Page 624 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

two-part verbs (2): prepositional verbs 600
I'm looking forward to the party.
For details of particular lWo-word verbs, see a good dictionary.
600 two-part verbs (2): prepositional verbs
1 verb + preposition: listen to; look at
Many English verbs are regularly followed by prepositions before objects. You never listen to me. (NOT l'Bu neue" listen me.)
Alan walked down the road without looking at anybody.
Prepositions are not used when there is no object. Listen! (NOT Listen t6.?
2 idiomatic meanings: look after, get over
The meaning of a two-word verb can be very different from the meanings of the two parts taken separately.
Could you look after the kids while I'm out? (Look after is not the same as look + after.)
It took him six months to get over his illness. (Get over is not the same as get + over.)
3 word order: What are you thinking about?
When an object comes at the beginning of a clause (e.g. in a question or relative clause), a two-word verb usually stays together, so that a preposition can be separated from its object and go at the end of the clause. For details of this and other preposition-final structures, see 452.
What are you thinking about? (NOT 21116ltt what are16lt thinking¥)
I've found the book which I was looking for. (More natural in an informal
style than ... the book for which I was looking.) For the difference belWeen prepositions and adverb particles, see 20.
For prepositional verbs In the passive, see 416.
601 unless
1 meaning
Unless has a similar meaning to if... not, in the sense of 'except if.
Come tomo"ow unless I phone. (= ... if I don't phone I except if I phone.) I'lltakethejabunlessthepayistaolaw. (=ifthepayisn'ttoolowIexceptif
the pay is too low. )
I'll be back tomorrow unless there's a plane strike.
Let's have dinner out - unless you're too tired.
I'm going to dig the garden this afternoon, unless it rains.
2 when unless cannot be used
Unless means 'except if. Unless is not used when the meaning is more like 'because ... not'. Compare:
- OK So we'll meet this evening at 7.00 - unless my train's late. (= ..• except if
my train's late.)
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