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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

Georges DAHER

English Morphology and Syntax/ ENG 405

27/05/2024

Professor Najwa NASR

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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

Abstract

This project endeavors to meticulously explore and delineate the linguistic disparities
between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs within English grammar. Through an exhaustive
analysis, the study delves into three principal areas of divergence: semantic, phonological, and
syntactic. Semantic disparities underscore how phrasal verbs convey nuanced meanings distinct
from their base verbs, while prepositional verbs maintain closer affinities with the base verb,
supplemented by the preposition to provide added detail or direction. Phonological distinctions,
notably stress patterns, are scrutinized to illustrate the typical stressing of particles in phrasal
verbs, contrasting with the unstressed nature of prepositions in prepositional verbs. Syntactic
differences, encompassing the arrangement of objects and particles, are explored across various
grammatical contexts, including relative clauses and Wh-questions.
The integration of numerous examples affords practical insights into the utilization and
interpretation of phrasal and prepositional verbs in real-world contexts. Moreover, the inclusion
of meticulously curated examples and illustrations, sourced from the author's own endeavors,
enriches the discourse and facilitates a deeper comprehension of the intricacies at hand.
Furthermore, the project culminates with a comprehensive compendium of phrasal verbs,
complete with their respective meanings and exemplifications, alongside a compilation featuring
100 common prepositional verbs, each accompanied by illustrative examples.
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

Phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs are fundamental components of English grammar,
each playing a distinct role in communication. Understanding the differences between these verb
forms is crucial for language learners and educators. Phrasal verbs can be particularly
challenging due to their idiomatic nature and variable syntactic patterns, whereas prepositional
verbs, though more predictable, still require a solid grasp of prepositional usage. This project
aims to explore the phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and
prepositional verbs, offering insights and practical approaches to enhance language proficiency.
“Phrasal verbs are two word verbs that include a verb followed by a particle (preposition
or adverb) which alters the meaning of the verb. The two word verbs function as a single word in
the sentence structure, such as, "John pulled up the rope." (Parninskas, 1975:26) Many
grammarians such as (Courtney,1983; Celce & Larsen,1983; Turton & Manser, 1985; among
others) define the phrasal verb as a combination that consists of a verb as a root and an adverbial
particle or a preposition or a combination of the two which together have an idiomatic or a
figurative meaning that cannot be understood or realized from its individual constituents.
Besides, Crystal (1991:263) explains the phrasal verb as “a type of verb consisting of a sequence
of lexical element plus one or more particle, e.g. come in, get up, look out for." The term phrasal
verb is generally illustrated as a verb plus particle combination or a lexical verb that has three
separate parts, in phrasal verbs the meaning of each part is different from the other, e.g. get out
of means (avoid or gain from)(Halliday, 1991:207).Roberts(1988:109) states that "a phrasal verb
is a verb and particle that has a very different meaning when they come together, for example,
(look out) which means be careful." In addition, Ghazala (2006:133) clarifies that phrasal verbs
are well established, extremely as popular idioms and they are a combination of a verb or an
adverb or preposition such as" up, down, on, of, in, out, over, etc. And it has a special idiomatic
meaning that cannot be understood from the individual meaning of the verb plus the adverb or
preposition taken together. So, as idiomatic items, many phrasal verbs cannot be exactly
realized / understood by non-native students of English because they will find them difficult to
realize. Another notion of the phrasal verb is signaled out and analyzed by Bollinger(1971) who
points out that "being or not being a phrasal verb is a matter of degree", and knowing that the
verb plus particle combination acts as a single word both syntactically and lexically, one would
suspect that the phrasal verb would have the same characteristics as a single-word verb (Cited in
Darwin, 2007:67-68).However, phrasal verbs, sometimes called multi-word verbs, are verbs that
consist of two, or sometimes three, words. The first word is a verb and it is followed by an
adverb, turn down or a preposition, eat into, or both, put up with. These adverbs or prepositions
are sometimes called particles” (Saleh, 2011)
In contrast, prepositional verbs consist of a verb followed by a preposition that introduces
a prepositional phrase, maintaining a more straightforward relationship between the verb and its
object.
According to Kubota, 1997, the phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between
phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs are listed as follows:
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

