Phrasal verbs and their different treatment

Contents

 

Introduction..............................................................................................................3

1. Phrasal verb as a linguistic phenomenon……………………………………….5

      1.1 The origin of the phrasal verb......................................................................5

      1.2 Difficulties in using phrasal verbs...............................................................7

      1.3 Distinguishing between verbs followed by prepositions and verbs followed by adverbs……………………………………………………………………...….8

      1.4 Variety of approaches of classifying phrasal verbs.....................................11

      1.5 Usage of phrasal verbs.................................................................................20

      1.6 New phrasal verbs.......................................................................................22

2. Practical research of using phrasal verbs.............................................................24

       2.1 Aims of the practical research....................................................................24

      2.2 The analysis of using phrasal verbs in different text styles........................24

             2.2.1 Phrasal verbs in Belles-lettres style...................................................25

             2.2.2 Phrasal verbs in scientific style.........................................................45

             2.2.3 Phrasal verbs in official style............................................................52

             2.2.4 Phrasal verbs in newspaper style.......................................................57

       2.3 Comparative analysis of using phrasal verbs in different text styles.........62

Conclusion...............................................................................................................64

References...............................................................................................................66

Appendices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

 

English grammar is the subject that provokes many argumentations. There are a lot of methods of approaching an investigator's opinions. But nevertheless English grammar is a peculiar structure and the topic, which is worth to be researched.

The interest to the research of phrasal verbs has existed for many years. Even nowadays the endless disputes about the nature of phrasal verb and analysis of its meaning is take place in modern scientific society.

The theme of our diploma paper is ‘Phrasal verbs and their different treatment’.

From scientific point of view when a verb is used with an adverb particle the combination is called a phrasal verb. There are a very large number of these in English. The meaning of a phrasal verb is often very different from the meanings of the two words taken separately. In order to understand the meaning of a phrasal verb, we may have to refer to the dictionary.

There is a difficult question of when it is appropriate to use phrasal verbs. The scientific point of view is that they should be used mainly in speaking rather than writing, and in informal rather than formal situations and texts. It is often said that, in formal contexts, single-word equivalents are more appropriate than phrasal verbs.

But for the majority of people phrasal verbs are used across all types of text, even where the writer or speaker has the option of choosing a single-word alternative. Although phrasal verbs tend to enter the language through casual speech, in most cases they progressively become accepted across a wider range of texts.

This fact defines the currency of our research. Moreover it lies in the necessity to analyze and systematize all theoretical knowledge connected with such a phenomena as phrasal verbs.

The aims of our research work are to characterize peculiarities of types of the phrasal verbs and prove the usage of phrasal verbs in different text styles.

The aims demands achieving the following objectives:

1. To analyze scientific and methodological literature on the topic;
2. To characterize main features of phrasal verbs and their types;
3. To create a classification of phrasal verbs;
4. To analyse the use of phrasal verbs in different text styles;
5. To define the priority of phrasal verbs and their types in different text styles;

The object of our research is the grammar of English language.

The subject is different types of phrasal verbs and their usage in different text styles.

The hypothesis: Phrasal verbs are used in different text styles.

In the process of work the following methods were used:

1. Analysis of theoretical and methodological literature;
2. Generalization and systematization;
3. Method of investigation;
4. Method of analysis;
5. Contrastive analysis;

Theoretical scientific basis of diploma became studying well-known linguists’ investigations; among them is Bollinger D., Arnold I.V., Palmer F.R., Collins C., materials from Internet, Oxford phrasal verbs dictionary.

Our work consists of introduction, theoretical part, practical part, conclusion, references and appendix.

Practical value of the paper: on the basis of the given diploma paper different types of phrasal verbs were worked out and compared in different text styles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Phrasal verb as a linguistic phenomenon

      1.1 The origin of the phrasal verb

 

Since phrasal verbs were not investigated until the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, although they have been part of the English language for centuries, their history is still a controversial subject. Rolando Bachelor says it is "impossible to write an exhaustive and definitive history of phrasal verbs." The term itself, "phrasal verb," was first seen in print in 1925 when Logan Pearsall Smith used it in Words and Idioms; it was supposedly suggested to him by Editor Henry Bradley. Phrasal verbs themselves, however, have been around much longer, as can be seen by looking at some Shakespearean and Middle English works.

