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[obinhwan]

Hello all,

A student of mine asked me a question about the use of a phrasal verb, and I couldn't for the life of me give him a straight answer. If anybody can help me with this, I'd really appreciate it, as I told my student I would try and figure this out for him.

"The metaphor puts across the idea well."
The phrasal verb being "puts across."

Why is it incorrect to substitute "the idea" with the pronoun "it?"

So, "The metaphor puts across it well."

All I could tell him was because it doesn't sound right. I figured there has to be some kind of grammatical reason, but I can't come up with it. Can anybody help me out with this?

Thanks,

B

[Phil_K]

Unfortunately, this is one area of English grammar where it's imposible to give rules. Some phrasal verbs are separable, others not. You just kinda have to know! Your answer was about right.

However you could say, "The metaphor puts it across well"... which proves my point.

Also, Switch the light off
Switch it off

but not:

Switch off it.

[obinhwan]

Thx Phil,

The problem wasn't in determining if the phrasal verb was separable or not, (in this case separable) but rather why the pronoun "it" can't be subbed in for "the idea." I'm wondering if I should just stick with "Because it doesn't make sense." I'm sure that will be followed by a big fat "but why?"

[arioch36]

The metaphor puts it across well.

Only if you have already established that you are referring to "the idea"; and with any context, for native speakers at least, this would be inferred


"puts it across" and "puts across it" are both grammatically correct with different meaning

With concrete objects this is more concrete

Do you think

"The metaphor puts the idea across well"

and

"The metaphor puts across the idea well"

have the same meaning? Are both correct?

are puts across and put____ across both

1) phrasal verbs ?
2) with equal meaning ?

[Phil_K]

[arioch36]

[arioch36]

He puts across it a large blanket

definitely not the same meaning as

He puts it across a large blanket

[Phil_K]

No, it is generally accepted as acceptable (!) as in my example of switching of the light. But then language is a fluid animal, so we are venturing into the area where even advanced grammaticians (or is that grammarians? ) can't agree. A little like economists.

[Phil_K]

[MO39]

[arioch36]

BTW, obviously somewhere along the line "put across" has gained additional meaning, to make something known, to tell people something.
I wonder how?

Have to get John Slat to research that one

[Mike_2007]

Hi guys,

[Mike_2007]

Sorry if it seems I'm repeating what others have just said, nobody had answered when I started writing my post

[obinhwan]

Hehe, thx guys, this both helps and hurts, the pain being the headache I feel coming on.

Now even if "the idea" is already established, I still don't see "puts across it" as being correct.

[arioch36]