A- Semantic differences:
(1) the phrasal verb conveys a different meaning or nuance compared to the base verb alone.
This illustrates how the combination of the verb and particle in a phrasal verb creates a unique
semantic interpretation that may not be directly deducible from the individual components.
However, unlike phrasal verbs, where the particle can significantly alter the meaning of the base
verb, prepositional verbs tend to maintain a closer relationship with the base verb, with the
preposition adding a layer of detail or direction.
Prepositional Verbs
Believe in
Base Verb: "Believe"
Prepositional Verb: "Believe in"
Semantic Difference: While "believe" refers to accepting something as true or valid, "believe in"
adds the nuance of having faith, trust, or conviction in something or someone.
Example:
Base Verb: She believes his story.
Prepositional Verb: She believes in the power of positive thinking.
Look at
Base Verb: "Look"
Prepositional Verb: "Look at"
Semantic Difference: While "look" refers to directing one's gaze, "look at" specifies the act of
directing one's gaze towards a particular object or direction for observation or examination.
Example:
Base Verb: He looked toward the horizon.
Prepositional Verb: She looked at the stars.
Talk to
Base Verb: "Talk"
Prepositional Verb: "Talk to"
Semantic Difference: While "talk" denotes communication or conversation, "talk to" specifies
directing communication towards a particular person or entity.
Example:
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

Base Verb: He talked about his vacation.

Prepositional Verb: She talked to her boss about the project.

Phrasal Verbs
Bring up
Base Verb: "Bring"
Phrasal Verb: "Bring up"
Meaning Alteration: While "bring" typically involves transporting something to a location,
"bring up" means to introduce a topic or subject into a conversation or discussion.
Example:
Base Verb: He brought the groceries home.
Phrasal Verb: She brought up her concerns during the meeting.
Get away
Base Verb: "Get"
Phrasal Verb: "Get away"
Meaning Alteration: While "get" can denote obtaining something, "get away" means to escape or
leave a place, often implying a sense of urgency or evasion.
Example:
Base Verb: He got a new job.
Phrasal Verb: They got away from the crowded city for the weekend.
Run out
Base Verb: "Run"
Phrasal Verb: "Run out"
Meaning Alteration: While "run" typically involves moving swiftly on foot, "run out" means to
exhaust or deplete a supply of something, often implying a sense of scarcity or depletion.
Example:
Base Verb: He ran to catch the bus.
Phrasal Verb: We ran out of milk, so we need to buy more.
B- Phonological differences:
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

(2) The particle (or adverb) in a phrasal verb is usually stressed and has nuclear stress in end-
position. The preposition in a prepositional verb is normally unstressed.
a. All young men were called up for military service. (the stress is on the particle in the
phrasal verb)
Turn off the lights(the stress is on the particle in the phrasal verb)
b. We'll call on you as soon as we arrive. (the stress is on the verb and not on the preposition
in the prepositional verb)
She believes in ghosts. (the stress is on the verb and not on the preposition in the
prepositional verb)
C- Syntactic differences:
(3) The preposition in a prepositional verb must come before the prepositional object. A phrasal
verb normally takes a combination of “object + particle” or “particle + object.”:
Look at (prepositional verb):
Correct: She looked at the painting.
Incorrect: She looked the painting at.
Listen to (prepositional verb):
Correct: He listened to the radio.
Incorrect: He listened the radio to.
Depend on (prepositional verb):
Correct: Success depends on effort.
Incorrect: Success depends effort on.
Object + Particle
Get off:
She can’t get the stain off her sweater.
Drop off:
We dropped our luggage off at the hotel and went sightseeing.
Particle + Object
Turn off:
He turned off the computer.
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

Pick up:
He picked up the book.

(4) When the object in a phrasal verb is a pronoun, it always has to come before the particle.
Put on:
Correct: He put them on.
Incorrect: He put on them.
Take off:
Correct: She took it off.
Incorrect: She took off it.
Throw away:
Correct: They threw it away.
Incorrect: They threw away it.

