If we want to use the verb answer, should we say: "answer to the phone" or "answer the phone"? How about other cases like answering (to) other things like someones question, query etc.
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2"Answer the phone". Or maybe "pick up the phone"? – user178049 Mar 23 '17 at 8:10
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Please see here for the definition of "answer to." Meanwhile, in the phrase, "the answer to someone's question," "answer" is a noun, not a verb, so the "to" acts in yet another capacity. – Teacher KSHuang Mar 23 '17 at 8:59
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1@TeacherKSHuang Prezackerly so. See my answer below! :) – Araucaria - Not here any more. Mar 23 '17 at 9:04
The verb answer is normally used either without any Complements, or with a Direct Object:
- "Yes", she answered. (no Complement)
- Answer the question. (with Direct Object, the question)
- I answered him. (with Direct Object him)
- Answer the phone. (with Direct Object phone)
When answer means to respond as in the sentences above, it does not take preposition phrases as Complements:
- *Answer to the question. (ungrammatical)
- *I answered to him. (ungrammatical when used with this meaning).
- *Answer to the phone. (ungrammatical)
Nouns cannot take Objects. For this reason when we use the noun "answer", we put the thing being answered in a preposition phrase with to:
- The answer to the question ...
- My answer to him ...
Note
There is another meaning of the verb answer, to take orders from, obey, and explain your actions to someone: (definition from Cambridge Dictionaries). When used with this meaning the verb answer takes a to-preposition phrase as a Complement:
The Vice-Principal answers directly to the Principal.
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I've upvoted your answer, but mind if I edit your post to say, "When answer means to respond as in the sentences above, it does not take preposition phrases as Complements because it is a noun:" I just want to make it more clear for readers that the reason is because it is a noun. – Teacher KSHuang Mar 23 '17 at 9:25
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@TeacherKSHuang Yes, edit away. Thanks! (I'm working now so can't loiter on ELL!!!) [But you mean because it is a *verb, right?] – Araucaria - Not here any more. Mar 23 '17 at 9:32
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1Heh, yes, exactly! So I didn't even edit it; only corrected the spelling :D. – Teacher KSHuang Mar 23 '17 at 9:38
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Thanks for the answer. How about this case: a search engines answers to the user's query. or should it be: a search engine answers user's query. – lonesome Mar 23 '17 at 11:22