split make up

Dan   Tue May 19, 2009 10:35 pm GMT
Today, a teacher told me that we cannot spilt the phrasal verb "make up", in its use below.

He said...

make up your mind (correct)
make your mind up (incorrect)

To me, they both sound correct.
Shuimo   Tue May 19, 2009 11:57 pm GMT
I only like the first, but both can be found in the dictionaries, so I think both are ok.
puekam   Wed May 20, 2009 12:32 am GMT
I think the "correct" form is much more common, but I don't see where the "incorrect" form would cause confusion. It's unclear whether or not I'd ever say the "incorrect" form in spontaneous conversation, though.
CID   Wed May 20, 2009 2:20 am GMT
<<make up your mind (correct)
make your mind up (incorrect)
>>

Both are correct, but the twythe one (i.e. the second one) can become confused with "make something up" i.e. to fabricate something, in this case, your mind:

so it can possibly mean two things:
Make your mind up = make up your mind/decide
Make your mind up = fabricate your thinking/thoughts

Even though I am wis no one would actually confuse it for such, the construction is analog to others where it would (eg. Make a story up, make it up, etc)
Laurie   Wed May 20, 2009 6:46 pm GMT
Sounds like your teacher is trying to teach you strict grammar rules rather than how people actually use the language. The second version seems considerably more familiar to me. Learn the language how it's used.
Mufti   Thu May 21, 2009 8:00 am GMT
Learn the language how it's used.

Like this? ;-P

a reight bobby dazzler
a reight gud sooart
Ah wor fair starved
allus at t’ last push up
goin’ dahn t’ nick
livin’ tally / ower t’ brush
popped ‘is cloggs
put wood i’th’oil
tek a good likeness
jasper   Thu May 21, 2009 3:27 pm GMT
Your teacher is incorrect. There are separable phrasal verbs and inseparable phrasal verbs.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrasals.htm

"Make up" falls in the separable category, as used in this timeless little ditty:

"If you can't make your mind up,
We'll never get started.
And I don't wanna wind up
Being parted, broken-hearted."

Other separable phrasal verbs:

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She picked up the kids from school.
She picked the kids up from school.