(5) Only the prepositional verb allows an adverb to be placed between the verb and the
preposition.
Look carefully at
She looked carefully at the painting.
Explanation: "Look at" is a prepositional verb. The adverb "carefully" can be placed between
"looked" and "at."
Listen attentively to
He listened attentively to the lecture.
Explanation: "Listen to" is a prepositional verb. The adverb "attentively" can be placed between
"listened" and "to."
Depend heavily on
The outcome depends heavily on your efforts.
Explanation: "Depend on" is a prepositional verb. The adverb "heavily" can be placed between
"depends" and "on."
Call up early
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

They called early up our friends. (Incorrect structure with phrasal verb).

(6) In relative clauses, the particle in a phrasal verb must stay after the verb:
a. All young men (whom) they called up were not at home.
All young men up whom they called were not at home. (Incorrect structure with phrasal
verb)
b. The friends (whom) they called on were not at home.
The friends on whom they called were not at home. (Correct structure with prepositional
verb)

(7) In Wh-questions, the particle cannot be separated from its phrasal verb:
a. At what did Sara look? (Correct structure with prepositional verb)
b. Up what did Philip make? (Incorrect structure with phrasal verb)

(8) When drawing syntax trees for sentences involving phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs, the
structure reflects their different grammatical relationships:
Phrasal Verbs
a- The verb and particle function as a single unit within the verb phrase (VP).
b- The function of the phrasal verb can be any of the 6 functions of the verbs
Prepositional Verbs
a- The preposition introduces a prepositional phrase (PP)
b- The verb and the prepositional phrase (PP) are separate entities in the tree structure.
c- The function of the prepositional phrase is preposition complement pO

List of phrasal verbs with their meaning and examples

(https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/list-of-phrasal-verbs)
abide by To respect or obey a decision, a If you want to keep your job
law or a rule here, you must abide by our
rules.
account for To explain, give a reason I hope you can account for the
time you were out!
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

add up To make sense, seem The facts in the case just

reasonable don't add up.
advise against To recommend not doing I advise against walking alone in
something this neighborhood.
agree with To have the same opinion as I agree with you. I think you
someone else. should go as well.
allow for To take into consideration We need to allow
for unexpected charges along
the way.
appeal to 1. To plead or make a request 1. He appealed to the court to
2. To be attractive or change its decision.
interesting 2. A vacation of sunbathing
doesn't appeal to me.
back away To move backwards, in fear or When he saw the bear,
dislike he backed away in fright.
back down To withdraw, concede defeat Local authorities backed
down on their threats to build
on that part of the beach.
back up 1. To give support or 1. I'm going to be very strict
encouragement with him. I hope
2. To make a copy of (file, you'll back me up on this?
program, etc.) 2. You should back up all your
computer files in a secure
location.
bank on To base your hopes on I'm banking on you to help with
something / someone the charity event.
black out To faint, lose consciousness Jenna fell in the parking lot
and blacked out.
block off To separate using a barrier. The police blocked off the
street after the explosion.
blow up 1. To explode 1. Tommy blew up the red
2. To get angry balloon.
2. Don't blow up at me. It's not
my fault.
boil down to To be summarized as It all boils down to who has
more power.
boot up To start a computer by loading You need to boot up your
an operating system or program computer before you begin to
work.
break away To separate from a crowd One of the wolves broke
away from his pack.
break down 1. To go out of order, cease to 1. The washing machine broke
function down so we had to call in the
2. To lose control of one's repair technician.
emotions 2. John broke down when he
heard the news.
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

break into To enter by force Burglars broke into my car last

night.
break out To start suddenly Rioting broke out after the
government raised the fuel
prices again.
break out of To escape from a place by force Several prisoners broke out of
jail.
break up To come to an end (marriage, She broke up with Daniel after
relationship) dating him for five years.
bring up To raise (a child) Sara is bringing up her children
by herself.
brush up on To improve, refresh one's I must brush up on my French
knowledge of something before going to Paris next
month.
bump into To meet by chance or I bumped into Adam at the
unexpectedly bank. He says "hello".
burn out 1. stop (something) working 1. The light bulb burnt out.
2. become exhausted from Please change it.
over-working 2. She needs to work fewer
hours. Otherwise she
will burn out.
call back To return a phone call Could please call back in ten
minutes?
call off To cancel The game was called
off because of bad weather.
calm down To become more relaxed, less It took Kylie several hours to
angry or upset calm down after she saw the
accident.
carry on To continue The soldiers carried on walking
in order to get to their post
before dark.
carry out To do something as specified (a His orders were carried out to
plan, an order, a threat) the letter.
To perform or conduct (test, That company does not carry
experiment) out tests on animals.
check in To register at a hotel or airport They said I must check in at
least three hours before my
flight.
check out To pay one's bill and leave (a Donna checked out of the hotel
hotel) this morning.
To investigate I don't know if this price is
correct. I'll check it out online.
clam up To refuse to speak When the police started asking
questions, the suspect clammed
up.
clamp down on To act strictly to prevent The local authorities have
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

