sort out — resolve (Murphy Additional Exercises, Phrasal verbs)
Pattern
Section titled “Pattern”sort out = resolve / organize / fix (a problem, issue, or arrangement).
- There are still a couple of things to sort out. (resolve remaining issues)
- We need to sort out the details.
- I’ll sort it out.
- Let’s sort out this problem.
Related “resolve” phrasals
Section titled “Related “resolve” phrasals”| Phrasal | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sort out | resolve / organize | I’ll sort it out. |
| work out | figure out / resolve (also: exercise, succeed) | We worked out the problem. |
| figure out | understand / solve | I figured out the answer. |
| straighten out | fix a misunderstanding | Let’s straighten this out. |
Don’t confuse
Section titled “Don’t confuse”| Phrasal | Meaning | Exists? |
|---|---|---|
| run out | deplete | ✓ — We ran out of milk. |
| fix out | — | ✗ (no such phrasal) |
| finish out | — | ✗ (no such phrasal; “finish up” exists) |
| sort out | resolve | ✓ |
Test application
Section titled “Test application”We are still discussing the contract. There are still a couple of things to ___ out.
Answer: sort — resolve the remaining contract issues.
Why not the others?
- run ✗ — run out = deplete supplies, not resolve issues
- fix ✗ — “fix out” doesn’t exist
- finish ✗ — “finish out” doesn’t exist
- sort ✓ — sort out = resolve
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use (4th ed.), Additional Exercises — Phrasal verbs (Units 137-145). Ebot lesson 2026-08-29: “a couple of things to ___ out” → sort (sort out = resolve).