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Yoong Liat Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
IMPROVE IN
Hi Guys
I understand that 'improve' cannot be followed by a preposition. Is it correct?
We say "I want to improve my English" and "My English has improved."
But can we say "I have improved in my English." ?
Cheers
I understand that 'improve' cannot be followed by a preposition. Is it correct?
We say "I want to improve my English" and "My English has improved."
But can we say "I have improved in my English." ?
Cheers
Top answer
"I understand that 'improve' cannot be followed by a preposition. " Yes Improve on -- on is an adverb particle, though, and the verb is a phrasal one. Improve can be intransitive or transitive -- it means it can be followed by a PP and not necessarily takes an object.
- "I understand that 'improve' cannot be followed by a preposition.
- " Yes Improve on -- on is an adverb particle, though, and the verb is a phrasal one.
- Improve can be intransitive or transitive -- it means it can be followed by a PP and not necessarily takes an object.
- If it does so, though, never use a prep before the object.
- I need to improve in my English " in my English" is a PP in adverb function, and is not the object of the sentence.
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10 Answers
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"I understand that 'improve' cannot be followed by a preposition. Is it correct?" Yes
Improve on -- on is an adverb particle, though, and the verb is a phrasal one.
Improve can be intransitive or transitive -- it means it can be followed by a PP and not necessarily takes an object. If it does so, though, never use a prep before the object.
I need to
Improve on -- on is an adverb particle, though, and the verb is a phrasal one.
Improve can be intransitive or transitive -- it means it can be followed by a PP and not necessarily takes an object. If it does so, though, never use a prep before the object.
I need to
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Either of these, for me.
I need to improve my English
I need to improve in English.
I need to improve my English
I need to improve in English.
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either for me, too
in English is not an object, but an adverbial
in English is not an object, but an adverbial
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Improve is transitive or intransitive.
It means, I improve my English is correct: my English is the object.
If I insert the preposition: in, the object disappears -- it can do so (intransitive verb), without any damage
done to its grammatical structure -- and in
I improve in my English, in my English become
It means, I improve my English is correct: my English is the object.
If I insert the preposition: in, the object disappears -- it can do so (intransitive verb), without any damage
done to its grammatical structure -- and in
I improve in my English, in my English become
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improve in
is correct too:
Jo's Boys by Alcott, Louisa May - Chapter 6
is correct too:
Jo's Boys by Alcott, Louisa May - Chapter 6
| shall improve in my music--can't help it there; but I never shall be very wise, I'm afraid. As for my heart, you know, I leave it behind me in g |
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MilkyIn which dialect of English is that written?Asking about my post in the above?
If so, the author was American:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisa_May_Alcott
Not sure about the dialect though.
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"improve" can be followed by a preposition:
When improve combines with a preposition, it is usually either on or upon (His design considerably improves on [upon] the earlier model) or, rarely, over: This one improves our product a good deal over anything we’ve
When improve combines with a preposition, it is usually either on or upon (His design considerably improves on [upon] the earlier model) or, rarely, over: This one improves our product a good deal over anything we’ve
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Another way to look at this is to think of it as "improve [my grades] [my skill] [my whatever] in English." It's understood what it is that you are improving, so you leave it out.
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