English Grammar Study Notes

1. Core Grammar Foundations

1.1 "Have got" vs "Have"

Have got and have both express possession, but they differ in formality and usage.

• Have got is common in spoken British English and often conveys immediacy or personal context. It is not used in continuous or perfect forms.

  • I’ve got a meeting at 10 a.m. (= I have a meeting at 10 a.m.)
  • Have you got time for a call?

• Have is more formal and versatile, used in both speech and writing, and also in expressions of experience or relationship.

  • I have a few questions about the proposal.
  • I have had this laptop for two years.

In professional contexts (emails, reports, meetings), use “have” to sound more neutral and polished.

1.2 Verbs with Two Objects

Some verbs allow both a direct object (the thing) and an indirect object (the person receiving it). The indirect object usually comes before the direct object.

• I gave the police the information. (indirect + direct)
• I gave the information to the police. (direct + prepositional phrase)

Both forms are correct, but the first is smoother when the indirect object is short. Common verbs: give, tell, show, send, offer, ask, teach, pay, promise.

In business writing, this pattern makes language concise: “I sent the client the updated slide deck.”

1.3 Verb + Object + to + Infinitive / Without “to”

Verbs differ in whether they take to + infinitive or just the bare infinitive.

• Verb + object + to + infinitive: ask, allow, advise, expect, encourage, invite, remind, tell, force, persuade, teach, warn, enable, require, order, instruct.

  • The manager asked me to join the meeting.
  • We encouraged the client to expand the pilot project.
  • She reminded him to send the agenda before noon.
  • The director instructed the team to update the risk register.
  • Our trainer taught us to prepare clear audit notes.
  • They persuaded the client to extend the deadline.
  • HR warned staff to avoid sharing confidential data.

• Verb + object + infinitive (no to): make, let, help.

  • The director let us leave early.
  • This policy helps employees manage their workload.

These distinctions are idiomatic — you must memorise which verbs belong to each group.

1.4 “It’s nice/kind/silly of (someone) to…”

This structure comments on someone’s action and is a useful way to express appreciation, criticism, or judgment about how a person behaves in a specific context. It can highlight positive qualities or point out mistakes in a polite, indirect way.

• It was kind of you to stay late for the meeting.
• It was silly of him to ignore the deadline.
• It was generous of them to contribute their time to the charity event.
• It was thoughtful of her to send a follow-up email after the meeting.
• It was careless of him to forget to attach the document.
• It was rude of them to interrupt the presentation.

This pattern helps soften tone in professional communication, making comments sound tactful and balanced. It can be used to express thanks (It was nice of you to help me prepare for the audit) or to convey criticism diplomatically (It was careless of him to miss the client call). Including adjectives like considerate, selfish, brave, honest, unfair, or foolish adds nuance and shows a deeper understanding of tone and intent.

1.5 “It’s a waste of time/money + -ing”

Used to express something inefficient or unproductive:

• It’s a waste of money buying things you don’t need.

Related structures:

• Spend + -ing: She spent the afternoon preparing the report.
• Be busy + -ing: They are busy reviewing the proposal.

All three indicate ongoing actions involving time or resources.

1.6 Verb + Object + Preposition + -ing

Some verbs are followed by an object and a preposition before the -ing form. This pattern links an action to the reason or the person involved, and it is common in both everyday English and professional communication.

• I congratulated Liz on getting a new job.
• He accused me of not sharing the data.
• They thanked the team for working late on the project.
• She blamed the delay on missing documentation.
• The manager prevented us from making the same mistake again.

Common patterns include: apologise for, thank for, prevent from, insist on, forgive for, approve of, complain about, rely on, and suspect of. Each combination carries its own shade of meaning. For instance, “insist on doing” shows persistence, while “forgive for doing” expresses acceptance of an error.

This structure highlights relationships between people, actions, and reasons. In formal settings, it helps you sound precise and polite: “We appreciate you for attending the meeting,” or “I apologised to the client for sending the wrong version.” It can also add clarity to reports or feedback discussions by making cause and effect explicit.

