短語動詞與動詞短語是英語學(xué)習(xí)中的一個重點也是一個難點，如何區(qū)別短語動詞與動詞短語，很多英語初學(xué)者一片茫然。就英語雙詞動詞或多詞動詞而言，大致上可分為短語動詞與動詞短語兩種基本形式。在形式上，前者多由動詞加副詞構(gòu)成，后者由動詞加介詞構(gòu)成。在意義上，這兩種動詞具有共同特點，即它們所表示的意義不是動詞和副詞或介詞各自詞義的簡單結(jié)合，而往往相當(dāng)于一個實意動詞，但短語動詞與動詞短語歸根到底不是同一個概念，在用法上，二者還是有著本質(zhì)的區(qū)別，這一點從以下五個方面得到體現(xiàn)。

1.能否接賓語 動詞短語相當(dāng)于一個及物動詞，其后 要接賓語意義才完整；而短語動詞并不全都接賓語。如：We should pay much attention to the environment protection.該句中如果去掉介詞賓語the environment protection，句子就變成了We should pay much attention to，從意義上講是一個病句。
而短語動詞用在及物句中可以接賓語，用在不及物句中則不能接賓語。如：It took me a while to adapt to the new job. 是一個及物句，因為動詞短語adapt to后面接了the new job。但 The fire went out at 10 o’clock.是一個不及物句，因為該句是一個完整的句子，動詞短語put out 后無需賓語。

下面再舉兩個含有動詞短語的例子供大家參考：
(1) I waited for him all day.
(2) What does this sigh stand for?
典例分析 When he realized the police had spotted him, the man _______ the exit as quickly as possible.
A) made off B) made for C) made out D) made up
答案B。從the exit來判斷，是要表達(dá)向出口方向移動，那么make for（走向）最為合適。make off逃走，但不能直接接the exit，make out假裝、認(rèn)出，make up補(bǔ)充、虛構(gòu)。
參考譯文：當(dāng)他意識到警察認(rèn)出他時，他以最快的速度向出口走去。

2.賓語的位置
動詞短語接賓語時，無論賓語是代詞還是名詞，都只能放在介詞之后。如： He takes after his mother /her in everything but his nose. 但我們不能說He takes his mother after，也不能說He takes her after.再如：
The schoolgirl looked quickly at the price list.我們不能說The schoolgirl looked quickly the price list at.
而及物的短語動詞則不同，接代詞作賓語時，賓語要放在動詞和副詞之間；接名詞作賓語時，賓語可以放在動詞和副詞之間，也可以放在動詞與副詞之后。如：
Another wave came, sweeping down a lot of trees and sweeping her down too. 該句中，a lot of trees 是一個名詞詞組，可以放在短語動詞sweep與副詞 down之間，也可以放在動詞sweep與副詞down之后，但her是一個賓格代詞，必須放在動詞sweep與副詞down之間。
典例分析 We had to _______ a lot of noise when the children were at home.
A) go in for B) hold on to C) put up with D) keep pace with
答案C。既然有a lot of noise，那么我們就得put up with（忍受）。go in for從事、喜歡，hold on to抓住、堅持，keep pace with跟上。
參考譯文：孩子們在家時，我們得忍受他們的吵鬧。

3.關(guān)于其被動結(jié)構(gòu)
動詞短語可以接賓語，所以大部分含有動詞短語的句子都可以變?yōu)楸粍诱Z態(tài)。如：They are talking about their new teacher.
如果我們把這一句話改為被動語態(tài)，就變成了：Their new teacher is being talked about by them.但并非所有含有動詞短語的句子都可以變?yōu)楸粍诱Z態(tài)，因為英語中有不少動詞短語用主動形式表達(dá)被動意義。如：This car belongs to a lady called Linda. 該句中belong to 就不用于被動。
又如：Great changes have taken place in China in recent years. 但不能說Great changes have been taken place in China in recent years.
再如：The Second World War broke out in 1939. 但我們不能說：The Second World War was broken out in 1939.
同樣的，并不是所有的短語動詞都能用于被動句，而只有及物的短語動詞才能用于被動句。The boss turned down the workers’ demand for higher pay. 此句中turn down 是一個加了賓語的短語動詞，可以變成一個被動句：The workers’ demand for higher pay was turned down by the boss. 再看下面的句子：She promised the children they could stay up for their favorite TV programme.該句中stay up 是一個不及物的短語動詞，所以不能變成被動句。
典例分析 This custom has ____ to us since the 19th century.
A. handed down B.handed on C.been handed down D. been handed to
答案: C。“風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣”應(yīng)是“被流傳下來”，即：“把風(fēng)俗自上而下傳下來”，hand the custom down / on to sb.”,因此選用被動語態(tài)。
參考譯文： 這種風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣自十九世紀(jì)被傳承了下來。

