Difference between 'fall over' and 'fall down'

[Rich7]

Test No. incompl/elem-8 "Articles", question 6

Can anyone give me ......... please because I have just fallen over?

(a) hand
(b) a hand
(c) the hand

Test No. incompl/elem-8 "Articles", answer 6

Can anyone give me a hand please because I have just fallen over?

Correct answer: (b) a hand

Your answer was: correct
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difference between "fall over" and "fall down" please

[Torsten]

Well, the result of both might be the same, however fall over means to fall forward and down whereas fall down just means what it says.

TOEIC listening, photographs: A construction worker

[Rich7]

I gotcha now....

[Dapitius]

And why is it 'give me a hand' and not 'the hand'? Thanks!

[Alan]

Hi,

You wouldn't say 'the' here because that would specify 'hand' and all the person wants is some help by being offered 'a' hand - in other words one hand.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Mitra584]

HI
WHY CAN NOT USE HAND INSTEAD OF A HAND?
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Peace&Love

[Alan]

Hi Mitra,

You need the article here because it really means 'one' and it isn't an abstract noun. By the way, writing a message in capital letters on the Internet is like shouting.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Mitra584]

Hi Alan,
Thanks a lot for your attention.I apologize for this.It was a problem of my keyboard and promise to don't repeat it.
regards
Mitra
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Peace&Love

[Kati Svaby]

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Dear Torsten,

I reply to you in the last minute but I had been abroad. About my test: at the first attempt I scored 8 good points and 2 mistakes. My mistakes were:
1.give a hand - I left out "a"
2. The Romans - I wrote without a definite article

Afterwards I've made the test twice without mistake.

Your explanation taught me for a life these rules what 's linked with these words or expressions. I 'll know from now on that before the name of nations I have to use "the".For exp: the Hungarian, The American etc.
Unfortunately I knew it earlier but I have forgotten because my knowledge is passive. Not for nothing the proverb says:"Repetition is the mother of knowledge"

Thank you everything.

Best wishes:
Kati Svaby

[Shahboraz]

Hi Torsten

Is "fall over" an expression? What does it mean?

Shahboraz

[Kati Svaby]

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Fall over= stumble or trip after hitting sb/ sth with one feet when walking= I fell over when I stumbled ovea stone.
= a standing thing overturns = The tree fell over in the storm.
The glass fell over when accidentally I gave to it a push.

[Kati Svaby]

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Fall down=1. come down = ...heavy rain fell down
...at night some snowflakes fell down
2.be shown to be false and inadequate; collapse=Because of economies fall
down in Latvia I closed my company.The plan fell down because it proved
to be too expensive.
3.stop standing, esp. suddenly; collapse=The toddler tried to walk but kept
falling down. She fell over and broke her leg.
I think to fall down can happen without an obstacle over which I stumble and fall over, and when I fall down it can happen without stumble for exp. in result in an indisposition or clumsiness.

Best regards:
Kati Svaby

[Kati Svaby]

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Correction: I stumbled over a stone.

[Kati Svaby]

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Dear Torsten,
My records were unsuccesful, I try again. This is a try.

[Shahboraz]

Hi Torsten,

Thanks a lot for explanation. I'm new here but very happy to find your website. It's "génial"!! How do you say it in English?

Shahboraz