Meaning trap

set up

prepare equipment

to get equipment or devices ready so they can be used

phrasal verbB1common

Don't mix these meanings

Same phrase, different job.

prepare equipment

to get equipment or devices ready so they can be used

set up (arrange or establish)

Another meaning of 'set up' is 'arrange or establish'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

It took me an hour to set up the new printer.

Before the presentation, I had to set up all the equipment to make sure everything worked smoothly.

One small grammar move makes it sound right.

Not: Let me set up it real quick.

Say: Let me set it up real quick.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'set it up'.

Tap the one a native speaker would say.

Words that usually travel with it.

set up + equipment

Other meanings and phrases to compare.

set up (arrange or establish) — Another meaning of 'set up' is 'arrange or establish'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.