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2. Modals & Conditionals

2.1 “Could” vs “Was able to”

Both express ability, but differ in meaning:

• Could = general ability in the past.

  • I could swim when I was five.

• Was able to = specific achievement or success. It usually highlights a specific moment or event in which someone managed to do something successfully. Unlike could, which refers to general ability, was able to focuses on a particular instance of success.

For example:

• I was able to fix the error yesterday. → emphasises success in one specific case.
• I could fix the error yesterday. → sounds less natural, as it doesn’t clearly state that the task was completed.

In other words, was able to describes an actual accomplishment at a particular time, whereas could expresses general capability or potential without confirming that the action really happened.

In professional contexts, use was able to when describing completed accomplishments.

2.2 “Could” in Unreal / Hypothetical Contexts

“Could” can also express hypothetical or imaginative situations.

• Suggestion: You could ask your manager for feedback.
• Unreal past: I could have been a lawyer if I had studied law.

It conveys politeness and tentativeness — useful in diplomacy and recommendations.

2.3 “May have” vs “Might have”

Both mean “possibly happened,” but may is slightly more formal or confident.

• He may have missed the meeting (I think he probably did).
• He might have missed the meeting (I’m less certain).

In business writing, prefer may have for neutrality.

2.4 “Would” / “Would have”

• Would = imagined, habitual, or polite in the present/future. It expresses an imagined situation, a repeated action in the past, or politeness when making requests or offers.

  • I would take that project if offered.
  • When I worked in audit, I would often stay late during busy season.
  • Would you like me to prepare the summary notes? “Would” can show willingness or intention, especially when softening a statement or making it conditional: I would help, but I’m in another meeting.

• Would have = imagined or hypothetical in the past, referring to actions that did not actually happen. It is used to talk about regret, missed opportunities, or alternative outcomes.

  • I would have joined the call if I had known earlier.
  • We would have delivered the report on time if the data had been ready.
  • She would have appreciated more notice before the presentation.

Both forms are used frequently in conditionals and polite expressions. “Would” relates to hypothetical or expected situations, while “would have” looks back on imagined results in the past. In professional communication, “would” softens tone and expresses diplomacy — for example, I would suggest reviewing this again tomorrow sounds more courteous than I suggest reviewing this again tomorrow.

2.5 Conditional Sentence Types

Conditionals describe cause–effect or hypothetical situations.

Type	If-clause	Main clause	Example	Use
Zero	Present simple	Present simple	If you heat ice, it melts.	Fact or rule
First	Present simple	Will + verb	If it rains, we’ll cancel the trip.	Real future condition
Second	Past simple	Would + verb	If I were you, I’d review the data.	Unreal present/future
Third	Past perfect	Would have + past participle	If I had known, I’d have called.	Unreal past

“If I were” is the formal subjunctive, used in professional or polite hypotheticals: If I were responsible, I’d ensure weekly updates.

2.6 “As long as / Provided that / Providing that”

All three mean “only if,” but they differ in tone, formality, and the kinds of conditions they introduce.

• As long as = friendly or neutral. It’s often used in spoken or semi-formal English to express a condition that feels flexible or practical. You can leave early as long as you finish the report.

• Provided that / Providing that = both formal and conditional, meaning “on the condition that.” They are most often used in professional, legal, or academic writing. These phrases show that one action or permission depends entirely on another.

How to Use “Provided that” and “Providing that”

Both function as subordinating conjunctions — they connect a dependent clause (the condition) with a main clause (the result). The '-ing' form providing that is slightly less formal but perfectly acceptable in modern business English, while provided that sounds more official and is frequent in contracts, policies, and formal agreements.

