Establishing groups and arranging equipment

The idea

Set up means establish an organisation or arrange equipment for use; it is common in everyday and neutral English. Say set up the camera or set the camera up, but set it up. The past is set up.

Examples

• They set up a local reading club.
• We set the camera up before lunch.
• Please set it up near the window.
• Our friends set up a small charity.
• I am setting up the speakers now.
• The volunteers set a food bank up last year.

Watch out

Do not put a pronoun after the particle: set up it is incorrect. The verb is two words; the noun setup has a different spelling.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct option. Could you set ___ before the talk? (it up / up it)

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   it up

   it up: The object pronoun comes between the verb and particle.

2. Choose the correct option. They ___ up a new association last year. (set / setted)

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   set

   set: The past has the same form as the base verb.

3. Choose the correct option. We need to set up the ___. (microphone / delay)

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   microphone

   microphone: Equipment can be arranged and made ready for a talk.

Use it today

Describe an organisation someone established and a piece of equipment you prepared.