a couple of questions

[marciobarbalho]

Please teachers, could you gimme a light on this?

1) Some people say:

a) I called someone. (simple calling, right?)
b) I called someone up. (telephone, right?)
c) I called her out. (Am I asking her on a date?)

2) What's the difference between 'help' and 'help out'?


3) Could I say...

In 'watcha wanna do' people drop the 'do':
'watcha wanna do' is equal to 'what do you want to do'. However, in an informal conversation, between 't' and 'you', people say 'tcha'.
So, questions are
a) Could one use the verb omit instead of drop? Are there other (phrasal) verbs which have the same meaning?
Please, omit the 'do'.
Please, freeze, drop the gun.
please, put the gun down.
b) Could I use these 'drop up' and 'drop out' on the first sentence?

Thank you very much.

[Niall]

1. a. This can be "simple calling" or "calling on the telephone"
b. As you said, this is just calling someone on the telephone.
c. This is not asking someone on a date. This is "asking someone to come outside", it can also be "calling someone to come" to another place. For example:
I called her out into the kitchen means I shouted at her asking her to come to the kitchen.

2. I can't personally think of any difference, other than the fact that "help out" sounds much more informal. Also, "help" can be used as a noun, whereas "help out" cannot.

3. In that sentence, you can use the word "omit". You cannot use the phrase "drop out" in this context, and I don't think I have heard of the phrase "drop up" before, so that cannot be used either.
Other phrasal verbs meaning "drop" and "omit" include leave out and miss out.

[marciobarbalho]

Got it, many thanks.