This document discusses phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions in English. It begins by classifying phrasal and prepositional verbs into four categories: 1) phrasal verbs consisting of a verb and adverb, 2) prepositional verbs consisting of a verb and preposition, 3) phrasal prepositional verbs with a verb, adverb and preposition, and 4) other prepositional combinations. The document then examines differences between phrasal verbs and verb+preposition combinations, provides examples of idiomatic versus literal uses, and tips for learning idioms.
2. PHRASAL AND
PREPOSITIONAL VERBS
A . C L A S S I F I C AT I O N I N T O F O U R C AT E G O R I E S :
1. Phrasal verbs (V+Adv)
a. intransitive verb + particle: The plane took off on time.
b. transitive verb + particle: He gave back the book.
2. Prepositional verbs
a. intransitive verb (V+Prep): She looked after her family.
b. transitive verb (V+NP+Prep): You've talked me into it.
3. Phrasal prepositional verbs
a. intransitive verb (V+Adv+Prep): I won't put up with this noise.
b. transitive verb (V+NP+Adv+Prep): I'll take you up on that.
4. Other prepositional combinations:
a. (V+NP+Prep): We soon made friends with them.
b. (V+Adj+Prep): I'll get even with you.
3. Type of verb Components Lexical Verb Direct Particles + prepositional
Object Adverb Preposition Object
1. Type I Phrasal V. Come ------ In ------ ------
Crop ------ Up ------ ------
2. Type II Phrasal V. Send S’one Away ------ ------
Turn S’one Down ------ ------
3. Type I Prepositional V. Come ------ ------ With +me
Come ------ ------ Across +a problem
4. Type II Prepositional V Receive S’thing ------ From +me
Take S’one ------ For +a fool
5.Type I Phrasal – Prepositional Run ------ Away With +it
V Come ------ Up With +an answer
6. Type II Phrasal Prepositional Send S’one Out Into +the world
V Put S’one Up For +election
4. ALL FOUR COMBINATIONS MAY BE MORE OR
LESS IDIOMATIC:
More idiomatic Less idiomatic
1a. The enemy gave in. (= surrendered) The guests came in.
1b. Take this message down. (= write) Take that picture down.
3. He did away with his wife. (= murdered) The thief got
away with the money.
5. CLASSIFICATION PROBLEMS :
1. The adverbial particles of some intransitive phrasal verbs could
sometimes be understood as prepositions with an understood complement:
Five cars have gone past (this place) in the last few minutes.
This is where we get off (the bus).
2. It is sometimes difficult to decide whether a structure should be
analysed as an intransitive verb followed by a prepositional phrase or a prepositional
verb:
They walked for hours.
They waited for the next bus.
6. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHRASAL VERBS
AND VERB + PREPOSITIONS COMBINATIONS
Notice, for example the
contrast in meaning of the
following pairs of sentences:
7. 1. A The boy ran into the street Verb+
prepositional phrase
1. B He ran into an old friend yesterday (met by
accident) Phrasal verb
2.A The passers-by looked into the window
curiously - verb+ prepositional phrase
2.B Have the policemen looked into the bank
robbery (investigated)- phrasal verb
8. OFTEN THE DIFFERENCE CAN BE TESTED
WITH A QUESTION:
They arrived at the station. Where did they arrive?
*What did they arrive at?
She looked at the pictures. *Where did she look?
What did she look at?
9. For each of these sentences we can
compose a question with “where” and five a
meaningful answer by using a prepositional
phrase:
The boy run into the street
Where did the boy run? Into the street
10. If we form a question with “Where” for the sentences in the
second example, however, we find that there is no meaningful
response:
Mr. Brown run into an old friend
Where did Mr Brown run? Into an old friend (not meaningful)
11. But when we formulate a question with “what” or “whom” using
the two-word verb as a unit, we find that the meaning is clear:
Whom did he run into? An old friend
What is the committee talking over? Our report.
12. So, a two word verb is a grammatical unit which fulfils the normal
functions of a verb in a sentence. In the sentences above, we will
consider the noun phrases which follow the two-word verbs as the
object of the two-word verbs, not as the objects of the preposition
13. DIFFERENCES:
S T R E S S O N A D V E R B PA R T I C L E S
B. a. Stress - an adverb particle is usually stressed, a
monosyllabic preposition is not:
1a. I wish you'd shut up. 1b. I handed in the work.
2. He took to drink. Can you look after it?
3. She carried on with her work.
4. He took hold of her arm.
14. POSITION OF THE DIRECT OBJECT
b. Position of the direct object: - the direct object may follow
or precede the adverb particle of a phrasal verb. If the object is a
pronoun, it must precede the adverb particle:
They called up the young men. They called the young men
up.
They let us down. We put them off.
15. PASSIVES
f. Passives: Transitive phrasal verbs can be freely used in the passive:
1b. Two hundred workers were laid off. The money will have to
be given back
16. IDIOMS
What are idioms?
The free dictionary defines Idioms as (Linguistics) "a group of words whose
meaning cannot be predicted from the meanings of the
constituent words".
Example 1: in a fire situation (He just arrived) in the nick of time to call the
fire brigade before it was a real disaster, meaning, at the last possible second.
Example 2: If something works in the long run, it means in the end, when the whole
process is finished, but it has nothing to do with running, as an action.
17. IDIOMS IN USE
Idioms are very common in spoken English and less common in
written English, or more formal situations, and are very often used in
business contexts to help create a relaxed atmosphere. What's more, you
can listen to them in TV comedy, drama series.
Using idioms make you sound more personal, friendly and less formal.
That's why it is another important aspect when learning a language at
advanced levels.
18. TIP TO LEARN IDIOMS
Learn a couple of idioms each day, try to learn
them on a daily basis. Also, try learning them by
saying the phrases out loud until they sound natural
to you. You can even write them down and keep a
notebook for idioms. Lastly, you can visit the pages
below and practice them.
19. EXERCISES
For more information and practice vitit:
http://cursodeingles-elena.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/unit-
4-phrasal-verbs.html