Torne about and goon dour, for example, are both phrasal verbs that have been found in Middle English language in 1300 and 1388, respectively, and phrasal verbs are common in Shakespeare's works. Even though they were present in literature in the fourteenth century, they weren't considered serious formations until the eighteenth century, when lexicographer Samuel Johnson noted them "with great care" in his Dictionary of the English Language.

 

Olga Fischer believes the emergence of phrasal verbs to be "the most notable new development in Middle English [the form of the English language spoken and written from about the 12th to the beginning of the 16th centuries] involving prepositions". Phrasal verbs developed because Old English [the earliest from of the English language, used up to around A.D. 1150 prefixes were deteriorating and they have now practically replaced the prefixes. The deterioration of Old English prefixes came about because it was becoming impossible to establish undeviating meanings for them. Bachelor argues in his commentary that "phrasal verbs are a native development that in some measure received a boost from the [Scandinavian, French, and Celtic] languages." In fact, the development of phrasal verbs in both the northern and southern dialects at the same time attests to their native development. Also, since phrasal verbs are used more in vernacular English than in formal and since lexically mature verb-particle combinations have been found in the mid-twelfth century, some experts argue that "we must suppose the type to have become deeply entrenched even before period IV [i.e. the period between 1170 and 1370]". Even then, phrasal verbs did not show much fortitude until the fifteenth century. The expansion of phrasal verbs occurred with the adoption of the Subject Verb Object word-order (Bachelor). One researcher, Kennedy, proposes the idea that this took place because the invasion of Romance compound verbs stunted the growth of new verb-particle combinations. The history of phrasal verbs is still under debate today. [1; 27-56]

 

Samuel Johnson was a distinguished 18th century English author who, in 1755, published the Dictionary of the English Language. In the preface he wrote:

“There is another kind of composition more frequent in our language than perhaps in any other, from which arises to foreigners the greatest difficulty. We modify the signification of many words by a particle subjoined…” [2; 10]

 

Let us consider different definitions of Phrasal verbs which were introduced in different sources.

A Phrasal verb is, according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: [...] a simple verb combined with an adverb or a preposition, or sometimes both, to make a new verb with a meaning that is different from that of the simple verb, e.g., go in for, win over, blow up.

There are a number of phrasal verbs in both spoken and written English (lists over 6000 entries). As the definition states, the meaning of a phrasal verb cannot be easily guessed from individual components—many non-native speakers of English must therefore memorize phrasal verbs in order to be able to understand and use them in the right context. [3; 312]

A phrasal verb is a type of verb in English that operates more like a phrase than a word. Tom McArthur in the Oxford Companion to the English Language notes that these verbs are also referred to by many other names such verb phrase, discontinuous verb, compound verb, verb-adverb combination, verb-particle construction, American English two-part word/verb and three-part word/verb. [4; 324]

David Crystal in the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language calls this linguistic phenomenon a "multi-word verb" that is best described as a lexeme, a unit of meaning that may be greater than a single word. [5; 234]

Wikipedia describes a Phrasal verb:

...is a combination of a verb and a preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an adverb and a preposition, any of which are part of the syntax of the sentence, and so are a complete semantic unit. Sentences may contain direct and indirect objects in addition to the phrasal verb. Phrasal verbs are particularly frequent in the English language. A phrasal verb often has a meaning which is different from the original verb. [6]

A Phrasal verb is, according to ‘English Phrasal Verbs in Use’ (Cambridge, 2004): [...] verb which has a main verb and particle which, together, create on meaning (e.g. a plane takes off from the airport; an adult looks after the child). [7; 16]

Phrasal verbs are, according to Macmillan Phrasal Verbs Plus (Oxford: Bloombury Publishing Plc.2005): [...] a colourful and challenging aspect of the English language, and familiarity with a wide range of these verb-particle combinations and the ability to use them appropriately are among the distinguishing marks of a native like command of English. [8; 112]

These are just a few examples (make up, blow out, pass out, look after) of the many English phrasal verbs, which constitute one of the most distinctive and creative features of the English language. The phrasal verb consists of a verb, usually a monosyllabic verb of action or movement such as go, put, take, and one or more particles. The particle may be an adverb, a preposition, or a word that can act as either adverb or preposition. Often the meaning of these verb phrases is idiomatic and cannot be determined by knowing the meaning of their individual parts. Because of this, phrasal verbs are often difficult for foreigners who are study English as a second language.

