UNIT 22.

MULTI-WORD VERBS

1. INTRODUCTION:

In this topic I am going to explain what multi-word verbs are and how
they work in a sentence. Besides, I will present some of their
common characteristics and I will mention the three main types of
multi-word verbs that can be found: phrasal verbs, prepositional
verbs and phrasal-prepositional verbs. Then I will present the
difference between prepositions and adverbial particles. Finally, I will
explain each type of multi-word verbs in detail and I will mention
other multi-word verb constructions that can occur in English
language.

Multi-word verbs or compound verbs are verbs that consist of more

than one word. They are made of a main verb plus one or more
particles, which can be an adverb, a preposition, an adverb and a
preposition and a noun phrase, another verb or an adjective. The
meaning of multi-word verbs can be very puzzling to non-native
speakers because very often it has little connection with the
individual units that make it possible and have to be learnt as
individual vocabulary items (i.e. run into = meet by accident; break
down = collapse; turn up = appear unexpectedly; come down with =
become ill). However, sometimes its meaning is quite clear and can
be guessed from the meaning of each of its units (i.e. believe in,
fight against, sit down, etc.).

Multi-word verbs can be transitive or intransitive. Sometimes, the

same verb can even function as transitive and as intransitive (i.e.
take off: Take off your shoes! But: The plain took off at 3 p.m.)

Depending on the nature of the particle that is combined with a

multi-word verb, we can distinguish three main types:

- Verb + adverb = PHRASAL VERB

- Verb + preposition = PREPOSITIONAL VERB
- Verb + adverb + prep. = PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONAL VERB

Many words can be either prepositions or adverbs, before moving to

each type of multi-word verbs, lets see the difference comparing
these four sentences:

I fell down the stairs.

I can drive off my rival.

My computer broke down.

Well have to put the conference off.

In the first two sentences, the particles down and off are
prepositions.

Like all

prepositions,

they are followed

by a

prepositional object (down the stairs; off my rival) and they express
the relationship between the verb and the object.
In the third sentence, the particle down has no object and in the
fourth sentence, the noun phrase the conference, is not the object of
the particle off but the object of the main verb (put) or the whole
phrasal verb (put off). In these sentences, we know that down and
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off are adverbs because they modify the meaning of the verb (break
down = stop; put off = postpone).

Now lets see the main characteristics of each type of multi-word

verbs:

2. PHRASAL VERBS:

As Ive already said, phrasal verbs are made of a verb plus an

adverb, such as: about, around, across, along, aside, by, back,
down, forth, in, off, on, out, over or up.
I.e. sit down, get up, turn up, get over, etc.

We can say that in the sentence it is normally the adverb that is

stressed, rather than the verb:
Please, get out of here!
They finally broke up.

Most of them are idiomatic constructions, whose meaning is very

difficult to guess for a non-native speaker: give in (= surrender),
catch on (- understand), make up (= invent), give up (= quit), etc.
Although there are also some that are more literal like: sit down, get
up, take off, etc.

They can be transitive (turn off (the lights); drink up (your milk), etc.)
or intransitive (set off, go away, hurry up, sit down). Some of them
can even be either transitive of intransitive with a change of
meaning: Take off your t-shirt. But: The plane took off at night.

When they are transitive, they normally can function in a passive

sentence: The lights were turned off; The milk was drunk up (by
you).
With most transitive phrasal verbs, the adverb can either go right
after the verb or follow the object: / turned off the lights = I turned the
lights off. The tendency is that the direct object goes at the end of
the sentence if it is a long phrase or if we want to give it end focus: /
filled up the cup that was on the table. On the other hand, it is not
possible to place another adverb between the verb and the adverb
that makes the phrasal verb: / turned off the lights early (Never: /
turned early the lights off.) In the case that there is a personal
pronoun that substitutes the direct object, it will always go between
the verb and the adverb: / turned them off. Never: / turned off them.
Sometimes, they function like prepositional phrases in which the

They walked past (the place); She ran across (the

street). In some other cases, phrasal verbs with objects can look
identical to a common verb followed by a prepositional phrase, but
they have a different meaning:
They ran over the bridge (verb + prepositional phrase)
They ran over the cat (phrasal verb)
In the first sentence, we understand that they crossed the bridge
running, while in the second sentence, we understand that they
knocked down and passed over the cat (normally with a car).
object is omitted:

There are many nouns in English that are formed from phrasal
verbs: a breakdown, a knockout, a setback, an outbreak, etc.

3. PREPOSITIONAL VERBS:
As we already know, prepositional verbs are made of a verb plus a
preposition. These are some examples: run for, care for, compete
with, run into, hope for, get over, etc.
In a sentence with a prepositional verb, the verb would be stressed
rather than the preposition: The total price amounts to 150 ; It is
important to fight against racism.
The meaning of most of them is easily deductible (i.e. believe in,
emerge from, apply for, fight against, etc.) But again, there are some
prepositional verbs that are highly idiomatic and the meaning is very
difficult to guess related to the meaning of each of its parts (i.e. get
over (= recover); go for (= attack); run into (= meet by accident),
etc.)
They are always transitive and, therefore, they are always followed
by a prepositional object. In this case, the preposition can never be
separated from the prepositional object, unlike it occurs with phrasal
verbs:
I care for my ancient mother.
But never: / care my ancient mother for.
However, it is possible to insert an adverb between the verb and the
preposition: / care a lot for my ancient mother. As it is possible to
insert a relative pronoun after the preposition: My mother for whom I
care a lot...
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Normally, they can become the subject of a passive sentence:

Every problem was dealt with efficiently.
The new rule was clearly approved of.
The baby was properly looked after by the babysitter.

