Come up with means to invent an idea, get away with means to escape punishment, and look forward to means to await with pleasure.
Thinking things up
Not "We need to come an idea up with quickly." — say "We need to come up with an idea quickly.". Keep all three parts together: the object comes after with.
Try it: Which sentence is correct? (We came up with a new strategy overnight. / We came a new strategy up with overnight. / We came up a new strategy with overnight.) Answer: We came up with a new strategy overnight. — The object of come up with follows with, so splitting the three parts is wrong.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
come up with
/kʌm ʌp wɪð/
Ira came up with a catchy slogan.
get away with
/ɡɛt əˈweɪ wɪð/
She always gets away with arriving late because the manager likes her.
look forward to
/lʊk ˈfɔrwərd tu/
We're looking forward to the weekend.
Tolerating and keeping pace
Put up with means to tolerate, keep up with means to not fall behind, and run out of means to have none left.
Not "I can't put up it with any longer." — say "I can't put up with it any longer.". Even a pronoun goes after the last particle: put up with it.
Try it: Choose the correct sentence. (The service is terrible, but we put up with it because it's cheap. / The service is terrible, but we put up it with because it's cheap. / The service is terrible, but we put it up with because it's cheap.) Answer: The service is terrible, but we put up with it because it's cheap. — Even a pronoun follows the last particle: put up with it, never "put up it with".
Try it: Which sentence uses the phrasal verb correctly? (She came up with a better title for the report. / She came a better title up with for the report. / She came up a better title with for the report.) Answer: She came up with a better title for the report. — The object follows the whole verb come up with, so the other options split it.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
put up with
/pʊt ʌp wɪð/
How do you put up with the heat in here?
keep up with
/kip ʌp wɪð/
It's hard to keep up with all the changes to the software.
run out of
/rʌn aʊt əv/
We ran out of time before we could finish the last question.
Facing facts, meeting hopes, using less
Face up to means accept a hard truth, live up to means match expectations, and cut down on means use less.
Not "The hotel didn't live up our expectations." — say "The hotel didn't live up to our expectations.". Keep all three parts: live up to, then the thing.
Try it: Lani: What did you think of the new phone? Maya: It's a letdown. It doesn't ___ the hype. Choose the words for the blank. (live up to / look up to / face up to) Answer: live up to — Live up to means to be as good as people expected.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
face up to
/feɪs ʌp tu/
Sooner or later, the band must face up to its falling ticket sales.
live up to
/lɪv ʌp tu/
The sequel never lived up to the first film.
cut down on
/kʌt daʊn ɑn/
Many students are cutting down on screen time before bed.
What are the common mistakes?
Incorrect
Correct
Why
We need to come an idea up with quickly.
We need to come up with an idea quickly.
Keep all three parts together: the object comes after with.
I can't put up it with any longer.
I can't put up with it any longer.
Even a pronoun goes after the last particle: put up with it.