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Cho7712 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
go off
Having found the below examples in the on-line dictionary,
e.g. Off she went without so much as a “goodbye.”
Everyone went off happy.
I've got confused with some questions.
1. It looks the phrasal verb so that it can't be separated under any
conditions. However 'off' which should be the adverbial particle
is fronted to the head of the sentence.
As far as I've known of 'go off', it is the phrasal verb not the
prepositional verb.
So how can that sentence be possible?
2. As you see the second sentence, the word 'happy' appears in a
position of being usually considered to be occupied by the
adverb.
And I strongly doubt that use of 'happy' is right, for 'happy' is only
used as the adjective.
What is the reason to make the second sentence be possible?
e.g. Off she went without so much as a “goodbye.”
Everyone went off happy.
I've got confused with some questions.
1. It looks the phrasal verb so that it can't be separated under any
conditions. However 'off' which should be the adverbial particle
is fronted to the head of the sentence.
As far as I've known of 'go off', it is the phrasal verb not the
prepositional verb.
So how can that sentence be possible?
2. As you see the second sentence, the word 'happy' appears in a
position of being usually considered to be occupied by the
adverb.
And I strongly doubt that use of 'happy' is right, for 'happy' is only
used as the adjective.
What is the reason to make the second sentence be possible?
Top answer
As far as I can tell , "off" is an adverb in those examples with a meaning similar to away. "went off" is not a phrasal verb in your second example. As to the use of "happy", it is correct.
- As far as I can tell , "off" is an adverb in those examples with a meaning similar to away.
- "went off" is not a phrasal verb in your second example.
- As to the use of "happy", it is correct.
- Yes, we usually use adverbs with verbs but the adverb off is there, isn't it?
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4 Answers
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As far as I can tell , "off" is an adverb in those examples with a meaning similar to away. "went off" is not a phrasal verb in your second example.
As to the use of "happy", it is correct. Yes, we usually use adverbs with verbs but the adverb off is there, isn't it?
As to the use of "happy", it is correct. Yes, we usually use adverbs with verbs but the adverb off is there, isn't it?
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Thanks for the reply.
Then, I can assume that you also think that the first sentence is
somewhat peculiar in that the phrasal verb is divided. And it seems to be not that easy to find the reason for that.
And as to the second sentence, you point out that 'go off' is not a phrasal verb. Based on your answer, I guess the meaning of this sentence as below,
i.e. Everyon
Then, I can assume that you also think that the first sentence is
somewhat peculiar in that the phrasal verb is divided. And it seems to be not that easy to find the reason for that.
And as to the second sentence, you point out that 'go off' is not a phrasal verb. Based on your answer, I guess the meaning of this sentence as below,
i.e. Everyon
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1. The off in the first sentence is an adverb.
"off" at the beginning is just more emphatic than after the verb, that's all.
2. Everyone went away happy. (= everyone went away feeling happy)
"off" at the beginning is just more emphatic than after the verb, that's all.
2. Everyone went away happy. (= everyone went away feeling happy)
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Thank you for the answer.
Now it gets clear.
Your paraphrase is of much help.
And it is totally new information to me that even the phrasal verb can be divided for some kind of reason. Thanks for that grammar point.
Now it gets clear.
Your paraphrase is of much help.
And it is totally new information to me that even the phrasal verb can be divided for some kind of reason. Thanks for that grammar point.
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