This lesson uses two everyday meanings: lifting something into your hands and going to collect a person or item. The surrounding situation tells you which is intended.

The idea

A noun can go after up or between the parts: pick up the spoon / pick the spoon up. A pronoun goes in the middle: pick it up / pick you up. The regular past is picked up.

Examples

  • Omar picked up the fallen spoon.
  • Omar picked the fallen spoon up.
  • Please pick it up by the handle.
  • I can pick you up outside the library at five.
  • Mina picked up her parcel from the corner shop.
  • We are picking Lea up after her class.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Picking someone up outside a library usually means collecting them, not lifting them into the air. Do not guess the meaning from up alone; read the person, place and situation.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. Please pick ___ by the handle. (it up / up it)

    Show answer or example answer

    it up

    The pronoun it must precede up in this pattern.

  2. Choose the correct option. Yesterday Omar ___ up the spoon. (picked / pick)

    Show answer or example answer

    picked

    Picked marks the completed action yesterday.

  3. Choose the correct option. Mina picked up her parcel ___ the corner shop. (from / to)

    Show answer or example answer

    from

    From identifies where Mina collected the parcel; to would indicate movement towards a destination.

Use it today

Write a sentence about lifting something from the floor. Then arrange to collect a friend, naming a clear meeting place and time.