Phrasal verbs.???

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EEL

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Hello,

I read a few sentences which were a bit confusing..Please help me..:cry:

1. There are a few seats up in the front. Please move forward.
Of course, I understand the meaning of the above sentence. But, what is the need of 'up' in the sentence.

Similarly,
2. Please pass them out to everyone.
Please let me know, What is the need of 'out' in this sentence. Could it just not be pass them to everyone.

Pass out means to faint, right?? So, is pass out used as a phrasal verb which also means to distribute:-?

Kindly, give me an explanation on these sentences and a few other example sentences would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Shaan
 

emsr2d2

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Hello,

I read a few sentences which were a bit confusing..Please help me..:cry:

1. There are a few seats up in the front. Please move forward.
Of course, I understand the meaning of the above sentence. But, what is the need of 'up' in the sentence.

Similarly,
2. Please pass them out to everyone.
Please let me know, What is the need of 'out' in this sentence. Could it just not be pass them to everyone.

Pass out means to faint, right?? So, is pass out used as a phrasal verb which also means to distribute:-?

Kindly, give me an explanation on these sentences and a few other example sentences would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Shaan

In your first sentence, "up" is regularly used to denote a position further forward than where you are now, even if the actual direction isn't technically "up". We actually use it for both directions when talking about seating. "We could sit further up, near the back" or "We could move up to the front". In the first example, it is probably more appropriate because the seats at the back are usually higher than those at the front!

"To pass out" does indeed also mean "to distribute".
 

billmcd

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"Up front", "up to the front", or "up in the front" meaning "in a forward direction/position" is a variation of the phrasal "move up" and is commonly used but could just as easily/commonly be stated without "up". Another example: "His team moved up in the rankings".
"Pass out" can be used in two ways as you noted (to distribute and to faint or lose consciousness). You could say "Pass these to everyone" but "pass these out" would be more common.
 
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EEL

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Thanks a lot for your explanation. I could very well understand it.
 
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