Phrasal verbs are extremely common, especially in spoken English, and are used more informally than their Latinate synonyms, e.g. use up vs. consume; gather together vs. assemble; put out vs. extinguish. English grammarians note that phrasal verbs have increased significantly since the mid-nineteenth century and especially so in mid-twentieth century American English. Many phrasal verbs can be replaced, with little change of meaning, by single word verbs: give in by yield, look after by tend, carry on by continue, put up with by tolerate. In most cases the phrasal verb is less formal, more colloquial and more image-and/or emotion-laden than the single word. [9; 164-165]

 

1.2 Difficulties in using phrasal verbs

 

There are some difficulties with phrasal verbs. In most cases the meaning of phrasal verbs does not depend on the meaning of their components. The thing here is: are the second elements prepositions, adverbs or some other parts of speech? This problem has become acute in Modern English.

The prevailing view here is that they are adverbs. But there are other views like Palmer's - "prepositions like adverbs"; Amosova's "postpositives", Ilyish's "half-word, half-morphemes" and so on. None of these suggestions can be accepted. They are not adverbs because other adverbs do not fulfill such functions, i.e. they do not change the meaning of the preceding word; they are not postpositives, because postpositives in other languages do not serve to build new words, and at last they are not grammatical morphemes and consequently the whole group cannot be a word since in English no discontinuous word is found as, for instance, bring them up. The word them breaks the unity. The problem remains unsolved. For the time being, the most acceptable theory is the theory expressed by B.A. Ilyish in his latest grammar. He refers them very cautiously, with doubts, to phraseology and thus it should be the subject-matter of the lexicology. [10; 216-222]

Some foreign Grammarians give different treatment to phrasal verbs. According to their opinion phrasal verb is an umbrella term for different kinds of multi - word verbs. Such verbs are of typical and frequent occurrence in all types of English, but most especially in every day spoken English. [11;53-89]

Phrasal verbs are often of particular difficulty experienced by learners of English. There are several reasons for this. One reason is that in many cases, even though students may be familiar with both the verb in phrasal verb and with the particle, they may not understand the meaning of the combination, since it can differ greatly from the meanings of the two words used independently. The fact that phrasal verbs often have a number of different meanings adds to this complexity additional difficulty.

There are some particular grammatical problems associated with phrasal verbs. For example, there are restrictions on the positions in which an adverb can be placed in relation to the object of a verb. Some particles, such as about, over, round and through can be used as both adverbs and prepositions in particular phrasal verbs combinations, although in other combinations they are used either as adverb or preposition. Some phrasal verbs are not normally used with pronouns as objects; others are normally used with pronouns as objects.

There are other difficulties such as the fact that there are frequently strong collocation associations between phrasal verbs and other words. Thus, in some cases a particular word or small set of words is the only one normally found as the subject or object of a particular verb. [12; 38-44]

 

1.3 Distinguishing between verbs followed by prepositions and verbs followed by adverbs

 

The differences are summarized in the following table (Table 1). The verbs to sit and to turn are used as examples. The verb to sit is followed by on used as a preposition, whereas the verb to turn is followed by on used as an adverb.

Table 1

 

In the first example pronoun object is placed after the preposition: I sat on it.      

As for the second example pronoun object is placed before the adverb: I turned it on.

Adverb of manner may be placed between verb and preposition:

I sat quietly on it.

Adverb of manner may not be placed between verb and adverb:

I quietly turned it on.

 

Because of the differences, it is important to be able to distinguish between a verb followed by a preposition, and a verb followed by an adverb. [13; 234-268]

 

1. Adverb phrases of location compared with phrasal verbs followed by objects

In many cases, it is necessary to distinguish between an ordinary verb followed by an adverb phrase of location, and a phrasal verb followed by an object.

I turned up the street.

I turned up the volume.