4.副詞的位置
有些動詞短語可以在動詞與介詞之間加入副詞（作狀語）。如：
He looked carefully at the man.
He waited anxiously for the bus.
而短語動詞則不能在動詞與副詞之間加入副詞（作狀語）。
The car broke down suddenly. 我們不說 The car broke suddenly down.
典例分析 She spent a happy afternoon _______ her coins and stamps.
A) making out B) sorting out C) figuring out D) turning out
答案B。從coin和stamp可以猜出是她的業(yè)余愛好，coin和stamp需要sort out（分類）。make out認(rèn)出，figure out思考，turn out生產(chǎn)、證明為。參考譯文：她整個下午都在給硬幣和郵票分類，過地很高興。

5.發(fā)音時重音的位置
短語動詞的重音落在副詞上。如：
Watch out! There is danger ahead.
Danger! Keep out.
而動詞短語的重音則落在動詞上。如：
The children are looking forward to seeing Nei Haisheng soon.
Let us drink to his success.
典例分析 If you had _____ your test paper carefully before handing it in, you would have made few mistakes.
A. looked up B.thought about C. gone over D.gone round
答案: C。 look up ( 在字典,參考書中)查詢,查閱; think about “考慮,想”; go over “仔細(xì)檢查,審閱”; go round/ around “夠用,夠分配” . 本題中g(shù)o over your test paper == check your test paper.
參考譯文: 如果你在交卷前認(rèn)真檢查了你的試卷，你就會少犯一些錯誤。

6.可拆性與不可拆性
如何區(qū)別動詞短語與短語動詞? 這里有一個便捷的方法可以檢驗，即看在定語從句中可不可以拆開，可以拆開的是動詞短語，不能拆開的便是短語動詞。請看下面的例句：
(1) This is the girl who/whom I learn the news from.可以把這個句子改成：This is the girl from whom I learn the news .
(2) This is the book that/ which you can refer to.可以改成 This is the book to which you can refer.
以上兩句中，learn from 和refer to 中的介詞 from 與 to 分別可移至關(guān)系代詞 whom 與 which 之前，即定語從句中的先行詞 the girl 與 the book 分別作了這兩個介詞的賓語，由此可以判定learn from 和refer to 是動詞短語而非短語動詞。
下面再看兩個例句：
（1）The baby whom you looked after yesterday was an orphan. 此句不能改成 ：The baby after whom you looked yesterday was an orphan. 因為如果把look after 拆開后已經(jīng)不再具有“照看，照料”的意義了，由此可以判定 look after 是一個短語動詞。
（2）The sports meet which you mention will be put off till next week. 此句不能改成：The sports meet off which you mention will be put off till next week. 因為如果把put off 拆開后已經(jīng)不再具有“延期，推遲”的意義了，由此可以判定put off 是一個短語動詞。
典例分析 Frequently single-parent children _______ some of the functions that the absent adult in the house would have served.
A) take off B) take after C) take in D) take on
答案D。從function這一賓語判斷，應(yīng)用take on（承擔(dān)）。take off脫掉、起飛，take after相象、照看，take in接納、欺騙。
參考譯文：通常單親家庭的孩子會承擔(dān)一些本應(yīng)該由所缺父親或母親承擔(dān)的責(zé)任。

總之，區(qū)別這兩種類型的動詞并沒有捷徑可走，唯一的辦法是在平時的學(xué)習(xí)中多留意，多積累，多摸索。