Multi-word verbs: how to recognize the recognizable parts that make up an unrecognizable whole

Kevin Stein Clark Memorial International High School

The following is a detailed outline of how I would teach a class focused on helping students recognize the four main types of multi-word verbs as identified in Parrrott's (2000, p. 141-142) Grammar for English Language Teachers. The outline is written in a monologue form, as if I were directly addressing my students. This outline is targeted at a class of upper-intermediate, third year Japanese high school students. whenever possible. As such, I have avoided using terminology The goal of this paper is not to provide students with a

detailed understanding of the sometimes blurry distinctions between multi-word verb categories such as prepositional verbs and phrasal verbs. Nor do I feel that there is much need to focus on sentences in which understanding the typical meaning of a verb and a preposition is enough to understand the basic meaning of the sentence. Instead, this paper should be seen as a rather long, awareness raising class designed to help students understand both the importance of difficult to understand multi-word verbs and some basic steps they can take to help identify such verbs. For the purposes of this paper, and when thinking about my particular students, I did not believe that using either the overly vague term 'particle' nor trying to help students identify the difference between a particle which functions as a preposition as opposed to one which functions as an adverb would serve any practical purpose. As such, all particles in this paper are referred to as 'prepositions.' While this simplification would work with my students, it might not be the best strategy for students better versed in terminology or at a higher level of English ability.

I. Introduction OK, I'm going to read part of a short story to you. It's from this book (hold up book), "What we Talk About When We Talk About Love." It's a very famous collection of short stories by a man named Raymond Carver. This is part of a Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs 1

story called, "Gazebo." much alcohol.

It's about a couple who live in and manage a small

hotel. The woman has green eyes and is 31 years old. The man drinks too In this part of the story, the man is talking about when they Like I said before, the couple works as the started working at the hotel.

managers of the hotel. They get paid three hundred dollars a month. (Read the following, slightly edited excerpt from the text. After, pass out a copy sans the bold and italic formatting to the students) When we'd first moved here and took over as managers, we thought we were out of the woods. Free rent and free utilities plus three hundred a monthHolly looked after the books and did most of the renting of the units. She liked people and people liked her back. I saw to the grounds, mowed the grass and cut weeds, kept the swimming pool clean, did the small repairs. Everything was fine for the first year. I was holding down another job at night. And we were getting ahead. We had plans. And then one night * Out of the woods: fixed our problems Now you all know how to use the frequency level checker (show students the web site http://language.tiu.ac.jp/flc/index.html to remind them of the frequency level checker we use to check a texts vocabulary level). I wonder if you can guess what percentage of words are in the first 1000 most commonly used words in English? (enter the text into the frequency checker and show them the results). It's actually 84%. That's very high for an adult short story. How about the first and second 1000 word lists combined? 94%. But I bet it doesn't feel like an easy story to understand. That's because there are a lot of multi-word verbs. You know the verb, "shut up!" Well, it has two words, but it is only one verb. (write the multi-word 'shut up' on the board and next to it, meaning: be quiet). And you often use the word 'hang out' (write the multi-word verb 'hang out' on the board and next to it, meaning: spend time). This is another multiword verb. Can you come up with (write the multi-word verb 'come up with' on the board and next to it meaning: think of) any more? It's very difficult to understand a story which uses a lot of multi-word verbs. But multi-word verbs are used quite often in English. You will have to put up with them. (write the Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs 2

multi-word verb put up with ~ on the board and next to it, meaning: tolerate.) But don't worry. You can count on me (write the multi-word verb, count on on the board and next to it, meaning: depend on). I am going to help you out and explain how to recognize multi-word verbs (write 'help ~ out' on the board and next to it, meaning: assist.) And maybe, if you understand how to recognize multi-word verbs, you will really get into multi-word verbs and study them every day. (write the multi-word verb, get into on the board and next to it, meaning: start enjoying.) Now we have a nice table of four kinds of multi-word verbs: No object verbs separable Inseparable object verbs object verbs hang (meaning: time) out spend shut up (be quiet) help ~ (meaning: with a job) out assist count on (meaning: depend on) Get into (meaning: start enjoying)

