Pick 的動詞用法有好幾個常用的意思，包括「(用手) 採，摘」、「挑選，選擇」、「(用手指或尖形工具) 挖，剔」、「撿起，拾起，拿起或類似的動作」等。然而，這些意思無一可以用片語動詞 pick up 來替代。Pick up 主要意為「(用手從某一表面) 拿起、舉起 (人或物)」及「(用車子) 接載 (某人)」。雖然 pick 和 pick up 都有「拿起，撿起」的意思，但含意不同 (Pick 和 pick up 的其他意思請參閱字典)。
Pick 意為「(用手) 採、摘」。例如：
- We spent the summer holiday picking strawberries. (我們這個暑假都在採草莓) (正)
We spent the summer holiday picking up strawberries. (誤) - John picked Mary a rose. (約翰摘了一朵玫瑰花給瑪麗) (正)
= John picked a rose for Mary. (正)
John picked up a rose for Mary. (誤)
Pick 意為「挑選，選擇」。例如：
- My classmates picked me to ask the teacher. (我的同學挑選我去問老師) (正)
My classmates picked me up to ask the teacher. (誤) - He has yet to pick a name for his newborn baby. (他尚未給他的新生寶寶取名) (正)
He has yet to pick up a name for his newborn baby. (誤)
Pick 意為「(用手指或尖形工具) 挖，剔」。例如：
- Don’t pick your nose! (不要挖鼻孔！) (正)
Don’t pick up your nose! (誤) - Albert was picking his teeth. (艾伯特正在剔牙) (正)
Albert was picking up his teeth. (誤)
Pick 意為「撿起，拾起，拿起或類似的動作」。例如：
- The students were on their knees picking crumbs off the carpet. (學生跪著撿拾地毯上的食物碎屑) (正)
- He picked a book off the shelf. (他從書架上取下一本書) (正)
- A helicopter picked a survivor off the sea. (一架直升機把一名生還者從海中吊起來) (正)
- The mother picked the baby out of the pram. (媽媽把嬰兒從嬰兒車裡抱了出來) (正)
- Jack picked all the cherries off the top of his birthday cake. (傑克把生日蛋糕上面的所有櫻桃都挑走了) (正)
在上面這五個例句中，pick 同樣不能換成 pick up，否則就錯了。Pick up 的「拿起，撿起」意思雖與 pick 重疊，但它有兩個構成要件，一是必須用手，二是必須有由下而上的動作，至於句中是否有表示從某個表面拿起的介系詞片語 (from/off/out of + 名詞) 則不重要。現在再回頭看這五個例句。它們都只滿足其中一個要件，有的是用手，但沒有由下而上的動作，有的是沒有用手，但有由下而上的動作，無一同時滿足兩個構成要件。
Pick up 意為「(用手從某一表面) 拿起、舉起 (人或物)」。例如：
- Tom picked the phone up and dialed. (湯姆拿起電話撥了號碼) (正)
- The mother rushed to pick up the baby as soon as it started to cry. (嬰兒一哭，這位媽媽就衝過去把它抱了起來) (正)
- I’m tired of picking up the things the children leave lying around every day. (我厭煩每天收拾孩子們扔得到處都是的東西) (正)
- I am constantly picking up your clothes from the floor! Can’t you hang them up properly in the closet? (我老是在收拾你散落在地板上的衣服。你不能把它們好好掛在衣櫥裡嗎？) (正)
Pick up 意為「(用車子) 接載 (某人)」。我們亦可用 collect (… from) 來表達相同的意思。例如：
- He’ll pick me up after the party. (聚會後他會開車來接我) (正)
He’ll pick me after the party. (誤) - I will pick up Sam at the airport and take him to his hotel. (我會開車到機場接山姆，載他到他下榻的旅館) (正)
I will pick Sam at the airport and take him to his hotel. (誤) - I’ll collect you from the station. (我會去車站接你)
- What time do you collect the kids from school? (你什麼時候去接孩子放學呢？)