In the first example, the verb turned is followed by the adverb phrase of location up the street. In the second example, the phrasal verb turned up is followed by the object volume. In this example, the phrasal verb turned up has the meaning “increased”.

 

In the first example, street is the object of the preposition up. If the object is changed to a pronoun, the pronoun must follow the preposition:

I turned up the street.

I turned up it.

In the second example, volume is the object of the phrasal verb turned up. If the object is changed to a pronoun, the pronoun must precede the adverb up.

I turned up the volume.

I turned it up.

In the first example, if the verb is modified by an adverb of manner, the adverb of manner may precede the adverb phrase of location:

I turned up the street.

I turned quickly up the street.

In the second example, if the verb is modified by an adverb of manner, the adverb of manner may not be placed between the two parts of the phrasal verb:

I turned up the volume.

I quickly turned up the volume. [14; 1-28]

 

2. Words used as prepositions or adverbs

It is also necessary to be able to distinguish between a phrasal verb consisting of a verb followed by a preposition, and a phrasal verb consisting of a transitive verb followed by an adverb. In many cases it is possible to make the distinction by means of the preposition or adverb following the verb.

For example, the following words (Table 2) are used in phrasal verbs as prepositions, but are not usually used in phrasal verbs as adverbs following transitive verbs:

Table 2

 

In contrast, the following words (Table 3) are used in phrasal verbs as adverbs following transitive verbs, but are not usually used in phrasal verbs as prepositions:

Table 3

 

It should be noted that of these words, aside, away, back, forward, out and together are usually never used as prepositions.

In contrast, the words along, behind, down and up are often used as prepositions, but are not usually used as prepositions in phrasal verbs.

 

The following words (Table 4) present more difficulty, since they can be used in phrasal verbs both as prepositions and as adverbs following transitive verbs:

Table 4

 

Thus, it is advisable to study which phrasal verbs use these words as prepositions, and which phrasal verbs use these words as adverbs. The following table gives examples of phrasal verbs containing each of these words. The left-hand column gives phrasal verbs consisting of verbs followed by prepositions, while the right-hand column gives phrasal verbs consisting of transitive verbs followed by adverbs.

Words used as Prepositions or Adverbs

 

Verb + Preposition: come across, cut across, run across, stumble across;

Transitive Verb + Adverb: get across (an idea), put across (an idea);

 

Verb + Preposition: hang around, lounge around, mill around, pass around, rally round, show around;

Transitive Verb + Adverb: bring round   

 

Verb + Preposition: confide in, deal in, join in;

Transitive Verb + Adverb:  break in, breathe in, call in, fill in, hand in, phase in, rope in, take in, trade in;

 

Verb + Preposition: glance off, keep off, warn off;

Transitive Verb + Adverb:  call off, fend off, give off, lay off, pair off, pension off, polish off, pull off, put off, reel off, sell off, shrug off, turn off, write off;

Verb + Preposition: come upon, count on, dawn on, decide on, dwell on, enlarge on, expand on, frown on, grow on, hinge on , live on, pick on, prey on, reckon on, survive on, thrust upon, touch on, verge on, call on, build on, border on, bank on;

Transitive Verb + Adverb: cheer on, hand on, try on, turn on;

    

Verb + Preposition: get over, go over, run over, watch over;

Transitive Verb + Adverb: take over, talk over, think over, paper over, smooth over;

 

Verb + Preposition: break through, get through, go through, leaf through, look through, sail through, scrape through, see through, sit through, wade through

Transitive Verb + Adverb: pull through. [15; 12-30]

 

1.4 Variety of approaches of classifying phrasal verbs

 

In spite of that investigation of phrasal verbs is widely presented in many works, scientists did not come to one common principle of classification. [16; 335-358]

 

• According to Bollinger’s classification there are four types of phrasal verbs.

 

1. Phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by a preposition (v+prep)

 

In the case of a phrasal verb, the verb followed by the preposition forms an expression with an idiomatic meaning.

For instance, the phrasal verb to come across is an idiomatic expression with the meaning to find. Similarly, the phrasal verb to frown on is an idiomatic expression with the meaning to disapprove of.

 We came across an old diary while we were cleaning out the attic.

The workers frowned on the practice of smoking in the office.

It should be noted that some phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by a preposition can be used in the Passive Voice.