something decided to clamp down

on illegal parking in
handicapped parking places.
come across To find by chance I was cleaning up and came
To appear, seem, make an across some old photos of you.
impression The politician came across as a
complete fool during the TV
interview.
come forward To present oneself Has the owner of the winning
lotto ticket come forward?
count on To rely or depend on (for help) You can count on me to keep
your secret.
cut down on To reduce in number or size I've decided to cut down on the
amount of sweets I eat.
cut out To remove using scissors She cut out a coupon from the
To stop doing something newspaper.
You need to cut out all red meat
from your diet.
deal with To handle, take care of Catherine is not good at dealing
(problem, situation) with stress.
die down To calm down, become less After the storm died down, we
strong went outside to see the damage
it had caused.
do without To manage without She didn't get a salary this
month, so she'll have to do
without extra treats.
drag on To last longer than expected The suspect's trial dragged
on longer than we had
expected!
draw up To write (contract, agreement, They drew up a contract and
document) had me sign it.
dress up wear elegant clothes Their wedding gave us a chance
to dress up and get out of the
house.
drop in To visit, usually on the way Why don't you drop in to see us
somewhere on your way home?
drop off To deliver someone or I'll drop off the papers later
something today.
To fall asleep I often drop off in front of the
TV.
drop out To leave school without Zack dropped out of college and
finishing joined the army.
ease off To reduce, become less severe Traffic usually eases off about
or slow down (pain, traffic, 7pm
work)
end in To finish in a certain way; result Her marriage ended in divorce.
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

in
end up To finally reach a state, place or If you don't improve your work
action habits, you'll end up being fired.
fall through To fail; doesn't happen His plans to trek through South
America fell through when he
got sick.
figure out To understand, find the answer He's trying to figure out how to
earn enough money to go on
the trip to Spain.
fill out To complete (a form/an Please fill out the enclosed form
application) and return it as soon as
possible.
find out To discover or obtain I'm going to to find out who's
information responsible for the power cut.
focus on To concentrate on something Tom had difficultty focusing
on work the day before his
holiday started.
get along (with) To be on good terms; work well It's important to get along with
with your team supervisor.
get at To imply What are you getting at? Do
you think I’m to blame?
get away To escape I think we should get away for
the weekend.
get by To manage to cope or to survive Students without jobs have a
hard time getting by.
get in To enter When did you get in last night?
get into (+noun) To enter How did you get into your car
without the keys?
get off To leave (bus, train, plane) You should get off the train in
To remove Kings Heath.
I can't get the ink stain off my
shirt.
get on To board (bus, train, plane) I'm trying to get on the flight to
Brussels.
get on with (something) To continue to do; make After they split up, she had a
progress hard time getting on with her
life.
get on (well) with (somebody) To have a good relationship He doesnt get on very
with well with the other members of
the committee.
get out To leave He had a hard time getting
out of Newark because of the
snow?
get out of To avoid doing something Edna's trying to get out
of working the night shift.
get over To recover from (illness, Has she gotten over the flu?
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

