Some verbs are followed by
adverb particles. Examples are: put on,
take off, give away, bring up, call in.
He was brought up by his grandmother.
Sometimes the particle is detached from the verb
and put after the object.
He took his boots off. They called the doctor in. John put his hat on. He threw the apple away. You must send them back.
Note
that the particle is put after the object, when the object is a personal
pronoun – it, me, us, them etc. – or when it is comparatively short.
Notes
Many
words can be used as both adverb particles and prepositions. There is some
difference between an adverb particle and a preposition. While the particle is
closely tied to its verb to form idiomatic expressions, the preposition is
closely tied to the noun or pronoun it modifies.
The following words are used only as particles
and never as prepositions – away, back,
out, backward, forward, upward,
downward.
When the
object is long or has to be made prominent or when it is qualified by an
adjectival phrase or clause, the particle comes before the object.
The
principal gave away the prizes. He put on an air of innocence. He brushed aside all the plans I had
carefully formulated. The
sailors put out the fire in the hold
of the ship. We should
not throw away anything useful.