  The practice of smoking in the office was frowned on by the workers.

  The children were looked after by their aunt.

In these examples, the phrasal verbs to frown on and to look after are used in the Passive Voice.

 

The position of the object of the preposition

The object of a preposition usually follows the preposition, whether the object is a noun or a pronoun. In the following examples, the objects are underlined.

We have launched into a new project.

We have launched into it.

In these examples, the noun project and the pronoun it are the objects of the preposition into of the phrasal verb to launch into. Both the noun object and the pronoun object follow the preposition.

 

The position of an adverb of manner modifying the verb

If a verb is followed by a preposition, an adverb of manner may be placed between the verb and the preposition. In the following examples, the adverbs of manner are underlined.

 We reasoned patiently with the little girl.

         I leafed quickly through the book.

In the first example, the adverb of manner patiently is placed between the verb reasoned and the preposition with of the phrasal verb to reason with. In the second example, the adverb of manner quickly is placed between the verb leafed and the preposition through of the phrasal verb to leaf through.

 

Stress in spoken English

When a verb followed by a preposition occurs at the end of a clause, it is usually the verb which is stressed in spoken English. In the following examples, the words which are stressed are printed in bold type.

No one likes to be laughed at.

        I need someone to confide in.

In the first example, the verb laughed followed by the preposition at occurs at the end of a clause, and the verb laughed is stressed. In the second example, the verb confide followed by the preposition in occurs at the end of a clause, and the verb confide is stressed.

It should be noted that, when used in a phrasal verb at the end of a clause, the prepositions after, into and over are often pronounced with somewhat greater emphasis than the verb. In this case, both the verb and the preposition are stressed. For example:

      The twins are easy to look after.

      The building would be difficult to break into.

      You'll never guess whom I ran into.

      I heard that someone was run over.

The prepositions above, across and through are also occasionally emphasized in this way. For example:

      The research papers were difficult to wade through.

 

Expressions in which the verb has an object

In the case of some phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by a preposition, the verb and the preposition may each have an object. In the following examples, the objects are underlined.

I can make nothing of the situation.

We talked my sister into agreeing.

In the first example, the verb make of the phrasal verb to make of has the object nothing, and the preposition of has the object situation. In the second example, the verb talked of the phrasal verb to talk into has the object sister, and the preposition into has the object agreeing.

 

 

2. Phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by an adverb (v+adv+(n/pron))

 

Many phrasal verbs consist of a verb followed by an adverb. Some of these phrasal verbs are intransitive and some are transitive.

For instance, the intransitive phrasal verb to show up is formed from the verb to show followed by the adverb up. In the following example, the phrasal verb does not have an object.

      At ten o'clock, her brother showed up.

The transitive phrasal verb to sort out is formed from the verb to sort followed by the adverb out. For example:

      We sorted out the papers.

In this example, the phrasal verb sorted out has the object papers.

 

The position of the object of the verb

In the case of transitive phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by an adverb, if the object of the verb is a noun, the object can usually either follow or precede the adverb. In the following examples, the objects are underlined.

I called off the meeting.

I called the meeting off.

In the first example the object meeting follows the adverb off, while in the second example the object meeting precedes the adverb off.

However, in the case of a few phrasal verbs, a noun object must usually follow the adverb.

We attempted to smooth over the disagreement.

In this example, the phrasal verb to smooth over is followed by the noun object disagreement. In this case, the object disagreement cannot be placed before the adverb over.

In the case of transitive phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by an adverb, if the object of the verb is a pronoun, the object must usually precede the adverb.

I called it off.

We attempted to smooth it over.

In these examples, the pronouns object it precedes the adverbs off and over.

Most transitive phrasal verbs may be used in the Passive Voice.

The meeting was called off by me.

The disagreement was smoothed over.

In these examples, the phrasal verbs to call off and to smooth over are used in the Passive Voice.

 

The position of an adverb of manner modifying the verb

In the case of a phrasal verb consisting of a verb followed by an adverb, the verb and the adverb usually may not be separated by an adverb of manner. In the following example, the adverb of manner is underlined.

I hurriedly called off the meeting.

