This expression covers organising things and resolving problems.

The idea

Sort out means organise or resolve, especially in everyday British English. A noun can follow it or go between the words; a pronoun must go between them: sort it out.

Examples

  • We sorted out the books by colour.
  • Please sort the papers out before lunch.
  • Can you sort them out by date?
  • The neighbours sorted out the noise problem.
  • I will sort the tickets out tonight.
  • We need to sort out this mistake.

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Watch out

Do not say sort out it: the pronoun belongs before the particle.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. There is a booking problem; please sort ___. (it out / out it)

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    it out

    it out: the pronoun goes between the verb and particle.

  2. Choose the correct option. Yesterday we ___ out the tools. (sorted / sort)

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    sorted

    sorted: yesterday calls for the past form.

  3. Choose the correct option. We must sort ___ the payment problem. (out / up)

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    out

    out: this completes the expression for resolving the problem.

Use it today

Describe something you organised and a problem you resolved.