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User_gary Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
adverbs/prepositions (up)
We followed her up the stairs to a large meeting room.
Put those books up on the top shelf.
It is said that "up" in the first sentence is a preposition, but in the second sentence it is an adverb.
Could you tell me how they differentiate that? (I know adverbs and prepositions in general but I can't understand here).
Put those books up on the top shelf.
It is said that "up" in the first sentence is a preposition, but in the second sentence it is an adverb.
Could you tell me how they differentiate that? (I know adverbs and prepositions in general but I can't understand here).
Top answer
Hello Gary, In #1, if you omit "up", you have: 1a. We followed her the stairs. In 1a, "the stairs" has no relation to anything else in the sentence; the sentence no longer makes sense.
- Hello Gary, In #1, if you omit "up", you have: 1a.
- We followed her the stairs.
- In 1a, "the stairs" has no relation to anything else in the sentence; the sentence no longer makes sense.
- So "the stairs" must be the complement of "up"; and "up" is therefore a preposition.
- In #2, if you omit "up", you have: 2a.
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2 Answers
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Hello Gary,
In #1, if you omit "up", you have:
1a. We followed her the stairs.
In 1a, "the stairs" has no relation to anything else in the sentence; the sentence no longer makes sense. So "the stairs" must be the complement of "up"; and "up" is therefore a preposition.
In #2, if you omit "up", you have:
2a. Put those books on the top shelf.
In
In #1, if you omit "up", you have:
1a. We followed her the stairs.
In 1a, "the stairs" has no relation to anything else in the sentence; the sentence no longer makes sense. So "the stairs" must be the complement of "up"; and "up" is therefore a preposition.
In #2, if you omit "up", you have:
2a. Put those books on the top shelf.
In
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What about: 'Curl up with a good book.'? The sentence doesn't make sense without 'up', but I would think 'up' is describing 'curl', so should be an adverb.
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