In this example, the adverb of manner hurriedly precedes the phrasal verb called off. The adverb hurriedly may also be placed at the beginning or the end of the sentence, but may not be placed between the verb called and the adverb off.

 

Stress in spoken English

When a phrasal verb consisting of a verb followed by an adverb occurs at the end of a clause, it is usually the adverb which is stressed in spoken English.

How did that come about?

Please drop in whenever you have time.

In the first example, the verb come followed by the adverb about occurs at the end of a clause, and the adverb about is stressed. In the second example, the verb drop followed by the adverb in occurs at the end of a clause, and the adverb in is stressed.

 

Ergative verbs

It should be noted that there are a few phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by an adverb, which have the same meaning whether they are used transitively or intransitively. For example:

      The engineer slowed down the train.

      The train slowed down.

In the first example, the phrasal verb to slow down is used transitively, with the object train. In the second example, the phrasal verb to slow down is used intransitively, without naming the originator of the action. In these two examples, it can be seen that the object of the transitive verb is the subject of the intransitive verb. However, the general meaning of the two sentences is the same. Verbs which can be used in this way may be referred to as ergative verbs.

 

3. Phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by a word which may function either as an adverb or as a preposition (v+prep or v+adv)

 

Some phrasal verbs consist of an intransitive verb followed by a word which may function either as an adverb or as a preposition. For example:

      We passed by.

      We passed by the library.

In the first example, the word by of the phrasal verb passed by functions as an adverb. In the second example, the word by of the phrasal verb passed by functions as a preposition which has the object library.

 

Expressions in which the verb has an object

There are a few phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by a word which may function either as an adverb or as a preposition, where the verb may have an object. In the following examples the objects are underlined.

We passed the candies around.

We passed the candies around the class.

In each of these examples, the verb passed of the phrasal verb to pass around has the object candies. In the first example, the word around functions as an adverb, while in the second example, the word around functions as a preposition with the object class.

 

4. Phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by an adverb followed by a preposition

There are several commonly used phrasal verbs which consist of a verb, followed by an adverb, followed by a preposition. For example:

      I went along with the idea.

In this example, the phrasal verb went along with consists of the verb to go, followed by the adverb along, followed by the preposition with which has the object idea.

 

Expressions in which the verb has an object

There are a few phrasal verbs consisting of a verb, followed by an adverb, followed by a preposition, where the verb may have an object. In the following example, the objects are underlined.

We played them off against each other.

In this example, the verb played of the phrasal verb to play off against has the object them, while the preposition against has the object each other. [17; 130-216]

 

According to Palmer’s classification all phrasal verbs fall under 3 main types:

1. Free nonidiomatic constructions, where the individual meaning of the components are preserved as in look over (=inspect), set up (=organize). The individuality of the components appears in possible contrastive substitutions: bring in (out), take in (out) etc.
2. "Semi-idiomatic" constructions which are variable but in a more limited way. The relation between the verb and particle is similar to between a stem and an affix in form formation in that the substitution of one verb for another, or one particle for another, is constrained by limited productivity. In phrasal verbs like find over_ ("discover"), cut up "cut into pieces" the verb keeps its meaning, whereas the meaning of the particle is less easy to isolate. In contrast, it is the particle which establishes a family resemblance.
3. "Highly idiomatic" constructions such as bring up, come by, turn up. These are thoroughly idiomatic in that there is no possibility of contrastive substitution: bring/down, come by /past/through, turn up/down, etc.

In such combinations there is no possibility of contrastive substution: there are no pairs such as bring up/down, put off/on, give up/down, give in/out, etc. for this subclass. The adverbial, lexical values of the particles have been lost, and the entire verb+particle combination has acquired a new meaning. [18; 123-148]

 

• Professor Jan Bell offered another classification for phrasal verbs which is interesting to attempt to combine the structural principles.

 

• Type 1

a) verb+adverb (intransitive)

 

These verbs cannot be followed by an object and cannot be made passive:

The missing book finally turned up.

b) verb+adverb+object (transitive)

 

The most common category of phrasal verbs:

I looked up the word in the dictionary.

• Word order: The particle can be separated from the verb and can go after the noun/object:

He warmed the milk up.

If the object is very long, it goes after the verb:

She warmed up the milk which had been left in the fridge.

