Multi-Word Verbs: Phrasal Verbs Explained

Topic 22 – ‘Multi – word verbs’
1. INTRODUCTION
The usual description of a language comprises four major components: phonology, grammar, lexicon,
and semantics, out of which we get five major levels: phonological, morphological and syntactic, lexical,
and semantic (Huddleston, 1988). First, the phonology describes the sound level, which comprises
consonants, vowels, stress, intonation, and so on. Thus, phonology deals with the accent, rhythm and
intonation on verbs, prepositions and adverbs (i.e. I’m looking for a T-shirt). Secondly, since the two
most basic units of grammar are the word and the sentence, the component of grammar involves the
morphological level (i.e. one- word vs. multi-word verbs) and the syntactic level (i.e. word order in the
sentence), therefore syntax deals with which combinations of words constitute grammatical strings and
which do not (i.e. NOT: Can I try on it? BUT Can I try it on?). Third, the lexicon, or lexical level, lists
vocabulary items, specifying how they are pronounced, how they behave grammatically, and what they
mean. Thus lexis deals with the choice between different types of prepositions (i.e. look
at/after/into/like/for) or adverbs (i.e. look forward to) and the use of specific prepositions with certain
structures (i.e. get on with somebody/run out of petrol); Finally, another dimension between the study of
linguistic form and the study of meaning is semantics, or the semantic level, to which all four of the
major components are related. We must not forget that a linguistic description that ignores meaning is
obviously incomplete, and in particular, when dealing with the notions of multi- word verbs or more
commonly known as phrasal verbs where semantics plays a very important role at the time of distinguish
them. Semantics deals with meaning where syntactic and morphological levels do not tell the difference
(i.e. I can’t put up with racism = I can’t tolerate racism).
1.1 VERB PARTICLE COMBINATIONS
The main category of multi-word verbs consists of such combinations as drink up, dispose of, and get
away with, which we will study under the headings of PHRASAL VERB, PREPOSITIONAL VERB
and PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONALVERB respectively. However, these combinations are considered
multi-word verbs only where they behave as a single unit. (3word come down with, face up to, keep up
with, look forward to, put up with, run away with).
Since the verb has been considered a class of word (open class), it may seem a contradiction to speak
of 'multi-word verbs' (‘multi-word verb’ is defined in opposition to the term ‘one-word verb’). The
term 'word' is frequently used, however, not only for a morphologically defined word class, but also for
an item that acts as a single word lexically or syntactically (complex prepositions). It is this extended
sense of 'verb' as a 'unit which behaves to some extent either lexically or syntactically as a single
verb' that we use in labels such as 'prepositional verb’.
The words which follow the lexical verb in expressions like drink up, dispose of, and 'get away with
are morphologically invariable, and will be given the neutral designation PARTICLES. They actually
belong to two distinct but overlapping categories, that of prepositions and that of spatial adverbs
(though such adverbs are not necessarily used with spatial meaning). The term 'particle' will therefore
apply to such words as these, when they follow and are closely associated with verbs.
PARTICLES
(A) Prepositions only: against, among, as, at, beside, for, from, into, like, of, onto, upon, with, etc.
(B) Either prepositions or spatial adverbs, and in the latter function are known as 'prepositional
adverbs': about, above, across, after, along, around, by, down, in, off, on, out (AmE), over, past, round,
through, under, up, etc.
(C) Spatial adverbs only (unless they form part of a complex preposition, as in out of): Aback,
ahead, apart, aside, astray, away, back, forward(s), home, in front, on top, out (BrE), together, etc. List
includes adverbs like away and on top, which correspond to complex prepositions such as away from
and on top of and so are also known as prepositional adverbs.
Not all multi-word verbs consist of lexical verbs followed by particles. We shall illustrate other types,
such as those of take pride in, cut short, see fit, or put paid to
VERB+NOUN+PREPOSITION / VERB+ADJECTIVE IDIOMS
1.2 ON DEFINING AND CLASSIFICATING MULTI-WORD VERBS
Multi-word verbs are defined as a large group of verbs which consist of a basic verb + one or more
particles, which can be prepositions (i.e. look after) or adverbs (i.e. look up). Other possible
combinations are verb + adverb + preposition (i.e. look forward to) and a combination with nouns (i.e.
take care of) and adjectives (i.e. set free). It is important to bear in mind that a multi-word verb (also
called two-word verb or compound verb) is still a verb (i.e. get vs. get up), whose meaning may have
little or no connection with the individual units that make it possible.
