Meaning trap
sort out
organise
To arrange things in order or put them in the right place so they are tidy or easy to find.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To arrange things in order or put them in the right place so they are tidy or easy to find.
Another meaning of 'sort out' is 'solve a problem'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- I need to sort out my desk because it's covered in papers.daily life
- If I have a lot of documents, I usually sort them out into different folders so I can find them easily later.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: sort out + noun/pronoun
WrongLet me sort out it.
RightLet me sort it out.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'sort it out', never 'sort out it'.
Patternsort out + noun/pronoun
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Sort out' naturally covers both tidying and fixing in one phrase, and sounds far less stiff than 'resolve and organise'.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
sort out + mess/problema problemthe messthe detailsyour life
Don't confuse it
Not the same as 'sort through', which means to look at things one by one.
Related
- sort out (solve a problem) — Another meaning of 'sort out' is 'solve a problem'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.