disappointment)
get over To recover from (illness, Mary had the chickenpox last
disappointment) week but she got over it.
get rid of To eliminate Please get rid of that old t-shirt.
It’s so ragged.
get together To meet each other Let's get together for your
birthday on Saturday.
get up To rise, leave bed Will you please get up? You’ve
got a class in 20 minutes.
give in To cease opposition; yield We will never give in to the
To To hand in; submit terrorists' demands.
I'll give in my paper tomorrow.
give up To stop doing something Morris gave up drinking 10
years ago.
go through To experience Andy went through a lot of pain
after his mother died.
grow up To spend one's childhood; He's like Peter Pan. He never
develop; become an adult really grew up at all.
hand in To submit (report, homework) Please hand in your papers
before Friday.
hand out To distribute Susan volunteered at the
shelter where she handed
out warm clothes.
hang out To spend time in a particular Which pub does the team hang
place or with a group of friends out at after the game?
hang up To end a phone conversation If you hang up now, I'll never
speak to you again.
hold on To wait Please hold on and a
To grip tightly representative will answer your
call.
She was so scared on the
rollercoaster ride that she held
on for dear life.
hurry up To be quick, act speedily Hurry up and finish your lunch
or we’ll miss the train.
iron out To resolve by discussion, The two countries met at the
eliminate differences conference to iron out their
differences.
join in To participate Yes David, you can join in the
discussion any time you like.
join up To engage in, become a There was a war on, so some
member of kids were only sixteen when
To meet and unite with they joined up.
Let's separate now and join
up later at the restaurant.
keep on To continue doing something If you keep on making that
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

noise I will get annoyed.

keep up with To stay at the same level as I read the paper every day
someone or something to keep up with the news.
kick off To begin, start The rugby match kicked off at 3
o'clock.
leave out To omit, not mention Please check your form again
and make sure nothing is left
out.
let down To disappoint I feel so let down because they
promised me a puppy but all I
got was a doll.
look after To take care of Andy can you look after your
sister until I get back?
look down on To consider as inferior She's such a snob. She
always looks down on anyone
who is poor.
look on To be a spectator at an event If you don't want to take part in
the game you can look on for
now.
look for To try to find something Harry went to the shop to look
for a new computer.
look forward to To await or anticipate with I'm looking forward to my
pleasure birthday. It's in two days time.
look up to To admire I always looked up to my father.
He was a great man.
make fun of To laugh at/ make jokes about It's not nice to make fun
of people in wheelchairs.
make up To invent (excuse, story) That's a good excuse. Did
you make up it up yourself?
mix up To mistake one thing or person She had so many cats that she
for another kept mixing up their names.
move in To arrive in a new home or Did you hear? Our new
office neighbors are moving in this
afternoon.
move out To leave your home/office for When are you moving out? We
another one. need your office for the new
guy.
nod off To fall asleep You were so tired after the
game that you nodded off on
the couch.
own up To admit or confess something Come on. Own up. We know
you did it!
pass away To die Your grandfather passed
away peacefully in his sleep last
night.
pass out To faint He didn't drink enough water so
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

he passed out at the end of the

race.
pay back To reimburse I'll pay you back as soon as I get
the loan.
put off To postpone, arrange a later Don't put off until tomorrow,
date what you can do today.
put on To turn on, switch on It's very dark in here. Please put
on the light on.
put out To extinguish The fire fighters were able
to put out fire in ten minutes.
put up To accommodate, give I can put you up until the
somebody a bed weekend but then I’m going
away.
pick up To collect somebody I'll pick you up at around 7:00 to
take you to the airport.
point out To indicate/direct attention to As I already pointed out, there
something was a mistake in your
calculation.
rely on To count on, depend on, trust You can rely on me. I always
arrive on time.
rule out To eliminate Since he had a sound alibi, the
police ruled him out as a
suspect.
run away To escape from a place or He ran away from home and
suddenly leave joined the circus.
run into To meet by accident or I'm so glad I ran into you. I need
unexpectedly (also: bump into) to ask you something.
run out of To have no more of something. We've run out of milk. I'll just
pop next door to borrow some.
set off To start a journey; Let's set off early to miss the
rush hour traffic.
set up To start a business They set up their own company
when they were still in high
school.
shop around To compare prices Don't buy that. Let's shop
around and see if we can find
something cheaper.
show off To brag or want to be admired He's such a show off. He has to
tell everybody about his new
computer.
show up To appear/arrive I don’t think she'll show
up tonight. Her daughter is sick.
shut up (impolite) To be silent, stop talking Shut up, you're spoiling the
movie!
sit down To take a seat I think you should sit down. It's
bad news.
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

