fell off / down / from

Question

Can I say,(A) The girl fell off / down / from the ladder.(b) The girl fell off from / fell down from the ladder.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

All are possible.

Vincent Teo · Answer

I thought "fell off from / fell down from" is wrong, in my opinion. This is because there are two preposition come together.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Some writers may think that some combinations of prepositions are inelegant, but their use, especially in the spoken language, is widespread and usually adds to the descriptiveness and clarity of the action or situation.

Here is an interesting comparison of a number of parallel Bible translations:

Acts 20:9 Parallel Translations
NASB:	And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. (NASB ©1995)
GWT:	A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window. As Paul was talking on and on, Eutychus was gradually falling asleep. Finally, overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story and was dead when they picked him up.(***'S WORD®)
KJV:	And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
ASV:	And there sat in the window a certain young man named Eutychus, borne down with deep sleep; and as Paul discoursed yet longer, being borne down by his sleep he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.
BBE:	And a certain young man named Eutychus, who was seated in the window, went into a deep sleep; and while Paul went on talking, being overcome by sleep, he had a fall from the third floor, and was taken up dead.
DBY:	And a certain youth, by name Eutychus, sitting at the window-opening, overpowered by deep sleep, while Paul discoursed very much at length, having been overpowered by the sleep, fell from the third story down to the bottom, and was taken up dead.
ERV:	And there sat in the window a certain young man named Eutychus, borne down with deep sleep; and as Paul discoursed yet longer, being borne down by his sleep he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.
WEY:	and a youth of the name of Eutychus was sitting at the window. This lad, gradually sinking into deep sleep while Paul preached at unusual length, overcome at last by sleep, fell from the second floor and was taken up dead.
WBS:	And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, having fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
WEB:	A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.
YLT:	and there was sitting a certain youth, by name Eutychus, upon the window -- being borne down by a deep sleep, Paul discoursing long -- he having sunk down from the sleep, fell down from the third story, and was lifted up dead.

fell off / down / from

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