You can use them at the beginning or middle of a sentence:

• Provided that all invoices are approved, the payment will be processed. (beginning)
• The payment will be processed provided that all invoices are approved. (middle)
• Providing that you submit your expense claim by Friday, you’ll be reimbursed next week. (beginning)
• We can proceed with the project providing that the client confirms in writing. (middle)

Meaning and Tone

Both forms mean that one situation can happen only if the condition is fulfilled. They emphasize obligation, limitation, or permission — common in professional or legal communication.

• Employees may work remotely provided that productivity targets are met.
• Consultants can access the database providing that they sign a confidentiality agreement.

Summary:

• As long as → neutral, common in daily and workplace speech.
• Provided that / Providing that → formal, precise, and ideal for rules, conditions, and contractual writing. Use provided that when you want to sound more official, and providing that when the tone can be slightly softer or conversational.

2.7 “In case”

Used to show precaution or preparation for a possible situation — it expresses what someone does to be ready if something happens. Importantly, we don’t use “will” after in case because the phrase already refers to a possible future event.

• Take notes in case you forget later. (NOT in case you will forget)
• Keep the receipt in case the client requests proof.
• Bring your laptop in case we need to review the data.
• Save the file in case the system crashes.

Formula: Action + in case + subject + present tense (to express a future or possible event)

Meaning difference:

• If = condition that might happen. → If it rains, we’ll stay inside.
• In case = precaution before something might happen. → Take an umbrella in case it rains. (You prepare even though it may not rain.)

This is especially useful in planning, risk assessment, or project management — where actions are taken to prevent potential problems.

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3. Relative Clauses

Relative clauses connect ideas to avoid repetition and clarify meaning.

3.1 Who / Which / That

• Who → people: The consultant who joined last week is from London.
• Which → things: The presentation which we reviewed is final.
• That → either, but often used in restrictive (essential) clauses. The project that won the award was ours.

3.2 Omitting the Relative Pronoun

When the pronoun is the object, it can be omitted, which makes the sentence more natural and fluent in everyday and professional English. This omission is common when the meaning remains clear without repeating the pronoun. It helps avoid redundancy and keeps formal writing concise.

• The person (who) I met yesterday is a partner. → Both forms are correct, but omitting “who” makes the sentence sound smoother in speech.
• The file (that) we discussed is ready. → “That” may be dropped because the object of the verb “discussed” is already clear.

Here are a few more examples to help you see how the verb’s object is what follows it:

• The man (who) I saw in the lobby works in HR. → “the man” is the object of “saw.”
• The book (that) I borrowed from the library was helpful. → “the book” is the object of “borrowed.”
• The presentation (which) we watched yesterday was impressive. → “the presentation” is the object of “watched.”
• The client (that) we met last week gave positive feedback. → “the client” is the object of “met.”
• The car (that) she bought last year is very reliable. → “the car” is the object of “bought.”

In each sentence, the noun that comes before the relative clause (like the man, the book, the client) receives the action of the verb inside the clause, making it the object.

You cannot omit the pronoun when it is the subject of the clause (for example: The person who called is my colleague — here “who” must stay).

Other examples:

• The restaurant (that) we visited last week was excellent.
• The project (which) I managed last year won an award.
• The idea (that) she suggested was innovative.

This rule especially improves readability in professional or technical writing, where clarity and conciseness are valued. Using the shortened form shows command of natural English rhythm and avoids unnecessary repetition while maintaining correctness.

3.3 Ending with a Preposition

In modern English, ending a sentence with a preposition is both common and natural. It creates a smoother, more conversational tone and is widely accepted in both speech and writing. This happens when a sentence joins two ideas — one containing a preposition and an object — into a single relative clause or question. In these cases, the object of the preposition becomes a relative pronoun such as who, which, or that, and the preposition naturally moves to the end of the clause.

Why this happens

Let’s look at an example:

• Tom is talking to a woman.
• Do you know her?

When we combine them, her becomes who, and the preposition to remains attached to the verb talking: ➡ Do you know the woman (who) Tom is talking to? This literally means Do you know the woman to whom Tom is talking? but the second version sounds too formal for everyday use. Ending with to is far more natural.

