pair of sentences is BOTH correct?
With a separable phrasal verb and a noun or noun phrase as the object, both positions are grammatically correct: "Turn off the server" (object after the particle) ✅ and "Turn the server off" (object between verb and particle) ✅. However, "Turn off it" ❌ is wrong — once the object is a pronoun, it must go in the middle: "Turn it off" ✅. This same pattern applies to dozens of IT phrasal verbs: "switch off", "power down", "shut down", "log out", "check in", "roll back". Practise: "restart the service" → you can also say "restart it" (single word) or think of it as "start it [back] up" → "start it up" ✅.
4 / 5
A developer messages a teammate: "I saved the config file — can you check ___ before we deploy? I think the timeout values need updating." Which option correctly uses a pronoun with the separable phrasal verb "check over"?
"Check over" is a separable phrasal verb meaning to review something carefully. With a pronoun object, the pronoun must go between the verb and the particle: "check it over" ✅ — NOT "check over it" ❌. With a noun phrase both positions work: "check over the config" ✅ and "check the config over" ✅. However, "check over it" fails the pronoun rule — it is a common mistake even among advanced learners. This is why option A looks natural but is technically wrong with a pronoun. Additional examples: "hand it over" ✅ (not "hand over it"), "pass it on" ✅ (not "pass on it"), "bring it up" ✅ (not "bring up it").
5 / 5
At the end of a sprint retrospective, the facilitator says: "Thanks everyone — let's call ___ here. The action items are in Confluence." Which option correctly completes the sentence using "call it a day" (a fixed expression meaning "end/finish for now")?
"Call it a day" is a fixed idiomatic expression (not strictly a phrasal verb, but it follows the same object-placement pattern). "It" here is a dummy pronoun — the expression is always: call → it → a day. You cannot rearrange it: ❌ "call a day" / ❌ "call a day it." In tech team contexts: "Let's call it a day — great sprint!" / "I think we can call it a day on this feature for now." This exercise also illustrates a broader principle: many common English expressions with verbs and particles are fixed — their word order is locked. Learning them as complete phrases (not word by word) is the most reliable strategy. Other fixed expressions you'll hear in IT: "touch base" (check in briefly), "move the needle" (make meaningful progress), "get the ball rolling" (start something).