Hi there. This lesson is about the placement of direct objects with phrasal verbs.

I'm really excited. I'm picking up my new computer today. I'm picking it up after work, around 6
o'clock.

I'm picking up my new computer today.

Notice the phrasal verb, pick up.

First, a phrasal verb has two parts: a verb and a particle. Particles are small words
like on, in, out, off, up, etc.

Second, the meaning is different from the verb alone.

For example, pick means to choose. But pick up means get something from a place.

Phrasal verbs often have an object.

Many phrasal verbs are separable. In other words, if there is a direct object noun, the object
can go after the verb.
Turn on the lights.
or between the verb and the particle
Turn the lights on.

Look at these examples:

I'm picking up my new computer today.

I'm picking my new computer up today.

If the direct object is a pronoun, it can only go between the verb and the particle.

A: Turn on the lights.

B: OK. I'll turn them on.

Not: [no audio]

Here are some more examples:

This is an application form.

Can you fill it in, please?
If you need to know a word, look it up in a dictionary.
Where's my cell phone? I need to turn it off.
I want to remember this. I'll write it down.
Hello! Today's lesson is on indirect speech and imperatives.

My mother sent me an email yesterday. I'm going on vacation soon and she travels a lot, so
she always gives me advice.
In her email . . .
She told me to pack light.
She said not to check any bags.
And she asked me to call her tomorrow.

All those sentences are examples of indirect speech—which is sometimes called reported
speech.
We use indirect speech to report what someone said or wrote without quoting the exact words.
In indirect or reported speech, we use a reporting verb—like tell, say, or ask—and a direct
object.

We use direct speech to show what someone said or wrote. We put their words in quotation
marks. For example: My mother told me, "Pack light." When we change direct speech to
indirect speech, we don't use quotations marks.

An imperative in direct speech becomes an infinitive in indirect speech.

When the imperative is negative, we put the word not before the infinitive.
For example: My mother said, "Don't check any bags." When we change this to indirect
speech—She said not to check any bags—the words don't check change to not to check.

When I called my mother, I said "Don't worry." When we change this to indirect speech—I said
not to worry—the words don't worry change to not to worry.

We also change time expressions and pronouns in indirect speech if needed.

For example, in her email, my mother said, "Call me tomorrow." When we change this to
indirect speech, me changes to her and tomorrow changes to the next day.