What's the different between kneel and kneel down?
In the first example you can choose whether to use kneel or kneel down but in the second you can't. why you can't? whats the difference?
She knelt (down) beside the child.
He knelt in front of the altar and prayed.
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Answers · 5
1
In my experience, you can use "down" in either case. You can also omit "down" in either case.
0
You can use "down" in both sentences.
0
I agree that "knelt down" in the second sentence is a bad idea. This is because it is way to common to say "kneel at an alter." It is to the point of being a complete common phrase, and the phrase does not contain 'down'. The first sentence does not have this same expectation. Therefore, you can use or not use 'down' in the first sentence.
0
i believe it is correct (but awkward) to say either knelt or knelt down, but i would avoid knelt Down because Down is redundant. (one can not kneel Up)
0
kneel: to put your self in your knees
to kneel down: to put bow before someone or something
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