Phrasal verbs and their different treatment

The phrasal verb look forward to means “if you say that someone is looking forward to something useful or positive, you mean they expect it to happen”. The construction of the phrasal verb is “Verb+Adverb+Preposition”, so this phrasal verb refers to the 5^th type according to our classification. This phrasal verb is widely spread in formal letters. We can find this phrasal verb almost in each formal letter.

 

I will provide you with detailed information about this FIFA Financial Report 2009 at the 60^th FIFA Congress, which will be held shortly before the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ kicks off in South Africa.

In the sentence the phrasal verb kick off means “when a game or team kicks off, the game starts.” The type of the phrasal verb is the 2^nd according to our classification.

 

We investigated the total amount of phrasal verbs in the letter is 7. As for the 1^st type the quantity of phrasal verbs is –3; 2^nd Type – 2 phrasal verbs; 3^rd Type – 1 phrasal verbs; 4^th Type – no phrasal verbs; 5th Type – 1 phrasal verb. (Table 19)

Table 19

 

 

 The official document “Details of the 2011-2014 investment budgets” has 3 phrasal verbs. [41;112]

 

A budget of USD 800 million has been set aside for development projects. This includes USD 275 million for the continuation of the successful Financial Assistance Programme (FAP) and a reallocation of the existing budget of USD 120 million for the continuation of the Goal Programme.

The meaning of the phrasal verb set aside is “if you set something aside for a special use or purpose, you keep it available for that use or purpose.” The type of the phrasal verb is the 3^rd.

 

The operational expenses of USD 585 million are made up in particular of personnel costs of a total of USD 270 million as well as maintaining FIFA's operations and its extensive range of services.

In the sentence the phrasal verbs make up means If you make up an amount, you add something to it so that it is as large as it should be. The type of the phrasal verb is the 3^rd.

 

We investigated the total amount of phrasal verbs in the letter is 4.

As for the 1^st type the quantity of phrasal verbs is –no; 2^nd Type – no phrasal verbs; 3^rd Type – 4 phrasal verbs; 4^th Type – no phrasal verbs; 5th Type – no phrasal verb. (Table 20)

 

 

 

 

Table 20

 

 

According to the analysis of three official texts we can say that phrasal verbs are used in such text style. The total amount of phrasal verbs in three articles is 13. We differentiated them to the types according our classification. The results are introduced in table 21.

 

Table 21

 

 

             2.2.4 Phrasal verbs in newspaper style

 

It is important to mention that there is a lot of phrasal verbs in newspaper article’s because phrasal verbs are mostly used in our everyday speech. It is known that newspaper articles are made for the differently educated people and the authors use simple words, simple speech in order to make the text readable and understandable. As we know phrasal verbs tend to be rather informal and more appropriate to use them in our everyday life.

 

We have studied the amount of phrasal verbs used in newspaper text style in comparison with all verbs used in the texts in order to define the percentage of using phrasal verbs in this style. The total quantity of verbs used in three articles is 250. We investigated 32 phrasal verbs out of 250. The percentage of phrasal verbs is 13 %. The result is introduced in the table 22

Table 22

 

 The first newspaper article’s headline is “Why St. Louis Should Send Albert Pujols Packing” written by Sean Gregory. [42]

 

He has said he does not want to negotiate during the season, so unless St. Louis unexpectedly ponies up, he'll test the free-agent market come fall.

In the sentence the phrasal verb pony up means “if you pony up a sum of money, you pay the money that is needed for something, often unwillingly.” The type of the phrasal verb is the 2^nd.

 

Even the best used-car salesman couldn't pull that one off.

The phrasal verb pull off means “If a vehicle or driver pulls off the road, the vehicle stops by the side of the road.”  The type of the phrasal verb is the 3^rd.

 

In fact, the high ticket prices needed to cover Pujols' inflated salary would be more likely to tick them off.

The phrasal verb tick off means «If you say that something ticks you off, you mean that it annoys you”. The type of the phrasal verb is the 3^rd.

 

Let the New York Mets —  if Bernie Madoff's legal fallout doesn't bankrupt them — put in the ludicrous bid for Pujols.

In the sentence the phrasal verb put in means «If you put in a request or put in for something, you formally request or apply for that thing.” The type of the phrasal verb is the 3^rd.

 

We investigated the total amount of phrasal verbs in the article “Why St. Louis Should Send Albert Pujols Packing” is 8. The article is not big.

