0

What is the difference between them beside their syntax?

For example,

He (subject) + climbed (intransitive verb) + up the mountain (prepositional phrase)

He (subject) + climbed (transitive verb) + the mountain (direct object)

Why do you use one over the other?

A S
  • 83
  • 1
    Does this answer your question? What is the real difference between direct objects and prepositional phrases? ('When a student asks me "why do some verbs need prepositions and others don't?" is the answer always "intransitive vs. transitive verbs?"') There's another question somewhere which looks at verbs taking an 'optional' preposition (eg brush / fight / appeal [against]). – Edwin Ashworth Oct 02 '22 at 18:58
  • @A S Syntactically, you need to match the functions: the noun phrase "the mountain" is,as you say, direct object of "climbed" -- that's its function. "Up the mountain" is, as you say, a preposition phrase, but its function is that of complement. – BillJ Oct 02 '22 at 19:33

0 Answers0