Phrasal verbs · Free lesson
Pick out a gift: choose it before you buy it
You compare several scarves for a gift. You decide on the green one, but you have not bought it yet. Your choice is made; the purchase can come later.
Professor Scott MendozaMeaning in this lesson
pick out
Choose someone or something from a group of possibilities.
Example
“I picked out a green scarf for my sister.”
I chose the green scarf from the available options as a gift for my sister.
The short answer
Pick out means choose from a group of possibilities in this lesson. “I picked out a green scarf” says which scarf you selected. It does not, by itself, say you paid for it.
The important action is choosing.
Use pick out when selecting something from available options. You can say “pick out a scarf” or “pick a scarf out.” With a pronoun, put it in the middle: “pick it out.” The past form is picked out.
Choosing and paying are separate steps.
I picked out a green scarf.
I have not paid for it yet.
These two sentences can both be true. Picked out describes your selection, so it does not conflict with not having paid yet.
Report the choice you made
Name your choice
I picked out a green scarf.
Say who it is for
I picked out a green scarf for my sister.
Use a pronoun after naming it
I picked it out for my sister.
Try it now
Did you choose it or buy it?
Read all answers and explanations
You selected a scarf from several options but have not bought it or paid. Which sentence reports only the choice?
I picked out a green scarf.Picked out reports selecting the scarf. Bought claims a purchase and paid for claims payment; neither has happened in this situation.
The scarf is already mentioned. Replace a scarf with it: “I picked a scarf out.”
I picked it out.The object pronoun it goes between picked and out. A full noun can go after out, but this short pronoun cannot.
You chose two postcards from a rack and will pay next. Which sentence accurately reports the choice?
I picked out two postcards.Pick out can describe selecting more than one item. Picking up the rack describes a different physical action; paid for says payment already happened.
Put it into practice
Keep the choice; remove the purchase claim.
You chose a scarf for your sister but have not bought it or paid. Rewrite the message to report the selection accurately.
I bought a green scarf for my sister.
See a model answer
I picked out a green scarf for my sister.
The message now matches the actual stage of shopping: the choice is made, but payment is still ahead.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can I pick out more than one thing?
Yes. The expression describes selection from options, not a limit of one. You can pick out two cards, several books or another group of items.
We picked out three books for the trip.
Could I just say choose?
Yes, choose often works in this selection sense. Pick out highlights selecting from the available options. It does not automatically mean a better or more careful choice.
I chose a green scarf for my sister.
Take it into your day
Pick out tells us you selected an option. It does not automatically tell us you bought it.
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Pick out helps you describe a choice during shopping. The Phrasal Verbs course includes this selection meaning in its shopping material, with situations and guided practice that help you connect expressions to the actions you really mean.
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