English majors and minors, year III

autumn semester 2009-2010

Lecture 8. Verbs II
Multi-word lexical verbs
1 Multi-word verbs: structure and meaning
Many multi-word units function like a single verb. These combinations usually
have idiomatic meanings. That is, their meaning cannot be predicted from the
meaning of each individual word.
These multi-word verbs fall into four classes:
phrasal verbs
prepositional verbs
phrasal-prepositional verbs
other multi-word verb constructions.
Phrasal verbs consist of a verb followed by an adverbial particle (e.g. carry out,
find out, or pick up). When these adverbial particles are used independently, they have
literal meanings signifying location or direction (e.g. out, in, up, down, on, off). However, in
phrasal verbs they are commonly used with less literal meanings. For example, the
meaning of find out does not include the 'place' meaning of out.
Prepositional verbs consist of a verb followed by a preposition, such as look at,
talk about, listen to.
Phrasal-prepositional verbs contain both an adverbial particle and a
preposition, as in get away with.
Because they are idiomatic in meaning, it is sometimes possible to replace multiword verbs by single-word verbs with a similar meaning:
multi-word verb
carry out
look at
put up with
find out
talk about
make off with

single-word verb
undertake
observe
tolerate
discover
discuss
steal

In contrast to multi-word verbs, free combinations consist of a single-word

lexical verb followed by an adverb or preposition with a separate meaning (e.g. come
down, go back). In practice, it is hard to make an absolute distinction between free

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combinations and multi-word verbs. It is better to think of a continuum where some

uses of verbs are relatively free and others relatively idiomatic.
1.1 Characteristics of phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs
The meanings and structures of phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs, and free
combinations differ in many ways. However, just three criteria are usually sufficient for
distinguishing among the types of multi-word combinations. The criteria are:
whether or not there is an idiomatic meaning
whether or not particle movement is possible
how the wh-question is formed.
The nature of a multi-word expression is determined by whether or not there is a
following noun phrase. When there is no following noun phrase (e.g. shut up or go
away), there are only two possible interpretations. It must be either an intransitive
phrasal verb, or a free combination of verb + adverb. If there is a following noun phrase
(e.g. find out the meaning), there are three possible interpretations. Either it is a
transitive phrasal verb, a transitive prepositional verb, or a free combination of verb +
adverbial prepositional phrase.
A Idiomatic meaning
Checking for an idiomatic meaning is especially useful when there is no
following noun phrase, and you wish to distinguish between an intransitive phrasal
verb and a free combination. Intransitive phrasal verbs usually have an idiomatic
meaning, while the words in free combinations retain their own meanings. For
example, the intransitive phrasal verbs come on, shut up, get up, get out, break down, and
grow up all have idiomatic meanings beyond the separate meanings of the two parts (e.g.
grow up means to act/become more mature, not literally to grow in an upward
direction). In contrast, both the verb and the adverb have separate meanings in free
combinations like come back, come down, go back, go in, look back.
Intransitive phrasal verbs:
Shut up you fool!
Come on! Tell us then!
Intransitive free combinations:
If this was new, I wouldn't let people go in.
Come back, or I'll fire.
He was afraid to look back.

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B Particle movement
When multi-word combinations have a following noun phrase, tests using
structure are more important than those involving idiomatic meaning. The first important
test is particle movement: that is, whether the adverbial particle can be placed both
before and after the object noun phrase. Transitive phrasal verbs allow particle
movement. In the following examples the object noun phrase is shown in brackets.
I went to Eddie's girl's house to get back [my wool plaid shirt].
I've got to get [this one] back for her mom.
He came back and picked up [the note].
He picked [the phone] up.
When the object of a transitive phrasal verb is a pronoun, the adverbial particle is
almost always after the object:
Yeah I'll pick [them] up.
So I got [it] back.
Particle movement is not possible with prepositional verbs. Instead, the
particle (actually, a preposition) always comes before the noun phrase that is the object:
Well those kids are waiting for their bus. <compare: *Well those kids are waiting
their bus for.>
It was hard to look at him.
Availability depends on their being close to the root.
C Wh-question formation
Wh-question formation is a second important structural test for deciding the
type of multi-word verb. This test is especially useful for distinguishing between a
tra n si ti ve p re p o si tio n al ve rb + o bj e ct an d a fre e co mb in a ti o n o f verb +
adverbial prepositional phrase. In sentences with a prepositional verb, wh-questions
are typically formed with what or who. These questions indicate that the noun phrase
that follows the preposition functions as the object of the prepositional verb:
What are you talking about?
What are you laughing at? <compare the statement: I am talking about /
laughing at something.>
Who are you working with?
Who was he talking to? <compare the statement: I am working with / talking
to somebody.>
In contrast, wh-questions for free combinations can be formed using the
adverbial wh-words where and when. These questions indicate that the
prepositional phrase is an adverbial that follows the verb:

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 place:
Where are you walking? <compare the statement: I am walking to that place.>
Where will we meet? <compare the statement: We will meet at that place.>
time:
When are you playing?
<compare the statement: I am playing at that time.>
When are you leaving?
<compare the statement: I am leaving at that time.>
Comparing these features does not always result in clear-cut distinctions
between all multi-word verb combinations. Many combinations can function as more
than one type, depending on the context. Further, some combinations can be
interpreted as belonging to more than one category.
1.2 Multi-word combinations in multiple categories
Sometimes multi-word combinations fit into more than one category. For
example, the combination fit in can be an intransitive phrasal verb (1), or a free
combination of verb + adverbial prepositional phrase (2):
1
He just doesn't fit in.
2
The mushroom was too big to fit [in a special dryer at Purdue University's
plant and fungi collection].
In addition, some combinations have the characteristics of more than one
category even in a single occurrence. For example, consider come back, with the
meaning to 'recover' or 'resume an activity'. This combination might be analyzed as a
free combination because come and back both contribute independently to the
meaning. But the combination could also be regarded as an intransitive phrasal
verb, because the combined meaning of the parts is idiomatic.
3
Everton came back from a goal down to beat Blackburn 2-1.
3 When Jim went to the police station, officers told him to come back another
day.
Sentence 4 might seem more clearly a free combination because the adverb back
has a literal directional meaning, while 3 has a more clearly idiomatic meaning
('recover'). However, 4 also has a meaning that can be represented by a single verb:
return. In this sense, it, too, is idiomatic. In sum, as for many grammatical categories, the
distinction is not always clear-cut.
1.3 Frequency of multi-word verb types
Prepositional verbs are far more common than phrasal verbs or phrasalprepositional verbs. Both phrasal verbs and phrasal-prepositional verbs are extremely rare
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in academic prose, while in the other registers phrasal verbs are more common than
phrasal-prepositional verbs. Phrasal and phrasal-prepositional verbs are most commonly
used for physical activities, while prepositional verbs cover a wide range of semantic
categories.

2 Phrasal verbs
There are two major subcategories of phrasal verbs: intransitive and transitive.
Intransitive phrasal verbs:
Come on, tell me about Nick.
Hold on! What are you doing there?
I just broke down in tears when I saw the letter.
Transitive phrasal verbs:
Did you point out the faults on it then?
I ventured to bring up the subject of the future.
I want to find out the relative sizes of the most common dinosaurs.
With transitive phrasal verbs the particle can be placed after the direct object.
This is the normal word order when the object is a pronoun:
Terri turned it on.
I just thought I would point it out to you.
The warden said that she would turn the heating on.
In addition, a few phrasal verbs are copular, such as turn out, end up, and wind
up.
2.1 Most common phrasal verbs
A Intransitive phrasal verbs
Conversation and fiction use phrasal verbs much more frequently than news and
academic prose do. This difference is especially noteworthy for intransitive phrasal
verbs. They are extremely common in conversation and fiction, but extremely rare in
news and academic prose. One reason for this difference is that most phrasal verbs
are colloquial in tone.
In fact, the most common intransitive phrasal verbs are activity verbs that are
used as directives. They often occur as imperatives. Since imperative clauses are most
common in conversation and fiction, it is not surprising that these intransitive phrasal
verbs are also most common in those registers:
Shut up! Just forget it.
Go off to bed now.
Stand up straight! People are looking!

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In declarative clauses, the common intransitive phrasal verbs usually have human
subjects (underlined below):
No, he came over to the study.
Crowe sat up and stared at Frederica.
I sat down behind my desk.
The intransitive combination come on in conversation is the most common
phrasal verb in any register. This verb has three major functions:
as an exclamation in a call for action:
Come on, let Andy do it.
as a pre-departure summons to move:
Come on, wed better go.
as the main verb in a clause, meaning 'to start' or 'become activated':
The heating didn't come on this morning.
The intransitive phrasal verb go on is also extremely common. Go on is similar to
come on in having a number of different functions. However, unlike come on, go on is
used often in both written and spoken registers:
as an exclamatory call for action (like come on above):
It's alright, rub it in. Go on!
to express continuation:
I just ignored her and went on. I didn't have time to talk.
As time went on, Liebig developed his thesis.
to mark continuation of some general action (as a transitive verb with a
complement ing- or to-infinitive clause as direct object):
Labour would go on getting the public's support by constructing strong unity of
purpose.
Bjornsson went on to study the newspapers of 11 countries.
to mark an unspecified activity, with a meaning similar to 'happen':
Think what's going on. It's dreadful.
B Transitive phrasal verbs
Transitive phrasal verbs are more evenly spread across written and spoken
registers. For example, verbs such as put on, make up, and find out are relatively common
in both conversation and the written expository registers:
Some people they read the top bit and read the bottom bit, and sort of
make up the bit in the middle.
Because you might find out it works.
Haven't you found that out yet?
For the modern mathematician these numbers would make up an ordered pair.

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In fact, a few transitive phrasal verbs are actually more common in expository
writing than in conversation. These include carry out, take up, take on, set up, and point out:
It is common practice to carry out a series of design point calculations.
The rule also affected Henry Cotton, who took up the post at Royal
Waterloo, Belgium, in 1933.
When the Spanish arm of the operation needed assistance he was asked to take
on a supervisory role.
The EIT was set up last year to help fund university research.
Gushchin (1934) pointed out many of the weaknesses of these attempts.
Finally, the combination turn out is unusual in that it is a common phrasal verb that
can function as a copular verb.

3 Prepositional verbs
All prepositional verbs take a prepositional object, i.e. the noun phrase that
occurs after the preposition. There are two major structural patterns for prepositional
verbs: with a single prepositional object (Pattern 1), and with a direct object and a
prepositional object (Pattern 2):
Pattern 1: NP + V + prep + NP (prepositional objects are underlined)
It just looks like the barrel.
I've never even thought about it.
Pattern 2: NP + V + NP + prep + NP (direct objects and prepositional objects are
underlined):
[Yeah it's really pretty]. It reminds me of some parts of Boston.
He said farewell to us [on this very spot].
But McGaughey bases his prediction on first-hand experience.
The two-object prepositional verb (Pattern 2) is also common with passive verbs.
The noun phrase that corresponds to the direct object is placed in subject
position:
The media is falsely accused of a lot of things. <compare the active voice:
People falsely accuse the media of a lot of things.>
The initiative is based on a Scottish scheme. <compare the active voice:
Someone based the initiative on a Scottish scheme.>
Most prepositional verbs occur with only one pattern. However, some
prepositional verbs occur with both Patterns 1 and 2. These include apply (NP) to,
connect (NP) with, provide (NP) for, ask (NP) for, hear (NP) about, know (NP) about:
apply to with Pattern 1:
The regulations also apply to new buildings.
apply to with Pattern 2:
They were cosmologists wrestling to apply quantum mechanics to Einstein's
general theory of relativity.
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 ask for with Pattern 1:

But I've asked for much too much already.
ask for with Pattern 2:
He asked Stan for a job.
The structure of a prepositional verb can be analyzed in two ways. On the one
hand, it can be considered a single-word lexical verb that is followed by a prepositional
phrase. The prepositional phrase functions as an adverbial. This analysis is supported
by the fact that it is usually possible to insert another adverbial between the verb and
the prepositional phrase in Pattern 1. The adverbials exactly and much are between
the verbs and prepositional phrases in these examples:
She looked exactly like Kathleen.
I never thought much about it.
However, the verb + preposition can also be considered as a multi-word unita
single 'prepositional verb'. This analysis is supported by the fact that
prepositional verbs often have idiomatic meanings that cannot be derived from
the meanings of the two parts. The two-word units can often be replaced by a single
transitive verb with a similar meaning:
thought about it considered it
asked for permission requested permission
stand for it tolerate it
Also, wh-questions with prepositional verbs are formed using who or what (e.g.
What are your thinking about?), rather than a wh-adverb where, when, or how.
3.1 Most common prepositional verbs
Unlike phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs are common in academic writing as
well as in conversation and fiction. However, different kinds of prepositional verbs
are preferred in each register.
A Conversation and fiction
Because of the typical topics and purposes in conversation and fiction, these
registers

have

many

common

prepositional

verbs

that

are

activity,

communication, or mental verbs. The most common prepositional verb is look at. It is
used in two main ways:
to direct the attention of others:
Look at that great big tree stuck under the bridge!
to describe actions involving sight:
The boys looked at each other tearfully unbelieving.
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The communication verb say to (say NP to NP) is also very common in

conversation and fiction. This prepositional verb is used to report the content of speech
(the direct object), while also identifying the addressee (the prepositional object):
She said something to mom and dad earlier on.
I went to say thank you to Doris.
In many examples with say to, a clause is used as the direct object, to report the
content of the speech. Often, following the principle of end-weight, such lengthy direct
objects are in final position:
I said to John something about the house on Frazier Street. <compare: I said
something about the house on Frazier Street to John.>
I keep saying to Michael it's so expensive. <compare: I keep saying it's so
expensive to Michael>
In addition to these two very frequent prepositional verbs, conversation and
fiction use a number of other common prepositional verbs to indicate activities,
communications, and mental processes:
activity verbs:
Pity we couldn't go for a romp around a canal, isn't it?
Patrice held her breath, waiting for Lettie's reply.
He stared at me blankly, unbelievingly.
communication verbs:
Just talk to her.
I was talking about the old sort of diesel multiple unit.
He spoke to Paul in a bitter, controlled tone.
mental verbs:
What did they think of the brochure then?
I was thinking about the playgroup downstairs.
Since when does nobody listen to you?
Academic prose also uses several common prepositional verbs that mark
physical activities and mental states. However, these are mostly verbs that take the
double object pattern (Pattern 2). They are often used in the passive voice. The most
common of these is use NP in, and its passive counterpart (be used in):
We will continue to use Table 4 in our economic analysis.
Another type of football was used in the second century in China to
celebrate the emperor's birthday.
Other common prepositional verbs used in academic prose include the
following:
activity verbs:
For example, the Message Type can be derived from its internal structure.
Similarly other parts of the body may be used as bases to start from.
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The method outlined could now be applied to a selected number of points

along the blade length.
mental verbs:
This induced mustiness is known as Sierra rice.
The electron may be regarded as a tiny mass carrying a negative charge.
All members of the specified Role Class are considered as possible
senders of the received message.
In general, academic prose focuses on the relations among inanimate entities,
with less concern for the people who are performing actions. The preference for
passive voice with prepositional verbs reflects this general focus. Thus, by using the
passive, the above examples avoid mentioning the people who derive, use, apply, know,
regard, or consider.
Academic prose also commonly uses prepositional verbs that express
causation, existence, or simple occurrence. These verbs, too, specify relations among
entities rather than describing actions:
causative verbs:
Further experimentation might lead to the identification of other difficulty
factors.
Replacing the nonsense stems by English stems would have resulted in a
grammatically correct sequence.
existence verb:
It will depend on the purpose of, and audience for, the writing.

