Saturday, July 21, 2007

Literal usage of Phrasal verb

Many verbs in English can be combined with an adverb or a preposition, and readers or listeners will easily understand a phrasal verb used in a literal sense with a preposition:
"He walked across the square.

Verb and adverb constructions can also easily be understood when used literally:
"She opened the shutters and looked outside."
"When he heard the crash, he looked up."

An adverb in a literal phrasal verb modifies the verb it is attached to, and a preposition links the subject to the verb.

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