When to use this pattern

You’ll encounter this pattern whenever the relative clause or question includes a verb–preposition pair (for example, talk to, look at, apply for, listen to, speak to, rely on, deal with, focus on). Here are more examples:

• This is the issue we were talking about.
• That’s the man (who) I was speaking to yesterday.
• Here’s the document (which) we were looking for.
• The company (which) I applied to never responded.
• She’s the person (who) I was waiting for.
• This is the problem (that) we need to deal with.

In all these sentences, the preposition remains at the end because it belongs to the verb. This structure keeps the natural rhythm of English speech.

Formal alternative

In formal or traditional writing, such as contracts or academic prose, you may see the preposition before the relative pronoun:

• The company to which I applied never responded.
• The woman to whom Tom is talking is our new client.

This older structure is grammatically correct but can sound stiff or old-fashioned in modern conversation.

Quick formula for recall

When the base sentence follows Verb + Preposition + Object, and you transform it into a relative clause or question, move the preposition to the end of the clause.

Formula: (Verb + Preposition + Object) → (Object + (who/which/that) + Subject + Verb + Preposition)

Example pattern:

• talk to someone → the person (who) I talked to
• apply for a job → the job (that) she applied for
• look at something → the report (which) we looked at
• rely on someone → the colleague (who) I rely on

Use this rule whenever a preposition belongs closely to its verb — especially in phrasal verbs or verb-preposition combinations — to sound natural and fluent in modern English.

3.4 “Whose” for Possession

Links a noun to its owner:

• She’s the manager whose team won the bid.
• That’s the client whose feedback we need.

3.5 -ing and -ed Relative Clauses

These clauses make writing more fluent and concise by replacing longer relative clauses that use who is, who was, which is, or which was. They work like shortcuts, allowing you to describe nouns efficiently.

-ing Relative Clauses (Active meaning)

Use -ing when the noun is the one doing the action. It describes something ongoing or active.

• The woman talking to Tom (= the woman who is talking to Tom)
• The students sitting near the window (= the students who are sitting near the window)
• Anyone working in this department (= anyone who works in this department)
• The team presenting today (= the team who is presenting today)

Formula: Subject + (who/which is) + verb → Subject + verb-ing Example: The person who is speaking now → The person speaking now.

You can’t use this shortened form if the clause has a subject before the verb — it only works when the subject of who is and the main noun are the same.

-ed Relative Clauses (Passive meaning)

Use -ed (or past participle) when the noun receives the action. It’s a passive structure that describes something affected by another action.

• The boy injured in the accident (= the boy who was injured in the accident)
• The documents sent yesterday (= the documents that were sent yesterday)
• The report prepared by the intern (= the report that was prepared by the intern)
• The car damaged in the crash (= the car that was damaged in the crash)
• The data collected last week (= the data which was collected last week)

Formula: Subject + (who/which was) + past participle → Subject + past participle Example: The project which was completed early → The project completed early.

Understanding “Who” and Omission Rules

You cannot always omit who or which. Whether you can skip it depends on its grammatical role:

• If “who” or “which” is the object of the verb, you may omit it: The person (who) I met yesterday was kind.
• If “who” or “which” is the subject, you must keep it: The person who called is my colleague. (NOT The person called is my colleague.)

Tip: To check, turn the relative clause into a full sentence:

• “I met the person.” → “who” = object → optional
• “The person called.” → “who” = subject → required

Comparison of -ing and -ed Clauses

Type	Focus	Example	Meaning
-ing clause	Active (the noun is doing the action)	The man talking to the client	The man performs the action.
-ed clause	Passive (the noun receives the action)	The client invited to the meeting	The client receives the action.

