Which one can be a Phrasal Verb?

[Nikolaeff]

Which one can be regarded as a Phrasal Verb and why?

We’ve got two sentences:

1. I take care of plants and flowers.
2. I go for a stroll with animals.

In the first sentence “take care of sth” I see as a phrasal verb. A friend of mine says that it’s not a phrasal verb, it’s just a phrase. She adds that “go for sth” is the only phrasal verb in this case.

Which of the two variants can be seen as the usage of a phrasal verb?

 

[jutfrank]

Neither are phrasal verbs.

 

[Nikolaeff]

Neither are phrasal verbs.

Are they delexical structures?

 

[Tarheel]

Two things. One, grammar terms are not proper nouns. Two, I don't know why "take care of" is not a phrasal verb. (Maybe somebody will explain that.)

Plants and flowers are not two different things. (I suppose "I go for a stroll with animals" makes sense in the right context, but it's hard to imagine what that might be.)

 

[Nikolaeff]

I also don’t understand why “take care of” can’t be a phrasal verb… it also contains of a verb and a preposition.

 

[5jj]

It consist of a verb and a noun and a preposition/adverb/particle.

There is no universally accepted definition of 'phrasal verb', but 'noun' does not appear in most definitions.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, "care" can be a noun or a verb. And "take care of" has a meaning that the words don't have individually.

 

[Tdol]

I also don’t understand why “take care of” can’t be a phrasal verb… it also contains of a verb and a preposition.

Does the preposition modify the meaning in the way that give up smoking has a meaning that the individual words' dictionary definitions will not give you. Verb + preposition that does not modify the meaning doesn't fit the definition of phrasal verb for many as the prepositions is doing what prepositions do- connect.

 

[jutfrank]

Are they delexical structures?

I don't like or use that term but yes, you can certainly think of take as delexical there. Is there a reason you need a label for these verb phrases? Or are you just trying to work out what is normally meant by the term 'phrasal verb'?

 

[5jj]

I anyone is interested in my views on phrasal verbs, there is an article here.