Learn English – “I’m going to take and stir the cake mix”

grammaticalityverbs

Please explain why this sentence is grammatically incorrect.

I'm going to take and stir the cake mix.

Best Answer

The take and + Vb construction in English is one of a number that fall under the general heading of Serial Verbs (known also as "small verbs", in the case of English). Take is a causative of go, a verb which occurs frequently in such constructions.

Serial verbs occur when two verbs whose meanings complement each other are used together in a single verb phrase. Some languages frequently form complex serial verb constructions, like go cut carry stack wood.

Other English serial verb constructions include

  • go + V-ing, as in We’re going shopping. They went hiking. Let’s go digging for clams
    • plus ungrammatical *Let’s go eating. *We’re going teaching. *They went daydreaming.
  • go and + V, as in Bill went and dug some clams.
  • come + V, as in He asked us to come eat the clams.
  • come and + V, as in He said "Come and get it!"
  • go + V, as in We’re going to go eat them.

See question 4 on this Midterm Exam.

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