 

As for the 1^st type the quantity of phrasal verbs is –2; 2^nd Type – 3 phrasal verbs; 3^rd Type – 3 phrasal verbs; 4^th Type – no phrasal verbs; 5th Type – no phrasal verbs. (Table 23)

Table 23

 

The next article is “George Osborne attacked by top Tory over council pension contributions rise”, which was written by Toby Helm. [43]

 

Baroness Eaton warns that higher contributions could force workers to opt out of Britain's biggest public sector pension plan.

In the sentence the phrasal verb opt out refers to the 2^st type. The phrasal verb consists of the verb and the particle that functions as an adverb. The meaning of the phrasal verb is “If you opt out of something, you choose to be no longer involved in it”.

 

The extraordinary warning –  and call for an urgent rethink – has been made in a letter to the chancellor, George Osborne, from Baroness Eaton, the Conservative chair of the Local Government Association.

In the sentence the meaning of the phrasal verb call for is-if you call for something, you demand that it should happen. The type of the phrasal verb is the 1^st.

 

The government's controversial plan to make public-sector workers pay higher pension contributions is in crisis as the Tory head of local government warns of "strong evidence" that employees will opt out en masse, with disastrous economic consequences.

In the sentence the phrasal verb opt out refers to the 2^st type. The phrasal verb consists of the verb and the particle that functions as an adverb. The meaning of the phrasal verb is “If you opt out of something, you choose to be no longer involved in it”.

 

She also warns that with fewer people making provision for their retirement, the government would be left to pick up the bill in the long term as a result of "further reliance on the state via means-tested benefits in retirement.

The meaning of the phrasal verb pick up is “when you pick up someone or something that is waiting to be collected, you go to the place where they are and take them away, often in a car”. The phrasal verb refers to the 3^rd type according the classification.

 

In conclusion, Eaton says that all political parties within local government "strongly urge" that their concerns are recognised and that ministers sit down with employers and unions to find a better way forward.

The second phrasal verb sit down has a meaning “to lower your body until you are sitting on a chair”. It refers to the 2^nd type. The phrasal verb describes an action literally. To understand this phrasal verb all we need to what the two words mean when considered separately.

 

This in no one's interests, since these people could end up with an inadequate retirement income and could fall on to benefits later in life.

The meaning of the phrasal verb end up is-If you end up doing something or end up in a particular state, you do that thing or get into that state even though you did not originally intend to. The type of the phrasal verb is the 2^nd.

 

We investigated the total amount of phrasal verbs in the article “George Osborne attacked by top Tory over council pension contributions rise” is 10.

As for the 1^st type the quantity of phrasal verbs is –3; 2^nd Type – 4 phrasal verbs; 3^rd Type – 2 phrasal verbs; 4^th Type – no phrasal verbs; 5th Type – 1 phrasal verbs. (Table 24)

Table 24

 

The last articles headline is “Newbury race meeting abandoned after two horses die in freak accident”. [44]

The article was written by Will Hayler.

 

Tests have been carried out to confirm whether electrocution was the cause of death of two racehorses that collapsed before the start of racing at Newbury.

In the sentence the phrasal verb carry out means-If you carry out a threat, task, or instruction, you do it or act according to it. The type of the phrasal verb is the 3^rd.

 

“It appeared that it was all happening in one area, as one of our horses, Kid Cassidy, had fallen over,” said trainer Nicky Henderson.

The meaning of the phrasal verb fall over is-If a person or object that is standing falls over, they accidentally move from their upright position so that they are then lying on the ground or on the surface supporting them. The type is the 2^nd according to our classification.

 

When I turned around he got himself up and he seemed fine.

In the sentence there are two phrasal verbs turn around and get up. The meaning of the phrasal verb turn around is-If you turn around a question, sentence, or idea, you change the way, in which it is expressed, in order to consider it differently. The type of the phrasal verb is the 2^nd.

As for the phrasal verb get up, the meaning is when you get up, you get out of bed. The type of the phrasal verb is the 3^rd.

 

When the horses stepped off the rubber matting on the grass, they did not to be able to get off it.

The type of the phrasal verb get off is the 4^th.

 

Robert Garner, part-owner of Marching Song, said: “We were in the paddock and he went down just where we were standing He tried to get up but he couldn’t – he had gone into rigor mortis”.

In the sentence were found 3 phrasal verbs. The phrasal verb go down means in sport, if a person or team goes down, they are defeated in a match or contest. The type of the phrasal verb is the 2^nd.

