Phrasal Verb - A Diagnostic

A Diagnostic

When a particle phrasal verb is transitive, it can look just like a prepositional phrasal verb. This similarity is another source of confusion, since it obscures the difference between prepositional and particle phrasal verbs. A simple diagnostic distinguishes between the two, however. When the object of a particle verb is a definite pronoun, it can and usually does precede the particle. In contrast, the object of a preposition can never precede the preposition:

a. You can bank on Susan.

b. *You can bank her on.

a. You can take on Susan.

b. You can take her on.

a. He is getting over the situation.

b. *He is getting it over.

a. He is thinking over the situation.

b. He is thinking it over.

The object of a preposition must follow the preposition, whereas the object of the particle verb can precede the particle especially if it is a definite pronoun, since definite pronouns are very light.