Carry out vs. Carry-out – Which is Correct?
Carry out is the correct form when you mean perform or complete an action: “The team will carry out the plan.” Carry-out is a hyphenated noun or adjective for food prepared to be taken away, especially in American English: “We ordered carry-out.” Choose whichever form matches your intended meaning best.
Carry out or carry-out – Which is Correct?
Carry out and carry-out are both correct, but they have different grammatical roles and meanings. Carry out is an open phrasal verb meaning to perform, complete, or put something into effect. For example, a scientist may carry out an experiment, or a government may carry out a policy.
Carry-out is usually a hyphenated noun or adjective related to food taken away from a restaurant. In American English, carryout is also widely used as a closed compound, particularly in restaurant names, menus, and regional usage. In British English, takeaway is generally more common than carry-out for this meaning.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the action test: if you can replace the expression with perform, complete, or execute, write carry out as two words. If you mean food that you take away from a restaurant, use carry-out as a noun or adjective. Think: carry out a task, but carry-out meal.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| carry out | Phrasal verb | To perform, complete, or implement something | The researchers will carry out a survey. |
| carry-out | Noun or adjective | Food prepared to be taken away from a restaurant | We ordered carry-out for dinner. |
How to Use Carry Out
Carry out is a separable phrasal verb. It means to perform an action, complete a duty, follow an instruction, conduct a procedure, or implement a plan. It is common in formal, professional, academic, legal, and everyday contexts.
Because carry out is separable, a noun can appear after the complete phrase or between carry and out: carry out the investigation and carry the investigation out are both grammatically possible. When the object is a pronoun, however, it normally goes between the two parts: carry it out, not carry out it.
Example 1: The laboratory will carry out additional tests before publishing its findings.
Example 2: The contractor promised to carry out the repairs within a week.
Example 3: Please carry out the instructions exactly as written.
What are the different forms of Carry Out?
Carry out is a regular phrasal verb. Its main forms are carry out in the present tense, carries out with a singular third-person subject, carried out in the past tense and past participle, and carrying out in the present participle or gerund form.
- Present: They carry out inspections every month.
- Third-person singular: She carries out the procedure carefully.
- Past: The team carried out the study last year.
- Past participle: The order has been carried out.
- Present participle: Workers are carrying out maintenance.
Etymology of the Word Carry Out
Carry comes from Anglo-Norman French and Middle English words associated with transporting or conveying something. The combination carry out developed from the literal idea of bringing something outward or to completion. Over time, it acquired the figurative meaning “to perform” or “to put into effect,” which is now its most common sense in formal writing.
How to Use Carry-Out
Carry-out is a noun referring to prepared food that a customer collects from a restaurant and eats elsewhere. It can also function as an adjective before another noun, as in carry-out order or carry-out menu.
The hyphenated form is especially associated with American English. In many American contexts, particularly informal writing and regional speech, carryout is also written as one word. Takeout is another common American alternative. Use the spelling preferred by your publication, restaurant, or regional style guide, and remain consistent.
Example 1: We picked up carry-out from the Italian restaurant.
Example 2: The diner offers carry-out service until midnight.
Example 3: She placed a carry-out order for four sandwiches.
What are the Different Forms of Carry-Out?
As a noun, carry-out usually forms its plural by adding -s: carry-outs. However, speakers often use the uncountable expression carry-out food or simply carry-out when discussing the food generally. As an adjective, carry-out does not change form.
- Singular noun: The restaurant sells carry-out.
- Plural noun: Several carry-outs were waiting on the counter.
- Attributive adjective: We placed a carry-out order.
Etymology of the Word Carry-Out
Carry-out developed from the verb phrase carry out, using the idea of carrying food out of a restaurant rather than eating it on the premises. The compound noun and adjective became established in American English as restaurants increasingly offered prepared meals for customers to collect and take home.
Related Concepts
Understanding phrasal verbs and compound words makes the distinction between carry out and carry-out easier to remember.
- Phrasal verbs: A phrasal verb combines a verb with an adverb or preposition to create a new meaning. In carry out, the two words work together to mean “perform” or “complete.”
- Compound nouns: A compound noun joins words to create a single concept. Carry-out functions as a compound noun when it refers to food collected from a restaurant.
- Attributive adjectives: A noun can modify another noun when placed before it. In carry-out order, carry-out describes the type of order.
- Separable phrasal verbs: Some phrasal verbs allow their objects to appear between the verb and particle. You can say carry out the task or carry the task out, but use carry it out with a pronoun.
Examples from Media and Literature
The two forms appear in different kinds of real-world communication. Formal and narrative sources commonly use carry out for actions, while menus, restaurant advertisements, and local reporting use carry-out for food service.
- News reporting: Reports about police investigations often state that officers “carried out an investigation” or “carried out searches.”
- Scientific writing: Research papers regularly use phrases such as “the study was carried out under controlled conditions.”
- Historical writing: Accounts of military campaigns may describe how leaders carried out orders, plans, or operations.
- Restaurant advertising: A local restaurant may promote “fresh carry-out meals” or a “carry-out order window.”
- Everyday dialogue in American media: Characters may say, “Let’s get carry-out tonight,” referring to food collected from a restaurant.
Carry Out Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Perform | To do or execute an action, task, or duty |
| Complete | To finish something that has been started |
| Execute | To put a plan, order, or procedure into effect |
| Implement | To apply or introduce a plan, system, or policy |
| Conduct | To organize and undertake an activity, study, or investigation |
Carry-Out Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Takeout | Prepared food collected from a restaurant to eat elsewhere |
| Carryout | The closed-compound spelling commonly used for restaurant food taken away |
| Takeaway | The usual British English term for food collected from a restaurant |
| Food to go | A general phrase for food prepared for removal from a restaurant |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “carry out” one word or two?
When it means “perform” or “complete,” carry out is written as two words. For example, “The agency will carry out an inspection.”
Question 2: Is “carry-out” hyphenated?
Yes, carry-out is a standard hyphenated form when it functions as a noun or adjective for food taken away from a restaurant. However, carryout is also common in American English.
Question 3: Should I write “carry out” or “carryout” for restaurant food?
Use carry-out or carryout for restaurant food, depending on your preferred style guide and audience. Takeout is also widely used in American English, while takeaway is more common in British English.
Question 4: Is “carry out” formal or informal?
Carry out works in both casual and formal writing, but it is particularly common in professional, academic, legal, and official contexts.
Conclusion
Use carry out as a phrasal verb when you mean perform, complete, or implement an action. Use carry-out as a noun or adjective for restaurant food taken away; carryout and takeout are also common American alternatives. Pro Tip: Choosing the correct form in professional writing shows grammatical precision and protects your credibility.
