4. BEWAREBEWARE ofof FreeFree
CombinationsCombinations !!!!!!
Prepositional verbs
We called on the Dean
verb + prep
Lexical meaning (visit)
Passive voice is possible
Wh questions: what/ who
Free combinations
We called after lunch
verb + prep?
No lexical meaning
Passive voice is NOT possible
Wh questions: when/where
6. Let’s consider these 2 examples…Let’s consider these 2 examples…
LOOK
up
I usually look up words in the
dictionary
LOOK AT
He couldn’t help looking at
the beautiful woman
7. From the point of view ofFrom the point of view of morphology…morphology…
Look up
Verb + adverb
Look at
Verb + preposition
8. From the point of view ofFrom the point of view of Semantics…Semantics…
Look up
The meaning of the verb
cannot be predicted from
the meaning of each
individual word
“ to search fo r and find”
Look at
The meaning of the multi-
part verb can be deduced
by analysing the meanings
of its parts
“ To emplo y o ne's sight in a given
direction o r o n a given o bject “
9. From the point of view ofFrom the point of view of Syntax…Syntax…
Look up
I usually look up words in the dictionary
I usually look words up in the dictionary
I usually look them up in the dictionary
WRONG!!!!!
I usually look up them in the dictionary
The words up which I usually look
Up which words do you usually look?
I usually look hastily up words in the dic…
Look at
He couldn’t help looking at the beautiful woman
He couldn’t help looking at her
He couldn’t help looking carefully at her.
The woman at whom he couldn’t help looking
At which woman couldn’t he help looking?
WRONG!!!!
He couldn’t help looking the beautiful woman at
He couldn’t help looking her at
10. From the point of view ofFrom the point of view of Phonology…Phonology…
Look up
Look úp
Look at
Lóok at
12. Other multi-word constructions??Other multi-word constructions??
Verb + prepositional phrase
The triumph came as a surprise
Verb + verb
He was reluctant to let him go
Verb + NP
Let’s have a look at this
?
