Phrasal verbs

Question

Hi everybody,There is a definition about phrasal verbs:Phrasal verbs are verbs that consist of a verb and a particle.Particles are small words which you already know as prepositions or adverbs.When do we call it as preposition? When do we call it as adverb?If the particle is followed by nothing (I mean nothing that connects to the phrasal verb) then we call it as adverb. Am I right?For example:I tried to phone her but I couldn't get through.If I follow this logic then I would call it as preposition when the particle is followed by something.For example: You can look up any new words in your dictionary.If these statements are true then what is the name given in the case of something that is between the verb and the particle? In this case I would call it as adverb.For example:You can look any new words up in your dictionary.Maybe it is not important for me (from the point of view of learning English) but I'm curious about it.Thanks for your answer in advance.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Hole One a New SeeWhen do we call it a preposition?

When it has an object.

Hole One a New See When do we call it an adverb?

When it doesn't.

Hole One a New See · Answer

Thanks for the answer

What is the situation in this case (and can I ask it this way?):

You can look any new words up in your dictionary.

?

I think we can call 'up' an adverb here.

But, as far as I know it has the same meaning (please, correct me if I'm wrong) as:

You can look up any new words in your dictionary.

And it confuse me a little bit (there is an object in both cases). I would call 'up' a preposition here.

Are these true statements?

Thanks for your answer in advance.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Hole One a New SeeI think we can call 'up' an adverb here.

Yes, I would.

Hole One a New SeeBut, as far as I know it has the same meaning (please, correct me if I'm wrong) as:You can look up any new words in your dictionary.

Yes, indeed. It is part of a separable phrasal verb.

Hole One a New See I would call 'up' a preposition here.

No. 'Up any new words' is not a prepositional phrase. 'Any new words is the object of 'look up' (a phrasal verb composed of the verb 'look' and the adverbial 'up').

Hole One a New See · Answer

Thank you

What cases could we call it as preposition? You mentioned it, I read it but could you write me an example sentence for it? I would be grateful

Mister Micawber · Answer

In your studies, you will need to understand the meanings individually to know whether the various prepositions/adverbs (up, on, over, etc.) are one or the other. In his case:

You can look up any new words in your dictionary. - 'Up' is an adverb.
You can look up the tree to see the eagle's nest at the top. - 'Up' is a preposition.

Does that help?

Hole One a New See · Answer

Thank you

So the problem is the word 'new' if I understand you well. If it wasn't there then we could call up a preposition because it would be a prepositional phrase: Maybe 'any' is also problematic but I can't say anything about it. I can't say what it is (pronoun, determiner, adverb, etc.). I can't say whether I see a prepositional phrase or not. If I see something like:

'with new books'

then it is possibly prepositional case. There is only an adjective before the noun. It matches the patern:

[preposition + modifier(s) + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause] (I tried to identify it on chomp-chomp:
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/prepositionalphrase.htm)

If I can see:

'any new words'

then I can't say anything about 'any'.

That is the sentence when I would say that 'up' is a preposition:

You can look up words in your dictionary.

I have a bad feeling that I confused myself, again.

Thanks for the answer in advance.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Hole One a New Seeo the problem is the word 'new'

Omigod! No!

Hole One a New See Maybe 'any' is also problematic

No problem at all.

Hole One a New See There is only an adjective before the noun.

That is completely irrelevant.

Hole One a New SeeThat is the sentence when I would say that 'up' is a preposition:You can look up words in your dictionary.

Nope. It's still adverbial.

Hole One a New SeeI have a bad feeling that I confused myself, again.

Yes. I don't even know where to start. G'night.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Confusion is understandable. I once did a not-very-scientific survey of a large number of 'phrasal verbs' in several dictionaries and grammars, and found there was very little agreement among writers about which verbs they called 'phrasal verbs/prepositional verbs/multi-word verbs/verbs collocating with certain prepositions/etc.

Don't forget that words such as 'preposition', 'adverb' and 'particle' are merely labels used by writers in their attempts to describe how language works.

Unless you are studying grammar as an end in itself, I suggest that you don't get two worried about labels.

Learners need to recognise that there is a clear difference in meaning between the underlined words in the sentences below. That does not mean they have to agonise over the label for 'up' in each sentence.

I looked up from my book as the door opened. ~~I looked from my book up as the door opened.~~

I looked up the chimney to see if the cat was there. ~~I looked the chimney up to see if the cat was there.~~

I looked up the word in dictionary. I looked the word up in a dictionary.

Things looked up when my boss left.

CalifJim · Answer

Hole One a New SeeThere is a definition about phrasal verbs: Phrasal verbs are verbs that consist of a verb and a particle. Particles are small words which you already know as prepositions or adverbs. When do we call it as preposition? When do we call it as adverb?

This is not saying anything really so complicated. A particle is the second element of a phrasal verb.

The most usual particles are in, out, on, off, up, down, away, and back. Note that the following are phrasal verbs:

slow down, put away, turn up, throw out, fall off

The verbs are slow, put, turn, throw, and fall.
The particles are down, away, up, out, and off.

All that your definition is saying is that words like in, out, on, off, up, down, away, and back, words that are called particles when used to form phrasal verbs, should already look familiar to you, because you have already seen them as prepositions and adverbs. The definition you cite is not saying directly that you must call these particles "prepositions" or "adverbs". It's saying that you can call them "particles" when they are part of a phrasal verb.

(Other definitions of phrasal verbs may say something different. I'm just saying what this definition says.)

CJ

Hole One a New See · Answer

Thank you, fivejedjon

The second one is not a phrasal verb, isn't it? I mean, this one:

I looked up the chimney to see if the cat was there.

And I have a ('true or false statement' type) question in connection with it.

If a verb is used like this (i.e. it is NOT a phrasal verb) then it necessarily means that the preposition/adverb goes immediately after the verb (of course I talk about the preposition/adverb which belongs to the verb). i.e. I can't interchange them ('up' and 'the chimney' in this particular example).

Is this statement correct?

In this particular example the other possibility would sound strange but maybe it doesn't hold in every case.

Thanks for your answer in advance.

Phrasal verbs

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