2.1. V.V. Vinogradov’s classification of phraseological units

According to the V.V. Vinogradov’s classification based on the semantic principle English phraseological units fall into the following classes:

1. Phraseological fusions (зрощення) − completely non-motivated idiomatic word-groups, represent as their name suggests the highest stage of blending together. The meaning of components is completely absorbed by the meaning of the whole, by its expressiveness and emotional properties, e.g. to bell the cat ("to take a risk for the good of others"), a white elephant ("a present one can't get rid of (избавиться) – when the king of Siamm wanted to ruin somebody he always presented a white elephant which was considered as a sacred animal in that culture and keeping it was very expensive).

2. Phraseological half-fusions − stable word-groups in which the leading component is literal, while the rest of the group is idiomaticaly fused, e.g. to rain cats and dogs ("to rain heavily" – presently this expression is not used in social English), to talk through one's hat ("to talk foolishly"), to work double tides ("to work very hard"), to buy smth. for a song ("to buy smth. very cheaply"), to pay through the nose ("to pay unreasonably much"), etc.

3. Phraseological unities (єдність) − metaphorically motivated idioms, e.g. to wash one's dirty linen in public ("to tell people about one's hidden sins and faults"), a snake in the grass ("a person harmful intentions"; "a hidden enemy"), to lose one’s heart to smb. (“to fall in love”etc.

4. Phraseological half-unities − binary word-groups in which one of the component literal, while the other is phraseologically bound (the so-termed phrasemes), small talk ("polite talk about unimportant things"), a tall story ("a lie"), husband's tea ("very weak tea"), etc.

5. Phraseological collocations/combinations (standardized phrases) − word-groups with the components whose combinative power (valency) is strictly limited, they contain one component used in its direct meaning while the other is used figuratively, e.g. to be good at something, to be a good hand at something, etc.

6. Phraseological expressions − proverbs, sayings and aphoristic familiar quotations, e.g. Still water runs deep – тиха вода греблі рве, у тихому болоті чорти водяться.

2.2. The structural principle of classifying phraseological units

The structural principle of classifying phraseological units is based on their ability to perform the same syntactical function as notional or functional parts of speech. In the traditional structural approach, the following principal groups of phraseological units are distinguishable:

1. Verbal, e.g.: to get (win) the upper hand, to take a fancy (полюбити), etc.

2. Substantive, e.g.: dog’s life, the apple of discord, etc.

3. Adjectival, e.g.: as busy as a bee, (as) pretty as a picture, as large as life, etc.

4. Adverbial, e.g.: from head to foot,

by hook or by crook (правдами и неправдами) → She decided that, by hook or by crook, she must marry him, etc.

5. Prepositional, e.g.: in the course of, etc.

6. Conjunctional, e.g.: as long as, on the other hand, etc.

7. Interjectional, e.g. Good Heavens! My Good!