pass on

Separable

The object can go before or after the particle — but a pronoun MUST go in the middle: “clean it up”, never “clean up it”.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: pass ON. Saying “PASS on” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Link across the gap. The final /s/ of “pass” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “pass on” is said “pa-son”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.

2 meanings

  1. 1

    To transmit something to someone else.

    • Could you pass the message on to the team?
    • The condition can be passed on to children.

    Similar: transmit, relay

  2. 2

    To decline an offer.

    • Thanks, but I'll pass on dessert.

    Similar: decline

The particle logic

Listen + practice

Hear “pass on” spoken naturally

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Read the sentence aloud. Keep the stress on the particle and run the two words together — we’ll score every sound and flag what to work on.

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More PASS phrasal verbs

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pass on — meaning, examples & how to say it