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Old 06-May-2006, 16:10
spoon spoon is offline
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Default Re: phrasal verbs + object

Quote:
Originally Posted by hela
Dear teacher,

Are there phrasal verbs where we cannot permute the particle and the object without affecting the meaning?

e.g.
switch the TV off / switch off the TV;
look up a word / look a word up;
Put on a coat / put a coat on.

They all have the same meaning, don't they?

All the best,
Hela
Up to my knowledge, particles of phrasal verbs can be permuted (but if the object is a pronoun, it's obligatory: Put them on.(not put on them.)

I think the object rarely affects the meaning. But you should know that the focus(of meaning) is on the final word. You could see the difference between them by making interrogations.

Question srelated to 'put on the coat' and 'put the coat on'

a. What did you put on?
I put on the coat.

b. How did you put the coat?
I put the coat on.

Best regards,

Spoon
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