Additional Examples and Notes

• The person sitting by the door waved at me. (= who is sitting)
• The employee promoted last month just joined the new team. (= who was promoted)
• The company founded in 1995 became a market leader. (= that was founded)
• The engineers working overnight solved the issue. (= who were working)

These structures are common in both spoken and written English, especially in reports, business updates, and journalistic writing. They create clear, polished sentences that sound fluent without unnecessary words.

3.6 “There is / There was” + -ing / -ed

This structure describes a scene or situation and often hides a relative clause like “who/which is/was.” It shortens the sentence and keeps it fluent.

Examples:

• There were some children swimming in the river. (= who were swimming)
• There were several proposals submitted last week. (= that were submitted)

Here “who were” or “that were” is omitted, leaving only the -ing or -ed form.

Formula: There + be (is/was/were) + noun + (who/which + be) + verb-ing / past participle → There + be + noun + verb-ing / past participle

Examples:

• There was a man waiting outside. (= who was waiting)
• There were reports published yesterday. (= that were published)
• There are people working in the next room. (= who are working)

This is the same omission rule as in -ing/-ed relative clauses (see 3.5). The hidden part is dropped because context makes it clear. It’s especially useful in professional writing for concise, natural descriptions.

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4. Verb Forms & -ing / Infinitive Patterns

4.1 Verbs Followed by -ing

Certain verbs are always followed by the -ing form. Common examples: admit, avoid, consider, deny, enjoy, finish, imagine, suggest, give up, put off, carry on, keep on.

• We discussed revising the budget.
• She gave up smoking.

4.2 Verbs Followed by Infinitive

Other verbs require to + infinitive. Examples: decide, hope, plan, agree, expect, refuse, promise, seem.

• They agreed to implement the new process.
• I plan to contact the client tomorrow.

4.3 “Would rather (someone) did (verb)”

Used to express a preference about another person’s action. The verb after would rather appears in the past simple, but it doesn’t refer to the past — it expresses something hypothetical or imagined in the present or future. The past form creates a softer, more polite tone.

• I’d rather you sent the file today. (= Please send it; present/future action, polite request)
• I’d rather he didn’t attend the meeting. (= I prefer that he not attend; polite disagreement)

You can use would rather + subject + past tense in both formal and informal situations to make your preference sound less direct. Compare:

• I’d rather you called before coming. (= I prefer that you call first.)
• I’d rather they arrived early tomorrow. (= I prefer they arrive early.)

When referring to a past action that you wish had been different, use had + past participle instead:

• I’d rather you had told me earlier. (= It would have been better if you had told me.)

Summary:

Time reference	Structure	Example	Meaning
Present/Future	would rather + subject + past verb	I’d rather you didn’t smoke here.	Hypothetical/polite preference
Past	would rather + subject + had + past participle	I’d rather you had joined the meeting.	Regret about a past action

4.4 Verbs after “when” or “while”

Use -ing for background or simultaneous actions.

• He hurt his hand while playing tennis.
• I saw her when crossing the road.

4.5 Phrasal Verb + Object Position

If the object is a noun, it can go before or after the particle, depending on how natural the phrase sounds. This flexibility is a key feature of separable phrasal verbs.

• Turn off the light. / Turn the light off.
• Pick up the phone. / Pick the phone up.
• Write down the number. / Write the number down.

However, when the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and the particle — never at the end:

• Turn it off. (NOT Turn off it)
• Pick it up. (NOT Pick up it)
• Write it down. (NOT Write down it)

This rule applies only to separable phrasal verbs, which allow the object to move. Not all phrasal verbs are separable. There isn’t a strict rule to predict this — you must learn them by pattern and familiarity. However, some verbs tend to form separable phrasal verbs when the meaning is literal or action-based (like turn off, pick up, put down), while abstract or idiomatic meanings (like look after, deal with) are often inseparable.