The possible combinations may have literal meaning, that is, can be predicted on the meaning of each
element (e.g. apply for, break off, consent to, fill out, find out, live on, refer to) even if we do not take
into account the preposition after it, whereas other combinations cannot be predicted because of each
element (e.g. put off, call off). On the contrary, they have fixed combinations and have to be learnt as
individual vocabulary items.
Following Quirk et al. (1985), multi-word verb combinations are realized by four main combination
types: first, phrasal verbs (verb + adverb); second, prepositional verbs (verb + preposition); third,
phrasal prepositional verbs (verb + adverb + preposition); and fourth, verb + noun + preposition or
verb + adjective (+preposition).
For some other authors ‘verb + preposition’ (go into, cope with. etc.) are
considered phrasal verbs).
2. PHRASAL VERBS
Phrasal verbs are formed by the structure ‘verb + adverb’ that is, combinations of a verb and a member
of a closed set of adverbs, such as about, across, along, around, aside, away, back, by, down, forth, in,
off, on, out, over and up, where the word stress is placed on the adverb and not on the verb (i.e. Chris
called ‘up the seller” (phrasal verb) vs. “Chris ‘called on the seller” (prepositional verb), even if it is in
final position (i.e. He call him ‘up).
Phrasal verbs are generally defined as ‘non- literal’ since their meaning cannot be deduced by
defining its individual parts (i.e. The enemy gave up/She took her parents in /They called off the
meeting). However, some phrasal verbs have literal meaning and can be easily deduced from the sum
of its individual parts (i.e. The guests came in/She went out/They found out the truth).
With respect to this last example, we must address the syntactic function of multi-word verbs, whereby
we must take into account the question of pronoun/noun insertion within the concepts of ‘transitivity’
and ‘intransitivity’ since phrasal verbs can be both. First of all, we shall point out that intransitive
phrasal verbs do not take a direct object after them and, therefore, do not allow other elements in
between (i.e. break down, come in/out/up/down/back, get up).
On the other hand, transitive phrasal verbs take a direct object after the particle and, therefore, they
have the possibility of inserting nouns in between the verb and the particle, that is, pronouns to
substitute nouns in object function (i.e. bring up, fill in/out, find out, put off, put on, ring up, among
others). Following Quirk & Greenbaum (1973), “with most transitive phrasal verbs, the particle can
either precede or follow the direct object (i.e. They turned on the light vs. They turned the light on)
although it cannot precede personal pronouns (i.e. They turned it on but NOT: They turned on it). As
we can see, the particle tends to precede the object if the object is long or if the intention is that the
object should receive end – focus. According Quirk et al. (1985), we followed the further classification:
2.1 INTRANSITIVE PHRASAL VERBS
One common type of multi-word verb is the Type I or intransitive phrasal verb consisting of a verb
plus an adverb particle, as exemplified in : The plane has just touched down. He is playing around. I
hope you'll get by. [=cope, manage] How are you getting on? The plane has now taken off. Did he catch
on? [=person: understand, become popular]. The prisoner finally broke down. She turned up
unexpectedly [=arrive, be present (person), be found (object), also transitive increase volume]. When will
they give in? [=surrender] The tank blew up.
Such phrasal verbs are usually informal. The particles above come from Class ((B) can be either
prepositions or spatial adverbs), but similar examples can be given with particles from Class ((C) are
spatial adverbs only (unless they form part of a complex preposition, as in out of): One of my papers has
gone astray. [=become missing] The news made him reel back. [=throw off balance] . The favourite
romped home. [=race: win easily] The two girls have fallen out. [ = 'quarrelled']
The particle functions like a predication adjunct and usually cannot be separated from its lexical
verb: ?*The news made him reel distractedly back.