• However, in some verbs, the particle can only come after the object:  
  I answered my mother back.

I caught her out.

If the object is a pronoun, it always goes before the particle:

I warmed it up.

• Some of the verbs in Type 1 (for instance turn up) can also come into a different category, with a different meaning, or can change from intransitive to transitive:

The dress was too long so I turned it up.

I looked up and saw him there.

 

• Type 2 - verb+preposition (transitive)

 

(sometimes more accurately called “prepositional verbs”)

These are followed by a preposition, which takes an object. They are very often literal (for example, pay for meal, listen to the programme) but can sometimes be idiomatic (pull through an illness).

 

The preposition cannot be put after the object. It is inseparable (stays with the verb):

Talk about your work (not talk your work about)

It goes before the pronoun (talk about it).

A preposition can come at the end of the sentence:

Tell me what it consists of.

 

• Type 3 - verb+adverb particle+preposition (transitive)

These are three-part phrasal verbs (sometimes called “phrasal-prepositional verbs”). They can be literal (run over to) or idiomatic (put up with).

Some have an object before the adverb or prepositional and object:

He took Sam up on his offer.

I put it down to the weather.

 

The particles cannot be separated (except that an adverb can sometimes come between the first and second particles):

He took me up, finally, on my offer.

The noun or pronoun must go after the second particle. [19; 156-157]

 

• According to Thornbury a phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or two particles. The particle is either an adverb or a preposition, or both as in (respectively): look up (a word in the dictionary), look after (the children), look up to (someone you respect). Phrasal verb are different from verbs that happen to be followed by a preposition, as in I looked at the painting.

The meaning of any phrasal verb is idiomatic: their meaning is not simply a combination of the meanings of their component parts: They don’t get on. The plane took off. Do you give up?

As such, the opacity of a phrasal verb’s meaning can vary, with some being easier or more difficult to guess.

 

1 Intransitive

These phrasal verbs are not followed by an object.

 

work out

Form: Verb + adverb particle

Meaning: To practice, exercise, or train, esp. in order to become proficient in an athletic sport: The boxers are working out at the gym tonight.

Usage: While it takes no object, work out is often collocated with a place. e.g. “I’m going to work out at the gym.”

 
As with many phrasal verbs, work out has a variety of meanings, some of which are transitive. There may be a difference in meaning between the transitive use and the intransitive use, e.g. to bring about by work, effort, or action. I worked out the math problem in an hour.

 

2 Transitive, Separable

“Many phrasal verbs can be used with a direct object. In most cases, the particle may come before or after the direct object if the object is not a personal pronoun. When the direct object is a personal pronoun, the pronoun always comes before the particle.” There are also “a very small set of transitive phrasal verbs where the particle must always follow the object: I can’t tell the twins apart. Not *I can’t tell apart the twins.

 

see about

Form: Verb (+ object1) + adverb particle + object2

Meaning: To investigate; inquire about: He said he would see about getting the license plates.

Usage: see about is often followed by a gerund. See above for example. Where there is an object between the verb and the particle, it can be a noun or pronoun. e.g. I saw a doctor about my rash or I saw him about fixing the car.

 

put in

Form 1: Verb + object + adverb particle Form 2:  Verb + adverb particle + object

Meaning: To spend (time) as indicated.

Usage: Put in is usually used with an expression of time, which can be placed before or after the particle. e.g. I’m going to put in more time at the office or I’m going to put some more hours in at the office

 

3 Transitive, Inseparable

“[These] verbs consist of a verb and a preposition which are closely syntactically linked with each other. As with other multi-word verbs, fronting of the prepositional complement are not normally possible...The direct object must follow the preposition, even if it is a pronoun.”

 

go on

Form: Verb + preposition particle + object

Meaning: To continue e.g. You can’t go on living like this. You’ll die by the age of forty.

Usage: go on is normally followed by a gerund. See above for example.

 

4 Transitive, Two Inseparable Particles

A few verbs can be used with both an adverb particle and a preposition. [20; 197-203]

break up with

Form: Verb + adverb particle + preposition + object

Meaning: To end a personal relationship.

