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Gene93 Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

To pick something out

Hello,

Is it okay to use pick here:

- I picked a few more nails out of the jar in front of me.

I realize that "pick out" (phrasal verb) has a different meaning. Can't we just use pick followed by a preposition (out, for example) without it meaning "to select from a group of things"? The speaker is not trying to choose a few specific/special nails out of a group.


Thank you.

  

Top answer

", is understandable and theoretically acceptable usage. But it's unusual. In what situation would you actually say something like this?

— Anonymous

  • ", is understandable and theoretically acceptable usage.
  • But it's unusual.
  • In what situation would you actually say something like this?
  • I'm a native English speaker in the US, and I've never said anything like this in my life.
  • "), and using it in a situation different from this is confusing to the listener.
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2 Answers
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The sentence, "I picked a few more nails out of the jar in front of me.", is understandable and theoretically acceptable usage. But it's unusual. In what situation would you actually say something like this? I'm a native English speaker in the US, and I've never said anything like this in my life.


Furthermore, the verb "to pick out" has strong connotations in the sense of removi

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Yes. Pick out has several possible uses. Selecting individual items from a group is only one of them.

She picked out a dress to wear to the ball.
After climbing the fence, she stopped to pick out splinters from her hand.
She picked out a tune on the piano. 
She tried to run, but the searchlight picked her out and she was soon captured.
Her brooch had a large sapp
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