“Although some of these are more idiomatic and cohesive than others, we will draw a distinction
between such phrasal verbs, on the one hand, and FREE COMBINATIONS in which the verb and the
adverb have distinct meanings on the other. In phrasal verbs like give in ['surrender'], catch on
['understand'], and blow up ['explode'], the meaning of the combination manifestly cannot be predicted
from the meanings of verb and particle in isolation. But in free combinations the verb acts as a normal
intransitive verb, and the adverb has its own meaning. For example: He walked past. [= 'past the
object/place'] I waded across. [ = 'across the river/water/etc'] Past and across here are adverbs, but their
function is equivalent to that of a prepositional phrase of direction. The separability of verb and
adverb in terms of meaning is shown by possible substitutions: for wade in wade across, for example,
we could substitute walk, run, swim, jump, fly, etc; and for across we could substitute in, through, over,
up, down, etc. In other cases, the particle may have an intensifying or aspectual force, as in liven up, go
on, or chatter away.
There are also syntactic signs of cohesion. In free combinations, it is often possible to place a
modifying adverb right (or sometimes straight) between the adverb particle and the verb: Go
right/straight on. Drink right up. Walk straight in. This insertion is to differing extents unacceptable
with phrasal verbs: ?The prisoner broke right down. *She turned right up at last. Another sign of a free
combination is the possibility of placing the adverb before the verb with subject-verb inversion (or
without inversion where the subject is a pronoun): Out came the sun. Up you come. On we drove into the
night. But with phrasal verbs this is not possible: *Up blew the tank. *Up it blew. ['exploded'] *Out he
passed. ['fainted']. However, in this as in other criteria, there is an unclear boundary between phrasal
verbs and free combinations. With They chattered away the inversion is very marginally acceptable:
?*Away they chattered. Some examples are more acceptable if the particle is reduplicated according to
the pattern of iterative coordination: On and on he went about his wife and family. And where the
phrasal verb makes metaphorical use of spatial adverbs, inversion seems quite acceptable: Down
came the prices, and up went the sales. There was a gust of wind, and out went the light.
2.2 TRANSITIVE PHRASAL VERBS
Many phrasal verbs may take a direct object, and may therefore be described as transitive. However,
to simplify comparison with prepositional verbs, we will call them Type II phrasal verbs, as contrasted
with Type I (or intransitive) phrasal verbs. Examples are: We will set up [=assemble, establish] a new
unit. Shall I put away [=tidy up, put in correct place] the clothes? Find out [=discover, learn about, news
or or truth of ] if they are coming. She's bringing up [=raise: subject, children] two children. Someone
turned on [=switch on] the light. They have called off [=cancel] the strike. He can't live down
[=embarrassment: get over ] his past. I can't make out [=with object: see, perceive] what he means. She
looked up [=try to contact, seek information, word: find meaning] her friends. I've handed in [=submit,
turn in: police] my registration. They may have blown up [=explode, photograph: enlarge] the bridge.
Examples here and in INTRANSITIVE show that some combinations, such as look up [=lift your
gaze, situation: improve] and blow up, can be either INTRANSITIVE or TRANSITIVE. In some
cases, eg: look up, there is a substantial difference in meaning, and in others, eg: blow up, there is not.
With most TRANSITIVE phrasal verbs, as with free combinations of the same pattern, the particle can
either precede or follow the direct object: They turned on the light. They turned the light on. Bearing in
mind the adverbial status of the particle, we would indeed expect the latter order (SVOA) to be the
more usual, even though it means a separation of the particle from its verb. When the object is a
personal pronoun, the SVOA order is in fact the only one allowable: They switched on it. They
switched it on. The particle tends to precede the object if the object is long, or if the intention is that the
object should receive end-focus.
