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[cks]

What is the rule dictating that we say "Bring in the cat" vs. "Bring the cat in"? Or "Put down the book" vs. "Put the book down"? Thanks!

[Tdol]

No, but with these verbs where we can put these noun before or after the particle, we put a pronoun ebfore:

Put the lights on.
Put on the lights.
Put them on.
Put on them.

[ptetpe]

I don't know if the following "rule" is relevant, but just in case it is...

"When the object is a long and complex phrase, final placement for end-focus
or end-weight is possible in SVOA clause types." (Quirk, CGEL P.1395)

Shift from SVOA to SVAO

I confessed all my worst defects to him.
I confessed to him all my worst defects.

We heard the story of how he had been stranded for days without food from his own lips.
We heard from his own lips the story of how he had been stranded for days without food.

[mara_ce]

What is the rule dictating that we say "Bring in the cat" vs. "Bring the cat in"? Or "Put down the book" vs. "Put the book down"? Thanks!

There´re four kinds of phrasal verbs. This type is separable. They can be separated by an object.

* If the object is a noun, it can go either after both parts of the phrasal verb or between them.
e.g. Turn down the radio./ Turn the radio down.

* If the object is a pronoun, it must go between the two parts.
e.g. Turn it down. NOT Turn down it.