English Grammar Drills - Mark Lester 2009
4. Object + adverb of place
11 Multiple Verb Complements
Part 2 Verb Phrases
A few verbs require an expression of place after the object. For example:
I put the box on the table.
The verb put requires an expression of place. When you put something, you have to put it somewhere. If we delete the expression of place, the sentence becomes ungrammatical:
X I put the box.
The expression of place can be an adverb prepositional phrase (as in the example), or merely a single-word adverb. For example:
I put the box there.
I put the box down.
I put the box back.
The adverb of place can also include adverbs that have a sense of motion or direction toward a place. For example:
I pushed a coin into the slot of the vending machine.
I drove the car into the garage.
I drove the car around the parking lot.
All of the verbs that take this complement type have a sense of causing someone or something to be placed somewhere or to be moved to some place. Here are some more examples:
Can you take me to the airport?
Carefully, I laid the eggs in the carton.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. (Saying)
Show me where to go.
Send any mail that comes to my home address.
One particular pair of verbs that take this complement type causes some nonnative speakers a problem: bring and take. In English, as in many languages, bring and take are directional words. Bring means “toward the speaker,” and take means “away from the speaker.” For example:
Please bring the books to me. (toward the speaker)
Please bring the books here. (toward the speaker)
Please take the books to his office. (away from the speaker)
Please take the book there. (away from the speaker)
Exercise 11.7
Decide whether bring or take is more appropriate in the following sentences.
1. Can you (bring/take) me home after the meeting?
2. Did you (bring/take) the visitors to the Art Gallery in Old Town?
3. I can (bring/take) them back here, if you like.
4. The van will (bring/take) you to where the ship will dock.
5. Let me (bring/take) you out to dinner tonight.
6. Please (bring/take) the kids back here after the movie.
7. (Bring/Take) your umbrella if you go out to lunch.
8. Why did you (bring/take) them there?
9. The trash collectors finally (brought/took) away the old Christmas tree.
10. Look at the trash along the shoreline that the high tide (brought/took) in.