Put down: stop holding something and set it on a surface

The idea

An object noun can go before or after down: put the jug down / put down the jug. Put it or them in the middle. The past form remains put; an ongoing action uses putting down.

Examples

• Mina put the full jug down on a mat.
• Mina put down the full jug on a mat.
• Please put it down gently.
• Omar put his bags down beside the bench.
• I am putting the box down so I can open the door.
• She put her pen down and listened.

Watch out

Putting an object down does not necessarily put it in its usual storage place. Put away adds the idea of returning it to storage. Nor does down imply throwing it: you can put it down gently.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct option. Please put ___ gently. (it down / down it)

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   it down

   The pronoun it belongs between put and down.

2. Choose the correct option. Yesterday Omar ___ his bags down. (put / putted)

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   put

   In this meaning, put has the same present base and past form; putted is incorrect.

3. She was holding the jug; now it rests on the mat. Choose the action she completed. She ___ the jug. (picked up / put down)

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   put down

   The jug moves from her hands to the mat, so she put down the jug rather than lifted it.

Use it today

Describe picking an object up and then putting it down somewhere else. Name the surface in the second sentence and use it or them once.