sort out

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: sort OUT. Saying “SORT out” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

The /t/ flaps. Between vowels, American /t/ and /d/ both become a quick tap, so “sort out” comes out as “sor-dout” — closer to a fast D than a T. Drop a pronoun in the middle and it flaps twice: “sort it out” → “sor-di-dout”.

2 meanings

1
To resolve a problem.
- “He called IT, hoping they could help him sort out the issue.”
- “We'll sort it out before the end of the day.”
Similar: resolve, fix
2
To organise something messy.
- “I spent Sunday sorting out the garage.”
Similar: organise, tidy

The particle logic

out

Something exits a container, becomes visible, or is exhausted.

Listen + practice

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More SORT phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

sort through

To examine a pile of things one by one.

sort out — meaning, examples & how to say it