As before, phrasal verbs have to be distinguished lexically from free syntactic combinations of verb
and prepositional adverb. Contrast: She took in the box. [FREECOMBINATION] ['brought inside']
She took in her parents. ['deceived'] [PHRASAL VERB]. The verb and particle in put out the cat, for
instance, preserve their separate meanings in that combination, as well as in a wide range of comparable
combinations: put +down/outside/away/aside; take/turn/bring/push/send/ drag+out. A highly idiomatic
expression like put off ['postpone'] has no such variants at all, for the two words put and off are fused
into a unit which allows for no substitution for the individual elements. Once again, there are unclear
cases between these two extremes: some substitutions, but a limited number only, can be made in a
'semi-idiomatic' example such as Turn out the light: Let’s turn/switch/put it on/off/down/up
With Type II phrasal verbs, there is no sensitive method of testing cohesion by placing the particle
before the subject, as this construction is scarcely possible even with free combinations: ?*Out he took a
gun. The other test of independence, insertion of an adverb before the particle, can however be used:
The pilot jerked the lever right back. Contrast the phrasal verb ?*They put the meeting hurriedly off.
Where there is an ambiguity between idiomatic and non idiomatic interpretations of the same
combination, insertion of an adverb will select the non idiomatic one. Thus, She brought the girls up. [1
raise] She brought the girls right up. [2 can mean 'She reared the girls'],: But [2]can only have a spatial
meaning.
Like transitive verbs in general, Type II phrasal verbs can normally be turned into the passive without
stylistic awkwardness.
3. PREPOSITIONAL VERBS
Prepositional verbs are formed by the structure ‘verb + preposition’ and are combinations of a verb +
prepositions such as ‘at, in, on, for, about, etc’ (i.e. ask for, care for, long for, object to, refer to, write
about, look at, thank for, arrive at, be into, etc.). They are usually monotransitive and can take
direct objects (i.e. He did not enlarge on this subject/Aren’t you listening to my advice?). As a rule the
stress falls on the verb and the preposition is unstressed (i.e. “Why are you looking ‘up that word in the
dictionary” (phrasal verb) vs. “Don’t ‘look at me!” (prepositional verb). The main semantic feature to be
mentioned here is that meaning can be deduced from the sum of its individual parts (i.e. His son asked
for pocket money). It is relevant to remember that some (i.e. Type II A) prepositional verbs may be
highly idiomatic, for instance, “Thank you for helping me”. “I’m into jazz”. We must bear in mind that
in most of the dictionaries and some grammars combinations ‘verb + preposition’ such as ‘live on’, ´cope
with’, ‘depend on’, ‘deal with’ etc. that are considered here highly idiomatic prepositional verbs are
indeed considered phrasal verbs. Literature in English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) tends
to employ the term phrasal verb to encompass both prepositional and phrasal verbs.
According Quirk et al. (1985), the TypeI/TypeII opposition applies not only to phrasal, but to
prepositional verbs:
TYPE I (without object) | TYPE II (with object)
PHRASAL VERB
Please drink up.
| Please drink it up.
PREPOSITIONAL VERB
He invested in property. | He invested his money in property.
3.1 TYPE I (WITHOUT A DIRECT OBJECT)
A type I prepositional verb consists of a lexical verb followed by a preposition with which it is
semantically and/or syntactically associated. The preposition, as is to be expected, precedes its
complement: Look at these pictures. I don't care for Jane's parties. I approve of their action.
In using the term PREPOSITIONAL VERB we indicate that we regard the second noun phrase in a
sentence like [l] as the complement of the preposition at and not as the direct object of a verb look at:
Many people looked at the pictures [l]. This is despite the fact that the passive is frequently possible
(with some stylistic awkwardness) as in: The picture was looked at by many people. So there is transitive
relationship between ‘look at’ and ‘these pictures’. On the other hand, we can easily insert an adverbial
between the lexical verb and the preposition: Many people looked disdainfully at the picture. Where
insertion between V and O is usually avoided unless the direct object is long: *?Many people examined
disdainfully the picture.
The noun phrase following the preposition in such constructions is termed a PREPOSITIONAL
OBJECT. Even though, we can isolate the whole prepositional phrase from the verb as in: On whom
did he call? He call on her sister. He call on her sister and on her mother. He called on his sister more
often than on her mother. There are therefore two complementary analyses of a sentence like She
looked after ['tended'] her son: SVO (prepositional object after prepositional verb) or SVA (prepositional
phrase as adjunct after a verb).