object with prepositions put up (meaning: tolerate) come up (meaning: of)

with with think

So let's talk about these four kinds of multi-word verbs. II. No-object multi-word verbs (Write the sample sentence, "I hung out all day.") Let's diagram this sentence. What is the subject? Right, 'I'. (circle 'I'). OK, and what is the verb? Right, 'hung out' (draw a triangle around 'hung out). And what is "all day?" Right, an adverb. (underline 'all day' and write adv. above it). So there is no object for this verb. This is one kind of multi-word verb, a noobject multi-word verb. (Write the sentence, "I hung the persimmons on the tree.") Let's diagram this sentence. Subject? Verb? Object? In general a verb with a preposition right after it is often, but not always, a multi-word verb. Now hang usually has a direct object. So if a verb which usually takes a direct object has a preposition right after it instead, that's a big hint it is a multi-word verb. And often times the meaning of a multi-word verb is different than the meaning of its parts. For example 'hang out' means 'spend time' but neither 'hang' or 'out' has a similar meaning.

Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs

Here are a few basic rules for recognizing multi-word verbs. A sentence doesn't have to follow all the rules for it to be a multi-word verb sentence. Even if you only find one or two of the rules in a sentence, there is a good chance that the sentence has a multi-word verb: 1) a verb is followed by a preposition 2) the usual meaning of the preposition doesn't match with the rest of the sentence 3) the usual meaning of the verb does not seem to match well with the rest of the sentence and for no-object multi-word verbs we can add one more special rule: 4) A verb which usually takes an object has no object. Here are some more examples of no-object multi-word verbs: (all of the following sentences will be written on the board) My car broke down. (Meaning changes to 'stopped working') Preposition 'down' in place of object typical use: I broke my arm. I hope some day my ex-girlfriend and I can make up.(Meaning changes to 'forgive each other') Preposition 'up' in place of object typical use: The teacher made a new class rule. Now let's look at the paragraph by Raymond Carver. Are there any no-object multi-word verbs? There are two (elicit take over and get ahead and write them on the board). Let's see how if these multi-word verbs follow the first four rules of thumb. 1) the verbs are followed by a preposition. 2) both 'ahead' and 'over' seem to be used in a way slightly different from its usually meaning. 3) The meaning of the verb, take doesn't seem to match the sentence. That is because 'take over' is a multi-word verb and the meaning changes. It means to start to do something that someone else was doing. ahead also changes. Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs The meaning of get It does not mean to come into possession before 4

someone else, rather it means to become more successful. If you are looking to check if a verb is a multi-word verb, I recommend using the Macmillan on-line dictionary. Most of the definitions I will use in today's lesson are from this dictionary. You can find it online at: http://www.macmillandictionary.com/ You can type in words like 'get ahead' and 'take over' and if it is a multi-word verb, the definition will have "phrasal verb" written at the top. "Phrasal verb" is another way people say, "multi-word verb."

III. Object separable verbs (Point to the multi-word verb help ~ out on the chart) Now lets look at this multi-word verb. If I say, You should help your mother with the laundry, (write sentence on the board) it is very easy to understand. But if I say, You should help your mother out with the laundry, it is confusing. Why is it confusing? (elicit from student that out doesnt seem to fit in the sentence). When you have a sentence with a preposition which is oddly placed or whose meaning doesnt seem to fit with the rest of the sentence, this is a hint that you have a multi-word verb. In that case, we should look at the object of the verb. The object of the verb help is your mother. Right after the object is the preposition out. This is a different kind of multi-word verb. In these kinds of verbs the object can come between the verb and the preposition, help your mother out, and usually they can come after the preposition as well, You should help out your mother with the laundry. (write the sentences on the board while explaining them.) 'Shut up' is another multi-word verb like 'help out.' For example, if Keisuke is being noisy, I can say, "Hey, shut Keisuke up!" And that means, "Make Keisuke be quiet!" And of course the meaning of 'shut' is a little strange. Usually shut means 'close'. So in this case it means to close someone's mouth. But we have to really think about the sentence to understand the meaning. with being quiet? And the preposition 'up' also seems strange. What does Keisuke's direction have to do

Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs

So as general rules of thumb, we can recognize 'object separable multi-word verbs' if in the same way as any other category of multi-word verbs: 1) a verb is followed by a preposition 2) the usual meaning of the preposition doesn't match with the rest of the sentence 3) the usual meaning of the verb does not seem to match well with the rest of the sentence but object separable multi-word verbs are a special category of multi-word verb and they have one special rule: 4) the verb is not followed by a preposition. Instead, it is followed by a direct object, especially a pronoun, which is then followed by a preposition. preposition makes the meaning of the sentence more difficult to understand Now lets look at the story again. Let's look at the sentence, "I was holding down another job at night." Does it seem to follow the rules of thumb? 1) The verb "was holding" is followed by the preposition "down." understand what the direction "down" has to do with a job. 2) It is hard to 3) It is hard to This

understand how a person can 'hold' a job, which is not a thing which has a shape, form or weight. So we have identified another multi-word verb in the story. In this case, the verb "hold down" has a new meaning. It means "to keep", especially, "to keep a job." We can also separate the multi-word verb "hold down." The sentence, "I am holding down two jobs now," might be met with the response, "Two jobs? It must be hard to hold them both down ." And in this sentence the preposition "down" seems both out of place and the meaning is hard to understand. So this sentence agrees with rule 4. And it also highlight that pronouns like them, him, her, and it, must always be between the verb and the preposition in a object separable multi-word verb. So now we have found out the meaning of three of the verbs the Raymond Carver short story. And we have found out ways to identify 2 out of the 4 kinds of multi word verbs on our chart.

Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs

IV. Object inseparable verbs (Point to the multi-word verb count on) Once again we have a verb and then right after it, a preposition. It certainly seems like a multi-word verb. Maybe you forgot the original sentence I said when I wrote this on the board. It was, "Don't worry, you can count on me." (write the sentence on the board) identifying multi-word verbs again. It is probably a multi-word verb if: 1) a verb is followed by a preposition 2) the usual meaning of the preposition doesn't match with the rest of the sentence 3) the usual meaning of the verb does not seem to match well with the rest of the sentence So does, "Don't worry , you can count on me," have a multi-word verb? 1) a verb is followed by the preposition "on" 2) the preposition doesn't seem to match up well with the object "me." So the preposition is confusing. 3) the verb "count" with the object "me" also seems strange. Why count "me"? So now we know "count on" is a multi-word verb. For one final check you could look it up on the Macmillan internet site or in your electronic dictionaries. It is indeed a "phrasal" or multi-word verb, and it means "depend on" and "rely on" which are also multi-word verbs. In Japanese it means, ". (tayoreru)." And the next example, "get into," came from the sentence, "If you understand how to recognize multi-word verbs, you will really get into multi-word verbs and study them every day." (write sentence on board.) So let's see if it fits the rules of identifying a multi-word verb. (as a class, elicit and work through the following steps.) 1) the verb is followed by a preposition. 2) the preposition 'into' does not seem to match well with the object 'multi-word verbs.' 3) the verb 'get' has a lot of meanings, but the meanings 'receive' or 'take possession' do not fit here and the 'understand' already appears in the first half of the sentence. So the meaning of 'get' changed. In this sentence, "get into" means to start to enjoy. Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs 7 Let's look at three of the basic rules for

