Hi,
Are the phrasal verbs more acceptable than their one-word equivalents in formal writing?
Thanks,
Joe
Not a Teacher
In my view, your question does not make entire sense, since both kinds are used in formal writing. Maybe if you were to give some examples the question would make complete sense.
M.
Ok, here they are:
call off - cancel
find out - discover
hold up - delay
leave out - omit
pick out - choose
put off - postpone
talk over - discuss
try out - test
look into - investigate
go over - review
go on - continue
What is more natural when writing a formal letter - to use the phrasal verbs on the left, or their equivalents on the right? (or simply it can't be generalised - it depends on the sense of a sentence)
Thanks,
Joe
As always, context is everything. It depends on the tone of the sentence, the person you're writing to (formally or otherwise). My personal feeling is that both the verbs and the phrasal verbs would be equally acceptable in any piece of writing.
However, I'm not a fan of fancier. I'm fine with finding something out and don't need to discover it.
This is perhaps the case, but I can't imagine using "discover" if I want to find out the starting time of a film, whether a hotel accepts pets, or if my video rental-store has received a recently released DVD.Though it is interesting that the latinate verb, "discover", is much more common in academic papers than "find out".
but I can't imagine using "discover" if I want to find out the starting time of a film, whether a hotel accepts pets, or if my video rental-store has received a recently released DVD.
I think the "point he is trying to make" is that, as Barb suggested, "find out" is much more natural than "discover" in everyday English.And no one suggested you should, so what is the point you are trying to make?
I think the "point he is trying to make" is that, as Barb suggested, "find out" is much more natural than "discover" in everyday English.
So what does it mean? And why "readjust" and not "adjust", here?and readjust your idea of what formal means.