The prepositional passive
We will accept the possibility of turning the prepositional complement into the subject of a passive
sentence as one criterion favouring the SVO analysis. This construction, which leaves the preposition
DEFERRED ('stranded') in its post-verbal position, will be called the PREPOSITIONAL PASSIVE.
Contrast: The dean was called on. The war was put up with. *Lunch was called after. *Andy was gone
out with.
Notice that ambiguous combinations like ‘arrive at’ take the passive only when the preposition is
part of an idiom: We arrived at a station. We arrived at a conclusion. --A station was arrived at. -- A
conclusion was arrived at. The acceptability of the passive is thus accounted for terms of convention or
idiomatic status. Both factors play a role in making the passive select the abstract metaphorical meaning
in (go into is a phrasal for other authors): They went into the tunnel. They went into the problem. -*The
tunnel was gone into. The problem was gone into.
We may, in fact, recognize a strong association between these factors, and therefore between
prepositional passives and prepositional verbs.
3.2 TYPE II (WITH A DIRECT OBJECT)
Following Quirk et al. 1985, Type II prepositional verbs are ditransitive verbs. They are followed by
two noun phrases, normally separated by the preposition: the former is the direct object, the latter
the prepositional object. Three subtypes may be distinguished; the italicized words indicate that the
idiom has a different grammatical status in each case, as will be explained.
3.2.1 REGULAR KIND OF PASSIVE (TYPE II A)
The first and most numerous type has a passive of the regular kind, the direct object becoming subject
of the passive verb phrase: The gang robbed her of her necklace. She was robbed of her necklace (by
the gang). He deprived the peasants of their land. The peasants were deprived of their land.
In Type II A the lexical verb and the preposition, although normally separated by the object, form an
idiomatic combination. Here as elsewhere, the idiomatic 'cohesion' of the two may be of variable
strength. Verbs such as accuse N of and thank N for (where 'N 'symbolizes the direct object noun
phrase) are not idiomatic in the sense that applies to phrasal verbs like put N off, for the lexical verb is
used in its primary literal meaning. We may nevertheless speak of the verb GOVERNING the
preposition, in the sense that the preposition is selected by reason of the verb, rather than by
independent semantic choice.
In less idiomatic cases, the verbs group themselves into restricted sets such as rob N of, cheat N of, and
deprive N of, where of to some extent carries its own privative force. In a further subcategorization of 1
we need to recognize that the prepositional phrase is optional in some cases, but not in others: They
cheated/deprived the boy of his savings. They cheated/deprived the boy.
3.2.2 TWO POSSIBLE PASSIVES (TYPE II B)
With the second type, there are two possible passives: the regular passive in which the direct object
becomes subject (labelled (1) below), and a less acceptable passive construction in which the
prepositional object becomes subject (labelled (2) below): They have made a (terrible) mess of the
house. (1) A (terrible) mess has been made of the house. (2) The house has been made a (terrible) mess
of. Did you make (any) allowance for inflation? (1) Has (any) allowance been made for inflation? (2)
Has inflation been made allowance for?
In Type II b as well as the verb word and the preposition, the head noun of the direct object forms
part of the idiom: make a mess of | take notice of | lose hope of | pay attention to | take advantage of |
make mention of. But the object is still variable to some extent: eg an open-class adjective or a
determiner can be added: make a horrible mess of | pay careful attention to | lose all hope of | take
some notice of | take unfair advantage of | make occasional mention of. To this extent, the idiomatic
bond is weakened, and it is easier, especially when the object contains a modifier or determiner, to
separate the object from the rest of the construction by the regular passive transformation: Some notice
was taken... Careful attention was paid...
3.2.3 IRREGULAR PASSIVE (TYPE II C)
In the third type, on the other hand, the only acceptable passive is the irregular passive in which the
prepositional object becomes subject: Suddenly we caught sight of the lifeboat. The lifeboat was
suddenly caught sight of. ? Give way to traffic on the major road. Traffic on the major road should
always be given way to. I have lost touch with most of the family. (?)Most of the family has been lost
touch with.
