clean

/klin/2 phrasal verbs

The plain verb means to remove dirt.

Clean up is to tidy a mess — and it is the example the coach's worksheet uses for separability: “Oliver cleaned up the mess”, “Oliver cleaned the mess up”, “Oliver cleaned it up”. All three are correct, and with a pronoun only the middle position is allowed.

Clean out is to empty a space completely.

Side by side

Every CLEAN phrasal verb, with the one line that keeps it apart from its siblings. Tap any one to open it.

Phrasal verb	Means	How to remember it
clean upSeparable	tidy a mess completely	UP = completion. The textbook separable verb.
clean outSeparable2 meanings	empty a space completely; leave someone with no money	OUT = nothing is left inside.

Phrasal verbs with CLEAN — what each one means