Is there a substantive reason for the placement of "up"

[BWFoster78]

I prefer not to use words like "up" and "out," but sometimes they're needed.

Is there a reason to choose:

He held up his hand.

over

He held his hand up.

I'd probably lean toward the first simply because it breaks up the alliteration, but are there other considerations I'm not thinking of?

Thanks.

 

[Butterfly]

Ha, ha the second one made me imagine a fella holding up his severed hand - I don't know why.

Perhaps neither, and it would be better phrased as, 'he reached to the sky.'

 

[Frog]

I'm pretty sure the meaning of those two sentences is the same. The first makes me think of someone responding to a question, the second feels like more of a warning gesture, but I'm pretty sure that's just me. I'd say go with whatever rhythm works best in your particular context.

 

[Twook00]

"He raised his hand" would probably suffice for this example, depending on the context. But consider a man hanging from a ledge. Does he "heave himself" or does he "heave himself up?" Maybe he "hoists himself onto the ledge."

 

[BWFoster78]

"He raised his hand" would probably suffice for this example, depending on the context. But consider a man hanging from a ledge. Does he "heave himself" or does he "heave himself up?" Maybe he "hoists himself onto the ledge."

Yes. You could avoid the problem altogether by choosing a different wording.

However, sometimes you want to use an expression that requires the "up," such as with held, and the questions still stands.

 

[Penpilot]

I think both are valid. Choice of one over the other or even neither is dependent on context. In general, some phrasing just flows better in conjunction with the rest of the prose. That's the way I think any way.

 

[BWFoster78]

Penpilot,

Maybe that's the case. I keep encountering this situation and couldn't come up with a guideline other than "sounds right."

Thanks.

 

[Butterfly]

The only advice I ever came across on a similar issue was...

If you feel tempted to write 'she tossed her head, you should ask yourself, how far?'

Unfortunately, I can't remember where I read that.

 

[Twook00]

For kicks I did a word search for "up" in a pdf of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonflight. She used it 15 times in the first 10 pages (3 times on page five). "Out" appeared 11 times in the first 10.

 

[Feo Takahari]

I checked Grammar Girl. "Up" is a preposition, so many writers dislike using it at the end of a sentence, but strictly speaking, there's nothing wrong it.