Multipart verbs

Grammar II presents…Grammar II presents…

Multi-word verbsMulti-word verbs

Verb + particle

Characteristics

Idiomatic meaningParticle movement

Wh question formation

Multi-word verbsMulti-word verbs

fall into

4 categories

PHRASALVERBS

PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONAL

VERBS

OTHER CONSTRUCTIONS

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PREPOSITIONALVERBS

BEWAREBEWARE of of Free Free

CombinationsCombinations !!!!!!Prepositional verbs

We called on the Dean

verb + prep

Lexical meaning (visit)

Passive voice is possible

Wh questions: what/ who

Free combinations

We called after lunch

verb + prep?

No lexical meaning

Passive voice is NOT possible

Wh questions: when/where

Difference between Difference between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbsphrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

MorphologicalSemanticalSyntacticalPhonological

Let’s consider these 2 examples…Let’s consider these 2 examples…

LOOK up

I usually look up words in the dictionary

LOOK AT

He couldn’t help looking at the beautiful woman

From the point of view of From the point of view of morphology…morphology…

Look up

Verb + adverb

Look at

Verb + preposition

From the point of view ofFrom the point of view of Semantics…Semantics…

Look up

The meaning of the verb cannot be predicted from

the meaning of each individual word

“ to se arch fo r and find”

Look at

The meaning of the multi-

part verb can be deduced by analysing the meanings

of its parts

“ To emplo y o ne ' s sight in a g ive n dire ctio n o r o n a g ive n o bje ct “

From the point of view ofFrom the point of view of Syntax…Syntax…

Look up

I usually look up words in the dictionary

I usually look words up in the dictionary

I usually look them up in the dictionary

WRONG!!!!! I usually look up them in the dictionaryThe words up which I usually look Up which words do you usually look?I usually look hastily up words in the dic…

Look at

He couldn’t help looking at the beautiful woman

He couldn’t help looking at her

He couldn’t help looking carefully at her.

The woman at whom he couldn’t help looking

At which woman couldn’t he help looking?

WRONG!!!!He couldn’t help looking the beautiful woman atHe couldn’t help looking her at

From the point of view ofFrom the point of view of Phonology…Phonology…

Look up

Look úp

Look at

Lóok at

Phrasal-prepositional verbsPhrasal-prepositional verbs

VERB ADVERB PREPOSITION

Other multi-word constructions??Other multi-word constructions??

Verb + prepositional phraseThe triumph came as a surprise

Verb + verbHe was reluctant to let him go

Verb + NPLet’s have a look at this

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