This paper argues that even though the English Verb Particle Constructions (VPCs) seem to exhibit the heterogeneous properties, they can be accounted for on the small clause analysis. On the one hand, particles can be separated from the VPCs. This means that VPCs are syntactically visible. On the other hand, VPCs are the input for the further derivational word process and can receive an idiomatic interpretation. In this case, VPCs are considered to be a morphological word. However, a close examination reveals that word process and an idiomatic interpretation are not exclusively limited to words. They also can be applicable to phrases. Thus VPCs are not necessary to be taken as a morphological word. It ensues that the complex head analysis of VPCs is not required.
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