call on vs trip on or stumble over

[JACEK1]

Hello everybody.

Is it proper to say "I have got to put all my toys back where they belong so that people do not fall on them and break their limbs".

By " so that people do not fall on them" I mean "so that people do not trip on/stumble over them".

Is my reasoning right?

Thank you.

 

[Tarheel]

I think you are looking for "trip over" here. Somebody might trip over something that is on the floor.

 

[teechar]

Use "trip over them."

 

[JACEK1]

Yes, but it was "fall on" for sure and it was expressed in American English. Is anything wrong with "fall on"? I am very eager to know that.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, it is certainly possible to fall on something, but first there has to be a reason for the fall.

 

[JACEK1]

Toys scattered all over the floor would certainly be a reason for the fall.

 

[emsr2d2]

"Break their limbs" is very unnatural.

Put your toys away or someone might trip over them and break their neck!

Even though "break their neck" is rather extreme, it's a commonly used phrase (in BrE) to suggest that someone might suffer a serious injury.

 

[Skrej]

I think 'fall on' them is okay - it's akin to saying 'fall on the ice'.

In both cases, the object may be both the cause of the fall as well as a potential landing spot.