In Type II c the direct object is more firmly welded in its idiomatic position, so that its separation
by means of the regular passive construction is awkward if not impossible: ?*Sight was caught of the
lifeboat. The object is typically invariable, and cannot easily be augmented by an adjective or a
determiner: cross swords with, give rise to, keep pace with, keep tabs on, etc. Hence the dubious
acceptability of ?*cross violent swords with, ?*keep fast pace with, ?*keep watchful tabs on, etc. Other
combinations of this kind are far more acceptable, however: keep close tabs on, give sudden rise to.
For completeness, mention must be made of a fourth type of transitive prepositional verb which has no
passive whatsoever; an idiomatic type in which the direct object is a reflexive pronoun: He prided
himself on his craftsmanship. *Himself was prided on his craftsmanship.
Quirk et al. 339-340
3.3 DISTINTION BETWEEN PREPOSITIONAL VERBS AND FREE
COMBINATIONS
One criterion is the possibility of making the prepositional object the subject of a corresponding passive
clause. A prepositional verb: We called on the dean. The dean was called on. A free combination of
verb plus preposition: We called after lunch. Lunch was called after. In this prepositional passive the
preposition is stranded in its post-verbal position.
A second criterion is that wh-questions eliciting the prepositional object are formed with the
pronouns who(m) or what (as with direct objects) rather than with adverbial questions (where,
when, etc.). John called on her – Who did John call on? John looked for it – What did John look for?. In
free combinations: John called from the office- Where did John call from? John called after lunch –
When did John call?
3.4 DISTINTION BETWEEN PREPOSITIONAL AND PHRASAL
VERBS
Prepositional verbs, especially Type I, resemble transitive phrasal verbs superficially, but the
differences are both syntactic and phonological.
We exemplify the syntactic differences using this two sentences, the former with a prepositional verb
and the latter with phrasal verb: She called on ['visit'] her friends. She called up ['summon'] her
friends. Prepositional verbs are distinguished by the inability of the particle to be moved to a position
after the following noun phrase –object–, it must precede the verb: She called her friends on. She called
on her friends. She called up her friends. She called her friends up. When the object is a personal
pronoun the inability of the particle of a phrasal verb to precede the pronoun accentuate the
difference: She called on them. NOT *She called them on. She called them up. NOT *She called up
them.
An adverb (functioning as an adjunct) can often be inserted between verb and particle of a
prepositional verb but not in phrasal verbs: She called angrily on her friends. She called angrily up her
friends.
The particle of a phrasal verb cannot precede relative pronoun or wh-interrogative: On which
friends did she call? Up which friends did she call? The friends up whom she called. The friends on
whom she called.
Regarding phonological differences, the particle of a phrasal verb is normally stressed, and in final
position bears the nuclear tone, whereas the particle of a prepositional verb is normally unstressed and
has the “tail” of the nuclear tone that falls on the lexical verb.
4- PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONAL VERBS.
Phrasal-prepositional verbs are formed by the structure ‘verb + adverb + preposition’, that are
combinations of a verb + adverb + preposition. Note that the majority of them are non- transitive verbs
(i.e. We do not get on with our neighbours; Do you go in for squash?). Unlike prepositional verbs, alike
phrasal, the stress falls on the adverb or the preposition, the verb being unstressed (i.e. I can’t put ‘up
‘with racism). They are PHRASAL-PREPOSTIONAL verbs, because they contain, in addition to the
lexical verb, both an adverb and a preposition as particles.
Regarding the syntactic functions of phrasal-prepositional, we can analyse them as transitive verbs
with the following noun phrase as direct object as with prepositional verbs (i.e. put up with [‘tolerate’]
(your behaviour), cut down on [‘reduce consumption’] (cigarettes), look forward to [‘long for’, ‘await
with excitement’] (the summer holidays), run away with [‘steal’] (the silver), turn out for [‘participate] (a
meeting), live up to expectations. They may be transitive and intransitive but they do not allow other
elements in between the verb and the particles in specific constructions. They can occur in the passive
(i.e. Bad manners can’t be put up with for long) and may allow pronominal questions (i.e. What can’t
they put up with?) but not adverbial questions. The prepositional passive with such verbs is not too
common, and is liable to sound cumbersome. Examples such as the following, however, are
normal and acceptable: These tantrums could not be put up with any longer. ['tolerated']- The death
penalty has been recently done away with. [‘abolished'l. Such problems must squarely faced up to.
