2

climb 1 /klaɪm/ ●●● W2 verb 1 MOVE UP/DOWN [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to move up, down, or across something using your feet and hands, especially when this is difficult to do

Harry climbed the stairs.

Boys were climbing trees along the river bank.

climb up/down/along etc

The wall is too high to climb over.

They climbed up into the loft of the old barn.

enter image description here

so, "climb"is both intransitive & transitive.

When we say "the child climbed up the chair", then "up" is an adverb and "the chair" is the direct object of the transitive verb "climb"

When we say "the child climbed up onto the chair", then "up" is an adverb and "the chair" is the direct object of the preposition "onto" while "climb" is an intransitive verb.

are they roughly similar? "the child climbed up the chair" & "the child climbed up onto the chair"?

and Which one sounds better?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

The child climbed up the chair.

This means that the child was in the process of climbing up the chair.

The child climbed up onto the chair.

This means that the child has reached the top of the chair (action completed).

Improve this answer
1
  • An addition to your answer: since with 'climb up onto' the chair, the focus is on the destination (the chair) more than on the action of climbing, the child doesn't technically have to have 'climbed up' the chair to get there! Although the picture in OP's question implies 'climbing up onto' the chair is the end result of 'climbing up' the chair, the phrase 'climb up onto the chair' leaves open the possibility that another object was used as a ramp/step stool to get there. Example: The child climbed up onto the chair from the ottoman.
    – Quack E. Duck
    May 6 at 6:51

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .