Phrasal
Verbs and Common Errors - I
Dear
readers, in the previous post we discussed Collocations in detail. In today’s post, we are going to explore common errors in Phrasal Verbs that English as
non-native speakers tend to commit in their daily conversation.
Let
us understand what a phrasal verb is. A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb
and a preposition or adverb. For instance, take off, shut down, switch off, call
on, etc. The following examples deal with errors associated with the usage of the phrasal verbs.
1.
It is important to be careful when we
use the right particle (preposition/adverb) along with the verb.
· We
have to sign in for an NPTEL course. (Incorrect)
· We
have to sign up for an NPTEL course. (Correct)
· Harshan
has to work up a solution. (Incorrect)
· Harshan
has to work out a solution. (Correct)
2.
Do not confuse two phrasal verbs and
create expressions that do not exist.
· Can
you turn the fan off? (Incorrect)
· Can
you switch the fan off? (Correct)
· I
shall turn my computer off. (Correct)
3.
In Indian languages we often do not have
the prepositional particle with verbs. It is common for many Indians to omit
the particle while using English.
· I
listen music when I am free. (Incorrect)
· I
listen to music when I am free. (Correct)
· Ashok
wants to complain his manager about an issue. (Incorrect)
· Ashok
wants to complain to his manager about an issue. (Correct)
Using of the phrasal
verbs mentioned above in daily conversation makes one sound fluent in English. Let
us continue with some more errors in terms of Phrasal Verbs in the next post.
Author:
Dr. K. Nandhakumar
Assistant Professor of
English
Sri Ramakrishna
Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science (Autonomous)
Coimbatore- 641 020
Reference:
Saumya Sharma. (2017).
Common Errors in Everyday English
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