Below is a list of common separable phrasal verbs you’re likely to use in daily office life at PwC, especially in project, communication, and management contexts:

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example (Professional Context)
bring up	mention or introduce a topic	She brought up the audit issue during the meeting.
carry out	perform, execute	We carried out a data review before the client visit.
fill in	complete (a form or document)	Please fill in the timesheet before Friday.
hand out	distribute	They handed out the printed agenda to the team.
pick up	collect or learn	I’ll pick up the documents from reception.
point out	highlight or indicate	He pointed out an error in the draft report.
put off	postpone or delay	Let’s put off the meeting until next week.
set up	arrange or establish	We set up a new collaboration channel on Teams.
turn down	reject	The manager turned down the proposal due to cost.
turn off / on	stop or start (a device, system)	Please turn off your mic during the call.
write down	record information	Write down the key action items from the discussion.
take on	accept responsibility	He’s taking on the leadership of the AI initiative.
cut down	reduce	We need to cut down unnecessary model runs.
hand in	submit	You must hand in the quarterly report by 5 p.m.
bring back	return or reintroduce	Let’s bring back the automation strategy for review.

• Inseparable examples: Look after, run into, deal with, rely on → You cannot place the object between the verb and the particle.

  • She looked after the baby. (NOT She looked the baby after.)
  • I ran into Tom yesterday. (NOT I ran Tom into yesterday.)

Quick Check Formula:

1. If the phrasal verb is separable → object (noun) can go before or after particle; pronoun must go in the middle.
2. If the phrasal verb is inseparable → object always follows the full phrasal verb.

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5. Tense & Reported Speech

5.1 Direct vs Indirect Speech

When reporting speech, we often shift the tense of the original statement one step back — this is called backshift. It helps show that the speaker is reporting what was said earlier rather than repeating it directly. Backshift usually happens when the reporting verb (such as said, told, explained, informed) is in the past tense.

Direct	Indirect (Reported Speech)
Paul said, “I’m feeling ill.”	Paul said (that) he was feeling ill.
She said, “I’ve finished the report.”	She said (that) she had finished the report.
They said, “We are working on it.”	They said (that) they were working on it.
John said, “I will call you tomorrow.”	John said (that) he would call me the next day.

The word that is optional in modern English, especially in speech. You can drop it when the meaning is clear: She said she was busy.

Backshift does not apply when the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g. She says she feels tired), or when the situation is still true at the time of speaking.

This form of indirect speech is common in professional contexts, such as meeting notes, reports, and email summaries, where you recount what someone said without quoting them directly.

5.2 Tense Backshift in Reported Speech

Original Tense	Reported Tense	Example
Present simple	Past simple	“I work here.” → He said he worked there.
Present perfect	Past perfect	“I have done it.” → She said she had done it.
Will	Would	“I will go.” → He said he would go.

Reporting verbs include say, tell, explain, inform, suggest. In formal contexts, “inform” and “explain” sound more professional: She informed us that the report was complete.

5.3 “I saw somebody do” vs “doing”

• I saw him do it. → the whole action completed.
• I saw him doing it. → in progress at that moment.

Use this distinction to clarify time and focus.

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6. Conjunctions & Sentence Connectors

6.1 Although / Though / Even though

All introduce contrast, but with tone differences:

• Although = neutral or formal. Although it was late, he continued working.
• Even though = stronger contrast. Even though it was raining, they went out.
• Though = informal, often used at the end of a sentence. It was tough, though.

6.2 In Case

Used to show precaution or preparation for a possible situation — it expresses what someone does to be ready if something happens. Importantly, we don’t use “will” after in case because the idea already refers to a future possibility, not a certainty.

• Take notes in case you forget later. ✅ (NOT in case you will forget)
• Keep the receipt in case the client requests proof.
• Bring your laptop in case we need to review the data.
• Save the file in case the system crashes.

Formula: Action + in case + subject + present tense (to express a future or possible event)

Meaning difference:

• If refers to a condition that might happen. → If it rains, we’ll stay inside.
• In case refers to doing something beforehand as a precaution. → Take an umbrella in case it rains. (You prepare even though it may not rain.)

