Separable Object can go in the middle or after: "set it up" or "set up the camp"
Inseparable Object always goes after the particle — never in the middle.
Intransitive No object needed — the verb stands alone.
set upSeparable
To arrange, organize, or establish something; to prepare equipment; to trap or frame someone.
"They set up a temporary camp near the river." / "She set up her own business at 25."
set offIntransitive
To begin a journey; to trigger or cause something to start (alarm, reaction, argument).
"We set off at dawn to reach the park before the crowds." / "The smoke set off the fire alarm."
set outIntransitive
To begin a journey or task with a clear intention or goal.
"She set out to rehabilitate injured wildlife near the coast." / "They set out with one goal: to finish before dark."
set backSeparable
To delay progress; to cost someone money or time.
"The rain set the project back by almost a week." / "The repairs set her back $400."
set asideSeparable
To save or reserve something for later; to temporarily ignore or put something on hold.
"Set aside your worries for now and focus on the task." / "She set aside time every morning to read."
set inIntransitive
To begin and be likely to continue for some time — used for weather, illness, or a negative condition.
"Winter has set in early this year." / "Infection set in after the surgery."
set downSeparable
To place something on a surface; to write down or record; to state rules or instructions officially.
"She set down her bag and looked around." / "The rules were set down clearly in the manual."
set aboutInseparable
To begin doing something with energy and purpose.
"She set about repairing the roof as soon as the rain stopped."
set apartSeparable
To make someone or something different or special; to distinguish from others.
"What sets her apart is her ability to stay calm under pressure."
set freeSeparable
To release from captivity, constraint, or a difficult situation; to liberate.
"After months of rehabilitation, the turtles were set free into the ocean."
📖 The Rescuer
Valeria had set out for Tortuguero with one clear goal: to rehabilitate three injured sea turtles and set them free before the dry season began.
Setting up the temporary camp took most of the first day. She set about constructing a saltwater rehabilitation pool, carefully setting down each piece of material according to the design she had prepared in San José. What set Valeria apart from other rehabilitators was her attention to detail — she didn't just follow existing protocols; she wrote better ones.
Then the rains set in. For five days, the downpour was relentless, setting the project back by nearly a week. The supply canoe couldn't reach them. The team had to set aside the original timeline. Frustration among the volunteers set off arguments that Valeria had to calm quickly. "Set that aside for now," she said. "Focus on what we can control."
On the sixth day, the skies cleared. The team set off early to collect the remaining supplies. By afternoon, the pool was complete. The turtles, healthy and strong, were ready.
The day of the release, no one said anything. They simply watched as each turtle entered the water and disappeared — finally set free.
