Transitive Phrasal Verbs in English–Chinese Learners’ Dictionaries: A Syntactic Perspective

Abstract This article explores the treatment of transitive phrasal verbs (TPVs) in English–Chinese learners’ dictionaries (ECLDs). Despite the syntactic and semantic complexities of TPVs, research on the systematic treatment of TPVs in ECLDs has been limited. By annotating syntactic structures, ECLDs can present the semantic and pragmatic characteristics of TPVs more accurately and assist learners in using appropriate syntactic structures to communicate deeper meanings in language output. Phrasal verbs (PVs) are a category of verb combinations with distinct syntactic structures, functioning as single-word lexical verbs despite being multiword verbs in form. A test administered to intermediate and advanced English learners revealed that Chinese EFL learners made frequent mistakes in using PVs, reflecting the confusion and uncertainty surrounding these structures. This paper presents a comparison of the different classifications of multiword verbs present in ECLDs, arguing that these variations have only further muddied the waters with relation to PVs. Based on an analysis of the unique syntactic features of PVs, it proposes that ECLDs can enhance English learners’ understanding of TPVs through the systematic use of tables, annotations, and examples.