This structure is especially common in professional or safety-related contexts — such as planning, risk assessment, or project management — where actions are taken to prevent potential problems.

6.3 As Long As / Provided That / Providing That

• You can submit the document as long as it’s reviewed.
• Providing that the client agrees, we’ll proceed with delivery.

These are useful in formal conditions and contracts.

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7. Practical Vocabulary & Usage Lists

7.1 Common Verb + Preposition Combinations

You could expand this section by including other frequent business-use verbs per preposition (e.g., 'rely on', 'comment on', 'apply for', 'wait for', 'belong to', 'look at', 'listen to'). Grouping by preposition would also save space and help identify usage clusters quickly.

Preposition	Common Verbs	Example (Professional Context)
on	rely on, focus on, comment on	We rely on accurate data. / Please focus on the KPIs. / He commented on the new strategy.
at	look at, aim at, glance at	Let’s look at the financial report. / We aim at continuous improvement.
in	believe in, participate in, succeed in	We believe in teamwork. / They succeeded in automating the workflow.
for	apply for, wait for, search for	She applied for the promotion. / I’m waiting for client feedback.
to	belong to, refer to, respond to	This device belongs to the IT team. / Please respond to the client’s query.
with	deal with, agree with, collaborate with	We need to deal with the complaint. / She agreed with the proposal. / They collaborate with our analytics team.

7.2 Common Phrasal Verbs

This section now focuses on more advanced or less basic phrasal verbs frequently used in professional, project, and analytical contexts. Each entry includes notes on required prepositions and whether it takes an object or gerund.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning / Grammar Notes	Example (Professional Context)
bring about	cause something to happen (takes object)	The policy change brought about significant improvements in delivery speed.
iron out	resolve small problems (takes object)	We still need to iron out the final details of the model training plan.
flesh out	add detail to an idea or plan (takes object)	Can you flesh out the architecture section before submission?
boil down to	be essentially about (inseparable; use with to + noun/gerund)	The disagreement boils down to differing KPIs.
follow up on	check progress or continue an action (inseparable)	I’ll follow up on the client feedback tomorrow.
weigh in on	contribute an opinion (inseparable; often used with on + noun)	The CISO weighed in on the cybersecurity strategy.
carry on with	continue an ongoing action (inseparable; use with with + noun/gerund)	Let’s carry on with testing the automation pipeline.
pull together with	collaborate or coordinate with someone (inseparable; with + person/team)	We need to pull together with the US data team to meet the deadline.
set aside for	reserve resources for a purpose (inseparable; for + noun/gerund)	We’ve set aside budget for retraining the AI models.
phase in / out	introduce or remove gradually (takes object)	We’ll phase in the new model monitoring system next quarter.
step up to	take initiative or responsibility (inseparable; to + noun/gerund)	She stepped up to lead the client workshop.
hand over to	delegate or transfer control (inseparable; to + person/team)	He handed over to the new engineering lead last week.
touch base with	make brief contact or check in (inseparable; with + person/team)	Let’s touch base with the risk team later today.
zero in on	focus intensely on a specific target (inseparable; on + noun)	We need to zero in on the root cause of the latency issue.
cut back on	reduce usage or spending (inseparable; on + noun/gerund)	We’re cutting back on unnecessary API calls to save costs.

Usage Tips:

• Always check if a phrasal verb requires a preposition (e.g., follow up on, pull together with).
• For continuous actions, a gerund (-ing) often follows: carry on testing, cut back on spending.
• For collaboration or communication verbs, add with + person/team: touch base with the client, pull together with operations.
• These advanced phrasal verbs are especially common in project reviews, leadership meetings, and AI delivery updates at PwC.

7.3 Phrasal Verbs with Objects

Correct	Incorrect	Explanation
Turn off the light. / Turn the light off.	Turn off it.	Object is noun — flexible position.
Put on your coat. / Put your coat on.	Put on it.	Object is pronoun — must go in the middle.