In the example given under object, ate is the verb. Lexis is the noun meaning the vocabulary of a language. In other words, it doesn't make sense without being attached to a main clause. Phrasal verbs can stand alone and don't need to be followed by a noun. See Rediscover Grammar , recommended in the bibliography , for a detailed explanation of both phrasal and prepositional verbs.
Connotations can be positive or negative.
So standard British English is not identical to standard American English or Australian English, and so on. English as a Second Language. In Britain this term is reserved for those who live in this country and whose mother tongue is not English. In the United States, ESL is used for both groups. English for Speakers of Other Languages.