phrasal verb word order — pronoun must sit between (GiU Unit 137)
The frame
Section titled “The frame”I don’t want to wake up the children. → OK ✓
Noun objects are flexible; pronouns are not.
The word-order rule
Section titled “The word-order rule”| object type | allowed | forbidden |
|---|---|---|
| noun | wake up the children · wake the children up | — |
| pronoun | wake them up | ✗ wake up them |
Pronouns must sit between verb and particle. Nouns can go either side.
Particles are unstressed; English keeps definite/short items (pronouns) tight against the verb, and the particle’s stress falls at the end. With a full noun phrase, the noun can carry the stress, so the particle may stay put.
Applies to all transitive phrasal verbs
Section titled “Applies to all transitive phrasal verbs”- turn it down ✓ / ✗ turn down it
- do it up ✓ / ✗ do up it
- save it up ✓ / cheer him up ✓
- take it in ✓ / ✗ take in it
- pick it up ✓ / throw it away ✓
Non-separable three-part phrasals don’t split at all: put up with it (✗ put it up with), get on with it, look forward to it.
Is the object a pronoun (it/them/him/her/me/us)? → must go in the middle. A noun phrase → either position fine.
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use, Unit 137 — Phrasal verbs 1. Ebot lesson 2026-09-05.