Clean vs clean up.

Question

I cleaned the room. Vs. I cleaned up the room. The second sentence is a phrasal verb, I know. The meaning of the verb and phrasal verb should be different but here I didn't see any difference in meaning in both sentences. Could you tell me the difference in meaning between two of those sentences,  please?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

tenjing I cleaned the room. Vs. I cleaned up the room. The second sentence is a phrasal verb, I know. The meaning of the verb and phrasal verb should be different but here I didn't see any difference in meaning in both sentences. Could you tell me the difference in meaning between two of those sentences, please?

There is often no difference when "up" is added to a verb. It's just a little verbal flourish that approximates a meaning like "It's done!" You might say that "up" just ties a bow on the sentence. Here are some examples.

We cleaned (up) the kitchen.
Jake added (up) the numbers.
It's time to light (up) the Christmas tree.
The lid on this jar is very tight. It won't open (up).
Let's hire someone to patch (up) the roof.
Before long they had eaten (up) the whole pizza.
The chair is in terrible shape. We'll have to fix it (up).
I wish they would hurry (up) and deliver the book I ordered.
There's an unsightly scratch on that table. Put a cloth on it to cover it (up).

Unfortunately, you can't just add "up" to any verb. You have to learn which verbs are typically accompanied by "up".

CJ

Tenjing · Answer

Thanks a lot, CJ. One more question, we can't make a relative clause of phrasal verb leaving out prepositions at the end right? Like,
The room I cleaned up is hers. This sentence is incorrect, right?

CalifJim · Answer

tenjingThe room I cleaned up is hers.

This is perfectly correct.

The room I cleaned is hers. Correct.
The room I cleaned up is hers. Correct.

CJ

AlpheccaStars · Answer

tenjingI cleaned the room. Vs. I cleaned up the room.

There is a difference in usage; probably it's regional. My mom always told us kids "Clean up your room" Clean up did not mean soap and water kind of cleaning, but putting toys away, hanging clothes in the closet, and putting everything in order.

In a hotel, the maids clean the rooms for the guests - that is they use soap and water in the bathrooms, change the sheets, and everything else. In my background, "clean" means a more thorough job than "clean up."

CalifJim · Answer

AlpheccaStars In my background, "clean" means a more thorough job than "clean up."

That sounds right to me as well. Sort of. I guess.

I guess I hadn't thought of it as a major or consistent difference though.

I don't think the "thorough" vs "not thorough" distinction applies to most uses of "up", however.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

I Clean UP the room means that you sweep AND put away stuff ! So, UP, adds the information of cleaning entirely, and putting away all the stuff ! Whereas, clean, just means, to undirty !

Clean vs clean up.

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