13 A final learning challenge involves the conditions governing optional or
obligatory separation of the verb and the particle for phrasal verbs used transitively as shown by Figures 2.1 and 2.2 and some examples as follows.
6 She turns out the lights.
7 She turns the lights out.
8 She turns them out.
9 She turns out them.
Sentences 6 and 7 have phrasal verbs with optional separation. On the other hand, sentence 8 has a phrasal verb in which the particle is separated from the
verb since its direct object is a pronoun. Then, sentence 9 is an incorrect sentence since the particle is not separated while the direct object is a pronoun.
The optional or obligatory separation of the verb and the particle will be discussed further in the types of phrasal verbs.
b. Types of Phrasal Verbs
According to Peaty 1983: 5-23, phrasal verbs can be classified into four types. They are phrasal verbs without an object, separable phrasal verbs,
inseparable phrasal verbs, and phrasal verbs linked to an object by an extra preposition. However, according Yule 2004: 168, there are two major types of
phrasal verbs. They are separable and inseparable phrasal verbs. This research,
therefore, only focuses on those two types of phrasal verbs. Celce-Murcia Larsen-Freeman 1999: 427 state that like single-word
verbs, phrasal verbs can be transitive or intransitive. According to Thomson
14 Martinet 1986: 315, it is important to learn whether the combination is transitive
i.e. requires an object or intransitive i.e. cannot have an object. 10
I am looking for my passport. 11
Look out This ice isn’t safe The phrasal verb look for in sentence 10 is transitive. Meanwhile, look
out in sentence 11 is intransitive. This research, however, only discusses the transitive phrasal verbs since the transitive phrasal verbs are still divided to some
types. According to Celce-Murcia 1999: 428, the transitive phrasal verbs can be divided into two types. They are separable and inseparable phrasal verbs. Those
types of phrasal verbs are elaborated as follows.
1 Separable Phrasal Verbs
One type of transitive phrasal verbs which is discussed in this research is separable phrasal verbs. As stated above, since the separable phrasal verbs are
categorized into transitive phrasal verbs, they usually have objects. They are used in the same way as normal verbs, except that they must be separated by pronoun
objects. According to Celce-Murcia Larsen-Freeman 1999: 428, the separable
phrasal verbs can be divided into two types based on the separation of the particle from the verb. They are called as optional separation and obligatory separation.
The separation is optional when the particle can be separated from the verb by the direct object. Meanwhile, the separation is obligatory when the direct object is a
pronoun.
15 12
Mark threw away the ball.
13 Mark threw the ball away.
14 Mark threw away it.
15 Mark threw it away.
Sentence 12 and 13 are the examples of the separable phrasal verbs with the optional separation. The particle away in the phrasal verb threw away in
sentence 12 is not separated from the verb, while in sentence 13 it is separated. They have same meaning and both of them are correct sentences. However,
sentence 14 is not a correct sentence. In sentence 14, the particle in the phrasal verb threw away is not separated from the verb. In fact, it must be separated from
the verb since the direct object is a pronoun it as shown in sentence 15. From the analysis above, thus, the pattern of the use of phrasal verbs with
optional separation is as in Table 2.1 and Table 2.2. Then, the pattern of the use of the phrasal verbs with the necessary or obligatory separation is shown in Table
2.3.
Table 2.1 Optional Separation of Phrasal Verb Object Comes After Particle
Rachel
looked up
the information. Subject Verb Particle Object
Noun
Table 2.2 Optional Separation of Phrasal Verb Object Comes After Verb
Rachel looked
the information up.
Subject Verb Object
Noun Particle
16
Table 2.3 Obligatory Separation of Phrasal Verb Pronoun Separates Verb and Particle
Rachel looked
it up.
Subject Verb Object Pronoun
Particle
2 Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Transitive separable phrasal verbs, according to Celce-Murcia Larsen- Freeman 1999: 428, are the largest and the most productive category of phrasal
verbs. However, they argue that the students should also posit a smaller category of inseparable phrasal verbs, where the particle cannot be separated from its verb.
The inseparable phrasal verbs as the separable phrasal verbs always have objects, but the objects can never be separated by the particles. They are sometimes
separated by adverbs. 16
I came across an interesting article last night. 17
I came an interesting article across last night. 18
I came across it last night. 19
I came it across last night. As stated above that, although the inseparable phrasal verbs have objects,
they can never be separated by the objects. It means that “there is no separation of the verb and particle under any circumstances” Celce-Murcia, 1983: 267.
Therefore, sentences 17 and 19 are incorrect since the particle across in both sentences is separated from the verb. The particle should always follow the verb
directly as shown in sentences 16 and 18. Moreover, unlike the separable
17 phrasal verbs, although the direct object is a pronoun, the particle is still not
separated as in sentence 18. Thus, sentence 19 is totally incorrect. Based on the explanation above, thus, there is only one possible pattern of
the use of inseparable phrasal verbs as shown in Tables 2.4 and 2.5.
Table 2.4 Inseparable Phrasal Verb with a Noun as the Object
John ran into
an old friend. Subject
Verb Particle
Object Noun
Table 2.5 Inseparable Phrasal Verb with a Pronoun as the Object
John ran into
him. Subject Verb Particle
Object Pronoun
Principally, according to Celce-Murcia Larsen-Freeman 1983: 268, “to our knowledge there is no general rule or principle that would help us determine a
priori which phrasal verbs are separable and which are inseparable.” Thus, the question of separability or inseparability becomes one of the many lexical features
that must be specified for phrasal verbs. Furthermore, besides the types mentioned by Celce-Murcia Larsen-
Freeman 1999: 427-428, Fraser 1976 in Celce-Murcia Larsen-Freeman 1983: 274 points out that phrasal verbs exhibit interesting semantic differences
which later on he divides phrasal verbs into three semantic distinctions.
18
1 Literal Phrasal Verbs
Literal phrasal verbs are those items where the particle retains its literal adverbial meaning as the up does in the examples 1 and 2 as follows.
1 I hung up the pictures on the wall.
2 I hung the pictures up on the wall. ada dua up, mana yang benar?
Some other examples of literal phrasal verbs are sit down, dish out, hand out, and take down. These phrasal verbs are among the easiest for nonnative speakers to
understand and acquire.
2 Completive Phrasal Verbs
Completive phrasal verbs are those where the particle indicates completed action. The particles up, out, off, and down all seem to be used this way; however,
up is the most frequently used in this function. 1
I tore up the piece of paper. 2
I tore the piece of paper up. Some other completive phrasal verbs are mix up, wind up, wear out, fade out,
burn down, run down, cut off, and many other examples.
3 Figurative Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are considered “figurative” when there is no systematic way of semantically associating the verb and the particle. The component has merged
into a new meaning and does not have meaning of their own, which means that once they are combined, they lose their individual meaning. For example,
1 She looked up the information.
2 She looked the information up.
19 Some other figurative phrasal verbs are turn up arrive, appear, catch on
understand, give in surrender, look over review, and so on. Such phrasal verbs are the most difficult one for EFL students to master.
c. The Significance of Phrasal Verbs