['confronted']. Their neighbours looked them down on ['despised'].
Regarding their semantic features, we must say that “like phrasal and prepositional verbs, these
multi-word verbs vary in their idiomaticity. Some, like ‘stay away from (=avoid), are easily
understood from their individual elements, though often with figurative meaning (i.e. stand up for
=support). Others are fused combinations, and it is difficult or impossible to assign meaning to any of
the parts (i.e. put up with=tolerate). There are still others where there is a fusion of the verb with the first
particle or where one or more of the elements may seem to retain some individual meaning. For instance,
‘put up with’ also means ‘stay with’, and in that sense ‘put up’ constitutes a unit by itself. However, they
may vary in their idiomaticity since verbs such as ‘stay away from my children’ or ‘I face up to everyday
problems’ are easily understood from their individual elements whereas verbs such as ‘You always stand
up for my ideas’ and ‘look forward to seeing you again’ have figurative or idiomatic meaning. Often, in
other combinations it is difficult or impossible to assign meaning to any of the parts (i.e. She can’t put up
with her husband manias). A common sign of idiomatic status here, as with other categories, is the
existence of a one-word paraphrase: put up with = 'tolerate' look in on = 'visit' or ‘check in passing’.
According Quirk et al. (1985), in addition to the Type I phrasal-prepositional, there are also Type
II ones requiring a direct object: fob N off with (esp BrE) | put N down to | take N out on | jix N up
(with) | let N in on | put N up to (where 'N' again identifies the object noun phrase). Examples: Don't
take it out on me! ['vent your anger'] The manager fobbed me off with a cheap camera. [give (sb)
(sth) inferior] (esp BrE) We put our success down to hard work. [attribute to'] I'll let you in on a
secret. Only the regular passive occurs with these: I was fobbed off with a cheap camera. (esp BrE)
Our success can be put down to careful planning. Are you fixed up with a job yet?
5. OTHER MULTI-WORD VERB CONSTRUCTIONS.
Specific idiomatic constructions are drawn from the structures ‘verb + noun + preposition’ (i.e. catch
sight of, keep track of) or ‘verb + adjective’ (i.e. cut short, wash clean, work loose) which cannot be
modified nor can they become the subject of a passive sentence. Consider: ‘We caught sight of the
plane’ vs. ‘We caught sudden sight of the plane’ where the former is the correct sentence because of its
idiomaticity.
Regarding the phonological features in specific idiomatic expressions, the stress falls on the noun
after the verb, for instance, ‘You can take ‘advantage of your economic position).
Regarding the syntactic functions of these specific idiomatic constructions, they are considered to be
transitive verbs with the following noun phrase as direct object as with prepositional verbs. Since
they do not allow other elements in between the verb and the particles in specific constructions, they
cannot occur in the passive (i.e. Active: They kept track of all his movements; Passive: Track was kept
of all his movements – NOT).
Semantically speaking, they are considered then as indivisible units having the function of
predicator in the structure of the sentence” being this the main reason for multi-word verbs to be
monotransitive (i.e. catch sight of, keep track of, take notice of, take advantage of, etc) but other similar
verbs + noun + preposition sequences resemble them in that the constituent that follows them can become
the subject of a passive sentence (i.e. His illness should have been made allowance for, He was last
caught sight of disappearing in the river).
According to Quirk et al. 1985, apart from the types of multi-word verb we have already seen, some
other idiomatic verb constructions may be briefly noted.
5.1 VERB-ADJECTIVE COMBINATIONS
These are similar to phrasal verbs. Compare: Meg put the cloth straight. Meg put the cat out.
Like phrasal verbs, verb-adjective combinations form cohesive units; but unlike phrasal verbs, some of
them allow comparative modification: John didn’t put he cloth as straight/the cat as out as Meg.
They may be either copular (clause pattern SVC), or complex transitive (clause pattern SVOC): SVC:
break even, plead guilty, lie low SVOC: cut N short, work N loose, rub N dry (The 'N' indicates a direct
object in the case of transitive examples.)