stand up To rise from a sitting position The whole stadium stood up for
the national anthem.
stick up for To defend My big brother always stuck up
for me when I got into a fight.
take after To resemble, in appearance or Angie really takes after her
character grandmother.
take care of To look after Please take care of my cat when
I'm away.
take off To leave the ground The plane will take off as soon
as the fog lifts.
take on To hire or engage staff I hear they're taking on extra
staff for this event.
take out To remove; extract Please take out your mobile
phones and turn them off.
tell off To reprimand/criticize severely The coach told her off for not
trying hard enough.
think over To consider Take your time
and think it over before you
decide.
try on To wear something to see if it Go ahead, try it on and see if it
suits or fits fits?
turn down To refuse I asked her out but
she turned me down flat.
use up To finish a product (so that Your parents used up all the
there's none left) coffee!
watch out To be careful Watch out! There's a dog in the
road.
wear out To become unusable Julie wore out her shoes
To become very tired running the marathons.
Julie was worn out after all that
running.
work out To do physical exercise You should work out twice a
To find a solution or calculate week at the gym.
something Can you work this out? I'm no
good at math.
wipe off To clean (board, table). I'll wash up if you wipe off the
table.

English prepositional verbs-list of 100 common verbs with examples

https://www.englishalex.com/post/english-prepositional-verbs-list-100-common-verbs-with-examples

abstain from "I'm trying to abstain from drinking alcohol."

accuse [someone] of "He was accused of shoplifting."
[something]
adapt to "Don't quit your job. It takes time to adapt to a new situation."
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

add to "Do you have anything you'd like to add to what has been said?"
agree on "They always fight and they never agree on anything."
agree with "I agree with you."
apologize for "You should apologize for that."
[something]
apologize to "Have you apologized to your sister?"
[someone]
apply for "You should apply for this job."
[something]
apply to "Which universities did you apply to?"
[somewhere]
approve of "My dad didn't approve of my husband at first."
argue about "He's arguing with the waiter about the bill."
arrest [someone] for "He was arrested for stealing."
[something]
arrive at "How long is it going to take to arrive at the restaurant?"
arrive in "My family arrived in Portugal in 1998. We've been living
here ever since."
ask about "I'd like to ask about your evening classes."
ask for "I asked my boss for a raise."
attend to "I'll attend to the customer. You attend to the emergency in
the marketing department."
believe in "Do you believe in destiny?"
belong to "Does this scarf belong to you?"
care about "I don't care about sports."
care for "My mom always cared for us."
charge [someone] "She was charged with attempted murder."
with [a crime]
complain about "Deborah's complaining about her work hours."
concentrate on "I'm trying to concentrate on reading more these days."
confide in [someone] "He confided in me about his mental health struggles."
connect to "What's the password to connect to the wi-fi?"
consent to "The police can't force you to let them search your car. You
have to consent to it."
consist of "My breakfast usually consists of eggs, toast, and beans."
contribute to "Social media has contributed to an increase in depression."
count on "You can count on me, boss!"
come from "A letter came for you from Viet Nam."
convert to "Brent is thinking about converting to another religion."
deal with "I don't know how to deal with aggressive people."
dedicate to "The movie was dedicated to an actor who had passed away."
depend on "You can always depend on me."
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

disagree with "The chicken we ate last night really disagreed with my
stomach." (idiomatic use)
discuss [something] "I'd like to discuss something important with you. Do you
with [someone] have some time tomorrow?"
dream about typically refers to actual dreams people have
while sleeping "Hey, I dreamt about you last night."
dream of typically refers to ambitions and wishes

