Compound Verbs

The following is a partial list of two-word verbs that are stressed on the adverb (particle). In most forms, the particle can be shifted (moved) to a position after the object. This is called Particle Shift. (e.g., Please bring back these forms tomorrow (unshifted) or Please bring these forms back tomorrow (shifted).

* = not possible to move particle
ob = obligatory particle shift, particle must be moved
 

* be fed up (with) (tired or sick of): Joe is fed up with his job.
bring back (return): Please bring these forms back tomorrow.
bring on (cause): What brought on the argument?
bring out (reveal, show): The artist brought out the beauty in her face.
bring up (rear children): They brought up their children in the country
* brush up (on) (review): I need to brush up on my chemistry.

call back (telephone again): Could you call back at 2:00?
call off (cancel): The exam on Friday has been called off.
check off (mark an item on a list): He checked our names off as we entered.
* check up (on) (investigate): I'll check up on him tomorrow.
* come up with (present, produce): The students came up with some good examples.
cross off (delete by drawing a line through): Mary was crossed off the list.

ob do over (do again): You'll have to do the experiment over.
* drop by (visit without appointment): They drop by my office often.
* drop in to (visit without appointment): Can you drop in to see me next week?
drop off (decrease): Sales have dropped off steadily for the last three weeks.
(to leave something somewhere): Could you drop this off at the P.O.?
* drop out (of) (discontinue attendance): He dropped out of school for a year.

figure out (solve or reason out): I can't figure out why he dropped out.

* get along (with) (progress): How are you getting along with your classes?
* get back (from) (return): When did you get back from your vacation?
ob (receive): I got my money back instead of another pair of shoes.
* get behind in (lag, fall behind): Why did you get behind in your reading?
get in (arrive): The director gets in at 8:00 every morning.
get in (to), get out (of) (enter, leave): He got in at home and got out here.
get on, get off (board, leave a bus, etc.): I get on at six and got off at ten.
* get over (recover from): I haven't gotten over the flu yet.
ob get over (with) (finish): Let's get this test over with.
* get through (manage to finish): I hope I'll get through my tests in one piece.
get up (arise from sleeping): I always get up early.
* give up (surrender, lose hope): I give up. I'll never learn to speak Chinese.
* go over (review): Let's go over today's homework in class.

hand in (submit, turn in): You must hand in your homework on time.
hang up (place on a hanger or hook): I'll hang up my diploma in my office.

* keep off (stay off): Keep off the grass.
keep on (continue): He kept on working until he finished.
keep out (prevent from entering): You must keep your dog out of the lab.
keep up (maintain a standard): Keep up the good work.

* look forward to (anticipate with pleasure): I look forward to graduation.
* look into (investigate): I'll look into the matter again.
* look out (for) (watch out, be careful of): You have to look out for cheaters.
look over (review): You'd better look over your notes again.
look up (search for in a book): You can look that up in your book.

pick up (collect): You can pick up your reports in my office.
point out (call attention to): I'd like to point out the advantages first.
put across (cause to be understood): He puts it across clearly and concisely.
put away (set aside): Please put away all books, notes, and papers.
put off (postpone): We'll put off the test for one more week.
* put up with (tolerate): I asked him to put up with my disorganization.

* run into (meet by chance): I ran into an old colleague of mine yesterday.
run out (of) (exhaust a supply): Well, it looks like we've run out of time.
* run over (review): Let's run over the procedures one more time.

* show up (for) (appear): Several of the students showed up late for the exam.

* take charge (of) (assume responsibility): I'll take charge of the quizzes.
take out (extract): The dentist took out the bad tooth.
take over (assume control): Company A took over Company B yesterday.
* talk back (to) (answer rudely): Students don't usually talk back to their professors.
talk over (discuss): We'll talk it over tomorrow in class.
think through (consider thoroughly): Think it through before answering.
throw off (mislead): Some of the answers are meant to throw students off.
* throw out (suggest): I threw out a few ideas for the committee to discuss.
try out (test or experiment): We'll try out the new instrument tomorrow.
turn back (return): The T.A. will grade and turn back your tests Friday.
turn in (submit, hand in): You should turn in your homework every Monday.
turn off (shut off): Turn off the overhead projector when you finish.
turn on (start): Don't turn it on until you're ready to use it.
turn out (end up): The experiment turned out well in spite of his error.
(extinguish): Please turn out the lights.
turn up (appear, usually unexpectedly): The lost report will turn up soon.
(increase the intensity): Could you turn up the volume?

wake up (awake from sleep): You need to wake up earlier for your 8:00 class.
work out (solve, find solutions): I'll work out the answer on the board.
write down (make notes): You should write down all of the new terms.