Sometimes the idiom contains additional elements, such as an infinitive (play hard to get) or a
preposition (ride roughshod over [treat roughly]...).
5.2 VERB-VERB COMBINATIONS
In these idiomatic constructions, the second verb is nonfinite, and may be either an infinitive: make
do with, make ( N ) do, let ( N )go, let ( N ) be; or a participle, with or without a following preposition:
put paid to, get rid of, have done with. leave N standing, send N packing, knock N flying, get going
5.3 VERBS GOVERNING TWO PREPOSITIONS
These are a further variant on prepositional verbs: It developed from a small club into a mass
organization in three years. Similarly: struggle with N for N, compete with N for N, apply to N for N, talk
to N about N. Normally either one or both prepositional phrases can be omitted; eg It developed into a
mass organization in three years.
- To end this survey of verb idioms and their grammatical characteristics, mention may be made of rare
pattern such as make sure/certain followed by a that-clause; see fit followed by a to- infinitive; and
verb + noun combinations such as turn turtle and turn traitor.
–An extension of the concept of phrasal verb is that of phrasal noun or a phrasal adjective, where a
verb+particle complex is nominalized or adjetivized, like in standby (We are keeping the old equipment
on standby, in case of emergency.), back-up (Neil can provide technical backup if you need it), onset
(The match was halted by the onset of rain.), or input (Try to come to the meeting – we'd value your
input.) adjectivization: ongoing (We’ve had an ongoing problem with the computer system.), worn out
(She was wearing old, worn-out shoes.), broken-down (In our garage we’ve got an old broken-down
fridge.). The particles may come before or after the verb. If the particle is in first place, then the phrasal
noun is never written with a hyphen, if the particle comes second, then there is sometimes a hyphen
between the two parts of the phrasal noun.
6. EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS.
All in all, although the question ‘What is an multi-word verb?’ may appear simple and straightforward,
it implies a broad description of the multi-word verb structure in terms of morphology, phonology,
syntax, semantics and use which, combined, give way to the study we have presented here. The
appropriate answer suitable for students and teachers, may be so simple if we are dealing with ESO
students, using simple multi-word verbs or so complex if we are dealing with Bachillerato students, who
must be able to handle more complex verb structures.
So far, in this study we have attempted to take a fairly broad view of multi-word verbs since we are also
assuming that there is an intrinsic connection between its learning and successful communication because
of the importance of using them in colloquial speech. Yet, we have provided a descriptive account of Unit
22 dealing with Multi-word verbs whose main aim was to introduce the student to the different paradigms
that shape the whole set of this specific type of verbal combinations in the English language.
In fact, the correct expression of multi-word verbs is currently considered to be a central element in
communicative competence and in the acquisition of a second language since students must be able to use
and distinguish these forms in their everyday life in many different situations. Therefore, it is a fact that
students must be able to handle the four levels in communicative competence in order to be effectively
and highly communicative in the classroom and in real life situations, now we are part of the European
Union.
To sum up, we have attempted in this discussion to provide a broad account of multi-word verbs by
means of form, function and use within verb phrase morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics and usage
in order to set it up within the linguistic theory, going through the localization of multi-word verbs in
syntactic structures, to a broad presentation of the main grammatical categories involved in its expression.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
– Aarts, F., and J. Aarts. 1988. English Syntactic Structures. Functions & Categories in Sentence
Analysis. Prentice Hall Europe.
– B.O.E. RD Nº 112/2002, de 13 de septiembre por el que se establece el currículo de la Educación
Secundaria Obligatoria/Bachillerato en la Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia.
– Council of Europe (1998) Modern Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. A Common European
Framework of refer ence.
– Greenbaum, S. 2000. The Oxford Reference Grammar . Edited by Edmund Weiner. Oxford University
Press.
– Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leach, G., and J Svartvik. 1985. A comprehensive grammar of the English
language. Longman.
– Sánchez Benedito, F. 1975. Gramática Inglesa. Editorial Alhambra.
– Thomson, A.J. and A.V. Martinet. 1986. A Practical English Grammar. Oxford University Press.
– Wyss, R. 2002. Teaching English multi-word verbs is not a lost cause afterall . Article 90, March 2002.
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