Usage: I broke up with my girlfriend last night

• Brooke Brown suggests another classification. There are four types of phrasal verbs. First of all, he points that phrasal verbs can either be transitive (the verb takes a direct object) or intransitive (the verb cannot take a direct object).

Transitive phrases are those that can take a direct object. Some transitive verbal phrases are separable. That is, the verb can be separated from the preposition by a direct object. If the direct object is a noun it may or may not come between the verb and the preposition; however, if the direct object is a pronoun, it must come between the verb and the preposition.

 

There are no rules for helping to determine which transitive phrases are inseparable. In these cases the verb and the preposition or adverb cannot be separated by the direct object.

 

Intransitive phrases are those that do not take a direct object and cannot be separated.

Table 5

 

1. Transitive, Separable

As stated earlier, in some transitive phrases the verb can be separated from the preposition or adverb so that a noun or pronoun (the direct object) can be inserted between them.

1. Can you add up the total in your head?

*In this sentence, you see that the phrase is not separated. The direct object comes after the phrase "add up".

 

2. She added it up in her head.

*In this sentence the phrase is separated by the direct object, it, which is a pronoun. Because the direct object is a pronoun, it must come between the verb and the preposition.

 

3. She added the total up in her head.

*In this sentence you see that the phrase is separated by the direct object, the total, which is a noun. The direct object comes between the verb and the preposition.

 

2. Transitive, Inseparable

Some prepositions cannot be separated because they are required by certain verbs for a specific meaning. If these words were to be separated, it would change the idiomatic meaning of the phrase.

For Example:

1.   Although Jason has been very ill this year and has missed a lot of school, he does not want to drop out of school.

*For this sentence to keep its idiomatic meaning, to quit school, the phrase cannot be separated.

 

3. Intransitive, Never Separable

Some verb phrases are intransitive which means that they cannot take a direct object. These verbs can never be separated from the preposition.

For Example:

1. Sean began to catch on after he read the directions several times. ("Directions" is the direct object of the verb- read, not the object of the verb "catch on.")

2. Sean began to catch on to the directions. ("Directions" is the object of the preposition to, it is not the direct object of the sentence. [21; 39-58]

 

 

1.5 Usage of phrasal verbs

 

Phrasal verbs can cause anxiety for learners of English language. Apart from resolving the problems of meaning and grammar, there is the difficult question of when it is appropriate to use them. Many articles written as guides for using phrasal verbs claim that they should be used mainly in speaking rather than writing, and in informal rather than formal situations and texts. [22; 115-123]

It is often said that, informal contexts single-word equivalents are more appropriate than phrasal verbs. This advice may sometimes be useful but it is an oversimplification, and if it is followed too closely, it can sometimes lead to unnatural or over-formal language.

 

Phrasal verbs can be found in all types of text. For example:

1. Issues brought up by the President of the College and by the Board of Regents shall be addressed by the Faculty Senate and, if necessary, by the Association as... (from a college constitution document)

2. Answering the big questions raised by the war. (from an online book review)

The sentence 1 is an extract from a very formal written text. The writers of this document could have chosen to use raised in place of brought up, but clearly the phrasal verb is natural and acceptable in this context. On the other hand, the sentence 2 is from an online book review – a much less formal register –and in this case the writer chose to use raise rather than bring up. This is probably because the combination ‘raise + question’ is a strong collocation, whereas ‘bring up + question’ is a rather rare combination. [23; 197-209]

 

Phrasal verbs are used across all types of text, even where the writer or speaker has the option of choosing a single-word alternative. Although phrasal verbs tend to enter the language through casual speech, in most cases they progressively become accepted across a wider range of texts, until they reach even the most technical or conservative of text types. [24; 64-77]

 

Phrasal verbs are used in three ways:

 

• To describe an action literally. For example:

Sit down and have some tea.

She walked past him without saying a word.

The majority of phrasal verbs are used in this way. All you need to know is what the two words mean when considered separately.

 

• To intensify or emphasise an action. For example:

You're not going out until you've eaten up your dinner.

It's been pouring down with rain all day.

This way of using phrasal verbs is less common. Sometimes the meaning is literal - the rain pours down – and sometimes it isn't - you eat up your dinner. Obviously rain pours down because of gravity. Eating up your dinner gives us the idea of finishing it completely.