"Martin Luther King Jr. dreamt of a better world for his

children."
elaborate on "Could you elaborate on your last point a little bit?"
excel at "I think you would really excel at comic book art."
fear for "I fear for what might happen if we aren't successful."
focus on "Don't judge other people's lives. Focus on your own."
forget about "Did you forget about our lunch plans?"
forgive [someone] for "I'll never forgive you for this!"
[something]
get sick with [a viral illness] "She got sick with the flu."
get tired of "Do you ever get tired of talking to customers all day?"
go to [a public place or event] "We're going to a basketball game tomorrow night."
graduate from "She graduated from Stanford University in 2018."
happen to "It was the best things that ever happened to me."
hear about "Did you hear about Ted and Sandra? They're going to have a
baby!"
hear of "I've never heard of that book."
help [someone] with "Could you help me with my homework?"
[something]
hint at "The CEO has hinted at layoffs."
hope for "I'm hoping for some good news soon."
insist on "Our company insists on transparency with our clients."
interfere with "They always interfered with my plans."
laugh at "Don't laugh at me."
laugh about "We laughed about our high school years."
lead to "Your decision will lead to major financial problems for your
department."
look at "Look at this!"
listen to "What kind of music do you listen to?"
look for "She's been looking for a job for the past three months."
object to "Over 90 percent of people objected to this proposal."
pay for "How did you afford to pay for this?"
point at "Don't point at people. It's rude."
pray for "Good luck with your surgery. I'll pray for you."
prepare for "Have you prepared for the exam?"
prevent [someone] from "He prevented me from making a huge mistake."
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

[something]
prohibit [someone] from "The police prohibited us from entering the building."
[something]
react to "How did you react to the news?"
recover from "My grandma's still recovering from pneumonia."
refer to "Could you refer me to someone who can help me? Thank
you."
rely on "I rely on my maps app any time I drive somewhere I've never
been."
remind of "You remind me of my sister."
reply to "Thank you for replying to my email."
respond to "Did you respond to your aunt's text message?"
resign from "I'm thinking about resigning from my job."
smile at "Who are you smiling at?"
specialize in "Which field did you specialize in?"
stare at "Why are you staring at me like that?"
stem from "Brigitte's self-confidence issues stem from her childhood and
her critical parents."
subscribe to "Have you subscribed to Alex's YouTube channel?"
suffer from "He suffers from partial blindness."
talk about "We need to talk about your school grades."
talk to "Has Mom talked to you yet? You're in big trouble."
tell [someone] about "Did you tell your parents about us?"
thank [someone] for "Tim thanked me for giving him a ride to school."
think about "I think about you all the time."
think of "Joanna has thought of a great idea for your birthday party."
travel to "We've traveled to many places in South America."
vote for "Who are you going to vote for in the election?"
wait for "I'm still waiting for the government to make a final decision."
wish for "What did you wish for?" "I can't tell you or it won't come
true."
work for "She works for a non-profit organization."
work on "Hey. What are you working on?"
worry about "I don't know what you're so worried about."
write about "She usually writes about things that actually happened to
her."
yell at "Stop yelling at me. I'm not a child."
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

In today's globalized world, where English serves as a lingua franca in various domains,
including academia, business, and technology, understanding the nuances of phrasal and
prepositional verbs is crucial for effective communication. Phrasal and prepositional verbs are
ubiquitous in everyday language, appearing in both spoken and written discourse. However, their
complex structures and subtle differences pose significant challenges for language learners,
particularly non-native speakers.
By delving into the semantic, phonological, and syntactic distinctions between phrasal
and prepositional verbs, this study offers valuable insights into how these verbs function in
English grammar. Such insights are not only beneficial for language learners striving to achieve
proficiency in English but also for educators seeking effective teaching strategies. Understanding
these differences enables learners to use phrasal and prepositional verbs accurately and
appropriately in various contexts, thereby enhancing their communicative competence.
Moreover, the study's comprehensive analysis and inclusion of practical examples
provide a solid foundation for language instruction, empowering educators to design targeted
lesson plans and materials that address the specific challenges associated with phrasal and
prepositional verbs. Ultimately, by improving language learners' proficiency in using these
essential verb forms, this research contributes to fostering clearer and more effective
communication in English, thereby facilitating greater success in academic, professional, and
social contexts.
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Phonological, semantic and syntactic differences between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs

References

1- Kubota, M. (1997). Instructional effects of positive and negative evidence on

prepositional/phrasal verbs. The IRLT Bulletin, (11), 1997. ED 433 694 FL 025178. ISSN
0913-929X.
2- Saleh, Y. (2011, September 1). Semantic and syntactic problems in comprehending
English phrasal verbs. Journal Title, 18, 17-43.
3- An extensive list of phrasal verbs.
Retrieved from https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/list-of-
phrasal-verbs
4- English Prepositional Verbs List (100 Common Verb + Preposition Combinations, 200
Examples)
Retrieved from https://www.englishalex.com/post/english-prepositional-verbs-list-100-
common-verbs-with-examples