Please note that when prepositional verbs are in an interrogative or

relative clause, they are very often stranded to the end of the
sentence:
That is exactly what I was hoping for.
What were you hoping for?
He didnt need much to live on.

4. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PHRASAL AND

PREPOSITIONAL VERBS:

Phrasal and prepositional verbs may seem very similar and difficult
to distinguish. Therefore, and although I have already explained
them, I am going to present a list with the main differences between
these two types of verbs. These will be easier if we take two verbs
as an example: call up (phrasal verb meaning summon) and call on
(prepositional verb meaning visit)

- While the adverb in a phrasal verb is normally stressed and

has nuclear stress in end-position, the preposition in a
prepositional verb is usually unstressed:

They called up all young men (call up - phrasal verb = recruit)

All young men were called up.
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But: They called on their friends (call on - prep, verb = visit)

Their friends were called on.
- In phrasal verbs, the adverb can either follow of precede the
object, but in prepositional verbs, the preposition always have
to precede the prepositional object:
They called up all young men. Or: They called all young men up.
They called on their friends. Never: They called their friends on.
If the object is a personal pronoun, it will always follow the
preposition in a prepositional verb and it will always preceed
the adverb in a phrasal verb:
They called them up. But: They called on them.
- With respect to inserting an extra adverb between the verb
and the particle, it is possible with prepositional verbs but not
with phrasal verbs:
They called early on their friends
Never: They called early up their friends.
- The preposition in a prepositional verb can or cannot preceed
a relative clause. But in the case of phrasal verbs, the adverb
would never be placed in front of the relative clause.
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The friends on whom they called were not at home.

The friends whom they called on were not at home.

All young men whom they called up were not at home.

Never: All young men up whom they called up were not at home.

5. PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONAL VERBS:

Phrasal-prepositional verbs are a combination of a verb plus an

adverb plus a preposition. I.e. put up with, look down on, stand up
for, get away with, cut down on, run away with, look forward to, etc.

In this case, just as it happens with phrasal verbs, the stress of the
sentence falls on the adverb or on the preposition, leaving the verb
unstressed: / cant put up with her.

Just like as happens with phrasal verbs and with prepositional verbs,
sometimes phrasal-prepositional verbs are too idiomatic and,
therefore, it is very difficult to deduce its meaning following the
meaning of all its parts (i.e. run out of (= have no more left); stand
up for (= support); look down on (= have a low opinion of), put up
with (= tolerate), etc.). While other are more easily deductible like:
get away with, stay away from, etc.

V\le consider them transitive verbs and the following noun phrase
would be the direct object: drop in on (her house); stand up for (your
rights); put up with (someone), etc.

Sometimes the direct object can function as the subject of a passive

sentence: She isnt put up with so easily; Our friendship isnt caught
up on so quickly.
With phrasal-prepositional verbs, it is not possible to insert the
object between any of its parts: She ran away with her boyfriend.
But never: She ran her boyfriend away with. Or: She ran away her
boyfriend with. However, it is possible to insert an adverb between
the adverb and the preposition: She ran away happily with her
boyfriend.
In interrogative and relative clauses, phrasal-prepositional verbs
behave in the same way than phrasal verbs, that is that they are
very often stranded to end position:
You dont realise what I have to put up with.
What are the policemen checking up on?
6. OTHER MULTI-WORD VERB CONSTRUCTIONS:
- Verb + noun phrase + preposition:
Some verbs form an idiomatic unit when they are combined with
certain noun phrases followed by certain prepositions. I.e. make
good use of, make fun of, take care of, give way to, catch sight of,
set fire to, etc.
One of their characteristics is that they can adopt two passive forms
because both noun phrases can become the subject of the passive
sentence:
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I made good use of that book.

Good use was made of that book.
That book was made good use of.

They took care of the sick baby.

The sick baby was taken good care of.
Good care was taken o f the sick baby.

- Verb + verb:

In some cases, two verbs can be combined to form a multiword

verb. In these constructions, the second verb is non-finite and may
be an infinitive (let + noun phrase + go, let + noun phrase + do,
make do with, make + noun phrase + do, etc) or a participle followed

or not by a preposition (get rid of).

- Verb + adjective:
There are also combinations of a verb + an adjective. In these
constructions, like it happens with the adverbial particle in the
phrasal verbs, the adjective can either go right after the verb or
follow the object, but if the object is a pronoun, then it will always go
between the verb and the adjective:

He made my wish possible.

He made possible my wish.
He made it possible.

But never: He made possible it.

These are some more examples: make clear, make plain, cut short,
plead guilty, etc.

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Sources:
- Longman English Grammar by L. G. Alexander. Ed. Longman.
- A Communicative Grammar of English. By Geoffrey Leech Jan and
Svartvik. Ed. Longman.

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