Misrepresenting The Constituency Of Phrasal Verbs

Martin, Matthiessen & Painter (2010: 185):

Sequences of verb + preposition + nominal group, as in it would open + up + another fascinating strand, can potentially represent either of two functional configurations. The preposition can be analysed as part of the verbal group (open up) or as combining with the following nominal group to form a prepositional phrase (up another fascinating strand).

Blogger Comments:

To be clear, this misrepresents the constituency of phrasal verbs. The preposition or adverb of a phrasal verb is not part of a verbal group, and it serves as an Adjunct in the interpersonal structure of a clause, in contradistinction to the verbal group, which serves as the Finite and Predicator:

Halliday (1994: 207, 209):

Phrasal verbs are lexical verbs that consist of more than just the verb word itself. They are of two kinds, plus a third, which is a combination of the other two:

(i) verb + adverb, e.g. look out ‘unearth, retrieve’

(ii) verb + preposition, e.g. look for ‘seek’

(iii) verb + adverb + preposition, e.g. look out for ‘watch for the presence of’