DISTINGUISHING PHRASAL VERB

It has been seen that the position of pronoun objects, adverbs of manner and stress in spoken English varies according to whether a verb is followed by a preposition or by and adverb.

These differences are summarized in the following table. The verbs to sit and to turn are used as examples. The verb to sit is followed by on used as a preposition, whereas the verb to turn is followed by on used as an adverb.

Verb + Preposition

Verb + adverb

Object pronoun is placed after the preposition.

Ex: I sat on it.

Adverb of manner may be placed between verb and preposition.

Ex: I sat quietly on it.

Object pronoun is placed before the adverb.

Ex: I turned it on.

Adverb of manner may not be placed between verb and adverb.

Ex: I quietly turned it on.

Verb is stressed:

This is what I sat on.

Adverb is stressed:

This is what I sat on.

Because of the summarized above, it is important to be able to distinguish between a verb followed by a preposition, and a verb followed by an adverb.

1) Adverb phrases of location compared with phrasal verbs followed by objects

In many cases, it is necessary to distinguish between an ordinary verb followed by an adverb phrase of location, and a phrasal verb followed by an object.

Example:

- I turned up the street.

- I turned up the volume.

NOTE:

ç In the first example, the verb turned is followed by the adverb phrase of location up the street. In the second example, the phrasal verb turned up is followed by the object volume. In this example, the phrasal verb turned up has the meaning increased.

ç In the first example, street is the object of the preposition up. If the object is changed to a pronoun, the pronoun must follow the preposition.

Example:

- I turned up the street.

- I turned up it.

ç In the second example, volume is the object of the phrasal verb turned up. If the object is changed to a pronoun, the pronoun must precede the adverb up.

Example:

- I turned up the volume.

- I turned it up.

ç In the first example, if the verb is modified by an adverb of manner, the adverb of manner may precede the adverb phrase of location.

Example:

- I turned up the street.

- I turned quickly up the street.

ç In the second example, if the verb is modified by an adverb of manner, the adverb of manner may not be placed between the two parts of the phrasal verb.

Example:

- I turned up the volume.

- I quickly turned up the volume.

2) Words used as prepositions or adverbs

It is also necessary to be able to distinguish between a phrasal verb consisting of a verb followed by a preposition, and a phrasal verb consisting of a transitive verb followed by an adverb. In many cases, it is possible to make the distinction by means of the preposition or adverb following the verb.

ç The following words are used in phrasal verbs as preposition, but are not usually used in phrasal verbs as adverbs following transitive verbs.

After, at, by, from, of, toward, without, against, before, for, into, to, with…

ç In contrast, the following words are used in phrasal verbs as adverbs following transitive verbs, but are not usually used in phrasal verbs as prepositions.

Along, away, behind, forward, together, aside, back, down, out, up…

ç The following words present more difficulty, since they can be used in phrasal verbs both as prepositions and adverbs following transitive verbs.

Across, in, on, upon, through, around, round, off, over…

NOTE: Thus, it is advisable to study which phrasal verbs use these words as prepositions, and which phrasal verbs use these words as adverbs. The following tables give examples of phrasal verbs containing each of these words. The left-hand column gives phrasal verbs consisting of verbs followed by prepositions, while the right-hand column gives phrasal verbs consisting of transitive verbs followed by adverbs.

Words used as prepositions or adverbs

Verb + Preposition

Transitive Verb + Adverb

Come across

Cut across

Run across

Stumble across

Get across ( an idea)

Put across (an idea)

Hang around

Lounge around

Mill around

Pass around

Rally round

Show around

Bring round

Confide in

Deal in

Join in

Break in

Breathe in

Call in

Fill in

Hand in

Phase in

Rope in

Take in

Trade in

Glance off

Deep off

Warn off

Call off

Fend off

Give off

Lay off

Pair off

Pension off

Polish off

Pull off

Put off

Reel off

Sell off

Shrug off

Turn off

Write off

Bank on

Border on

Build on

Call on

Come upon

Count on

Dawn on

Decide on

Dwell on

Enlarge on

Expand on

Frown on

Grow on

Hinge on

Live on

Pick on

Prey on

Reckon on

Survive on

Thrust upon

Touch on

Verge on

Cheer on

Hand on

Try on

Turn on

Get over

Go over

Run over

Watch over

Take over

Talk over

Think over

Paper over

Smooth over

Break through

get through

go through

leaf through

look through

sail through

scrape through

see through

sit through

wade through

Pull through