4 Phrasal-prepositional verbs
The third major type of multi-word verb shares characteristics of both phrasal
and prepositional verbs. Phrasal-prepositional verbs consist of a lexical verb combined
with both an adverbial particle and a preposition. For example, look forward to has
the lexical verb look, the adverbial particle forward, and the preposition to:
I'm looking forward to the weekend.
This type of verb is similar to a prepositional verb, as the complement of the
preposition (the weekend) functions as the prepositional object of the verb (looking
forward to).
Here are some more examples, with the complement of the preposition
underlined:
Perhaps I can get out of it without having to tell her anything.
I would still end up with a lot of money.
A few phrasal-prepositional verbs can take two objects:
I could hand him over to Sadiq.
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Who put you up to this?

Phrasal-prepositional verbs function as a semantic unit and can sometimes be
replaced by a single transitive lexical verb with similar meaning. For example:
put up with such treatment tolerate such treatment
get out of it avoid it
come up with a proposal make a proposal
1 Most common phrasal-prepositional verbs
Like phrasal verbs, phrasal-prepositional verbs are more frequent in conversation
and fiction than in expository writing. However, common phrasal-prepositional verbs are
used for a limited range of meanings. Most are activity verbs.
The most frequent phrasal-prepositional verb is get out of. Often it is
imperative (1) or declarative (2):
1
2

Just get out of my way.

We have to get out of here.

Several other phrasal-prepositional verbs are relatively common with activity

meanings. For example:
Stop yakking and get on with it!
He said he would get back to me.
Burns went up to the soldiers and started talking.
In news, two phrasal-prepositional verbs with activity meanings are relatively
common: get back to and come up with:
It's going to take time for you to get back to full strength.
The panel will be asked to come up with the best all-time team on earth.
In addition, the mental verb look forward to is relatively common in fiction and
news:
She had been looking forward to this moment.
In the case of news, look forward to typically occurs in direct (1) or reported
speech (2):
1
2

We are looking forward to the game.

He said he was looking forward to the results of the inquiry.

Other multi-word verb constructions

In addition to the three types of multi-word verbs discussed above, verbs are
also used in relatively fixed or idiomatic multi-word constructions: verb +
prepositional phrase combinations, verb + verb combinations, and verb + noun
phrase combinations.
A Verb + prepositional phrase combinations
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Many verb + prepositional phrase combinations are idiomatic. Such

combinations function semantically as a unit that can often be replaced by a single
lexical verb, as in the following sentences:
I also have to bear in mind the interests of my wife and family. <compare:
remember>
The triumph came as a surprise to many. <compare: surprised>
You have to take into account where the younger shoots are dominant.
<compare: consider>
B Verb + verb combinations
A second idiomatic category involves verb + verb combinations, such as make do
(with) and let NP go/be:
Patients had to make do with quiche or ham salad.
He was 'very reluctant' to let him go.
I think it is time to let it be.
C Verb + noun phrase combinations
There are a few verbssuch as take, make, have, and dothat can be used for
many meanings. These verbs can combine with noun phrases to form idiomatic verbal
expressions. In many cases, the combination also includes a following preposition. For
example:
But you know how you make fun of me sometimes.
Let's have a look at this.
Do you want me to do your hair?
Yes, I'll take care of it.
Conclusions
There are three major types of multi-word verb: phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs, and
phrasal-prepositional verbs.
o Multi-word combinations can also be free combinations.
Phrasal verbs consist of a verb + adverbial particle; they can be intransitive or transitive.
o Phrasal verbs are especially frequent in conversation and fiction. The most
common verbs express physical activities (e.g. come on, get up, pick up).
o A few phrasal verbs are especially common in academic prose (e.g. carry out).
Prepositional verbs consist of a verb + preposition. They can have one or two
objects.
o Prepositional verbs are common in all registers.
o Prepositional verbs with activity and communication meanings are especially
common in conversation (e.g. look at, go for).
o Passive voice prepositional verbs are especially common in academic prose (e.g.
be based on, be associated with). They have causative or existence meanings.
Phrasal-prepositional verbs consist of a verb + particle + preposition.

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o Like phrasal verbs, phrasal-prepositional verbs are especially frequent in

conversation and fiction. The most common verbs express physical activity
(e.g. get out of, get on with).
o There are also other kinds of multi-word verb constructions that occur with
idiomatic meanings (e.g. bear in mind, make do and take time).

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