"Get into" and "count on" are both inseparable object verbs. That means that the object cannot go between the verb and the preposition. We can say, "I got into disco music when I was young." But we cannot say, "I got disco music into when I was young." We can say "You can count on my brother!" But we cannot say, "You can count my brother on!" It is very difficult to tell if a multi-word verb is separable or inseparable. If you read and hear lots and lots of multi-word verbs, you will start to feel if a multiword verb is separable or inseparable. Especially if you try notice them and how they are used in a sentence. Now let's look at the Raymond Carver story again. Find the multi-word verb in the sentences, "Holly looked after the books and did most of the renting of the units. I saw to the grounds, mowed the grass and cut weeds, kept the swimming pool clean, did the small repairs." (following the rules to identify a multi-word verb, help students if necessary identify the multi-word verbs, "look after" and "see to.") And now that we know that "look after" and "see to" are multi-word verbs, it becomes a lot easier to look up the meaning. "see to" means to be responsible for something. Now we have found all of the multi-word verbs in our short story. We also have found out the meaning of these multi-word verbs as well. I wonder if it is easier to understand the story now. But to find the meaning of a multi-word verbs, first you have to be able to identify that. And now you can do that and also use the internet to find the meaning, too. V. Double preposition verbs Well, we have finally made it to the last category of the multi-word verbs. This is actually the easiest category of all. Let's look at our verb, "put up with." In the sentence, "You must put up with multi-word verbs," (write sentence on board) we have not one, but two prepositions following a verb. Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs 8 So this is a Both "look after" and

double preposition verb. Let's look at the basic rules for recognizing mule-word verbs: 1) a verb is followed by a preposition 2) the usual meaning of the preposition doesn't match with the rest of the sentence 3) the usual meaning of the verb does not seem to match well with the rest of the sentence And since it is a double preposition verb, it has two if it's own special rule 4) the first preposition after the verb is followed by another preposition which can also seem strange or out of place or 5) the verb is followed by an object which is then followed by two prepositions which seem strange or out of place (with students go through all the basic rules for identifying multi-word verbs and see if students can express how they apply to the verb "put up with".) 1) 'Put' is followed by the preposition 'up.' 2) the usual meaning of the preposition 'up' does not match with the sentence 3) The verb 'put' as in to place something in a certain location does not seem to match with this sentence 4) and the preposition "up" is followed by "with".) If we look up the word "put up with" in the Macmillan dictionary, we find it means, "to accept someone or something unpleasant in a patient way" or we could just say it means to tolerate something or someone. As one final example, let's look at the sentence, "I will take you up on your offer to help me understand multi-word verbs." (see if students can identify the multiword verb 'take ~ up on". Once identified, go through all the basic rules for identifying multi-word verbs and see if students can express how they apply to the verb 'take ~ up on.')

VI. Homework

Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs

So now we have learned how to identify the four most common types of multiword verbs. But you still need to practice. You can start by trying to identify all the multi-word verbs you can find in one paragraph of a story you have read in our extensive reading class. You can also use this multi-word verb list practice sheet which is based on a large multi-word verb list at EnglishClub.com. (pass out copies of file, "Multi-WordVerb Identification Practice", available at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/100125110/Multi-Word-Verb-Identification-Practice) It has 64 common multi-word verbs in sample sentence form. All you have to do is use the rules we learned in class to try and identify the multi-word verb, write it down, and then look up the meaning in your dictionary or on the Macmillan dictionary site. The more you read and think about multi-word verbs, the better you will be able to recognize them when reading and listening. And if you can recognize and understand multi-word verbs, then even a real adult book like What We Talk About When We Talk About Love becomes much easier to read.

References: Carver, R. (1974). "Gazebo." What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. New York: Random House. "Phrasal Verbs List." Phrasal Verbs List. EnglishClub.com, n.d. Retrieved 15 July 2012. <http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/phrasal-verbs-list.htm>. Frequency Level Checker, n.d. Retrieved July 12, 2012. <http://language.tiu.ac.jp/flc/index.html> Macmillan Dictionary (2009), Retrieved July 12, 2012. <http://www.macmillandictionary.com/> Murphey, R. (1994). English Grammar in Use (2nd Ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Parrott, M. (2010). Grammar for English Language Teachers (2nd Ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs 10

Kevin Stein Multi-word verbs

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