The phrasal verb get up means when someone who is sitting or lying down gets up, they rise to a standing position. The type of the phrasal verb is the 3^rd.

 

We investigated the total amount of phrasal verbs in the article “Newbury race meeting abandoned after two horses die in freak accident” is 14.

As for the 1^st type the quantity of phrasal verbs is –1; 2^nd Type – 7 phrasal verbs; 3^rd Type – 4 phrasal verbs; 4^th Type – 1 phrasal verbs; 5th Type – 1 phrasal verbs. (Table 25)

 

Table 25

 

 

According to the analysis of three newspaper articles we came to the conclusion that phrasal verbs are often and mostly used in such text style. The total amount of phrasal verbs in three articles is 32. We differentiated them to the types according our classification. The results are introduced in table 26.

Table 26

2.3 Comparative analysis of using phrasal verbs in different text styles

To compare using phrasal verbs in different styles – Scientific style, Belles-lettres style, Newspaper style and Official style, it is evident the use of phrasal verbs prevailing in Newspaper style. It can be seen in the table 27.

Table 27

Belles-letters style – 662 out of 5349;

Scientific style – 38 out of 482;

Official style – 13 out of 120;

Newspaper style – 33 out of 250;

 

Making a comparative analysis of the use of phrasal verbs in different text styles it is important to mention, that the phrasal verbs are widely used in newspaper style rather than in other styles – 13 percent. The scientific texts used only 8 percent of phrasal verbs.

 

We have analysed 4 different styles of text. We investigated the total amount of phrasal verbs used in texts of 4 different styles. We differentiated phrasal verbs according to our classification. It can be seen that the prevailing amount of phrasal verbs used in texts refers to the 2^nd type. There 31 percent of phrasal verbs.

We investigated 745 phrasal verbs. 1^st type - 178 – 24 %, 2^nd type - 234 – 31%, 3^rd type - 204 – 28%, as for the 4^th type - 95 – 13%, 5^th type - 34 – 4 %.

The 2^nd type is the widespread according to our researches. The results introduced in the table 28.

 

Table 28

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Having investigated the theme “Phrasal verbs and their different treatment” we came to the following conclusion: Phrasal verbs are widely used in different text styles and reflect specific features of a language.

It is often said that phrasal verbs tend to be rather colloquial or informal and more appropriate to spoken English then written, and even that it is better to avoid them and choose single - word equivalents or synonyms instead. Yet in many cases phrasal verbs and their synonyms have different ranges of use, meaning, or collocation, so that a single - word synonym cannot be substituted appropriately for a phrasal verb. Single - word synonyms are often much more formal in style than phrasal verbs, so that they seem out of place in many contexts, and students using them run the risk of sounding pompous or just unnatural.

Besides, these are phrasal verbs, like get away with and run of, which do not have one word paraphrases. Second, these are nonidiomatic combinations; such as go across (cross), go past (pass), and sail around (circumnavigate) which do have such paraphrases.

As a result, foreign people find phrasal verbs very confusing and have great difficulty in this area. Phrasal verbs meaning are idiomatic, there is no logical pattern or formula for learning them. The right and appropriate usage of phrasal verbs makes speech expressive.

The aims of this paper were to characterize peculiarities of types of the phrasal verbs and prove the usage of phrasal verbs in different text styles. After analyzing theoretical material we achieved the goal in practical part of the work.

On the completion of the investigation the following tasks have been accomplished:

• To analyze scientific and methodological literature on the topic;
• To characterize main features of phrasal verbs and their types;
• To create a classification of phrasal verbs;
• To analyse the use of phrasal verbs in different text styles;
• To define the priority of phrasal verbs and their types in different text styles.

The methods in the course of investigation are:

1. Analysis of theoretical and methodological literature;
2. Generalization and systematization;
3. Method of investigation;
4. Method of analysis;
5. Contrastive analysis;

In the course of analyzing the theoretical material on the topic the main notions of phrasal verbs were examined. The formation and main classifications of phrasal verbs made by different scholars were studied. We investigated different classifications of phrasal verbs made by scientists and based on them we made our classification.

The theme of our diploma paper evoked a great interest, taught us to construct logical connection between different meanings of one phrase. The investigation of this theme introduced to us a great amount of interesting phrasal verbs. The deep studying of the theme broadened our outlook.

According to the results of our research we can conclude that the hypothesis suggested has been proved and the aim has been achieved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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