up high

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1
  1. A giraffe was eating leaves up high on a tree.
  2. A giraffe was eating leaves high on a tree.
    Are these correct?
    Is ‘up high’ a fixed phrase or ‘up’ a preposition?
2

Could anyone help me?
Thanks.

3

I’m afraid I don’t have anything useful to say about your second question, but when I read the sentences my first image was of a giraffe climbing a tree!

4

Dozy,
So # 1 is OK.
Is ‘up high’ a fixed phrase or ‘up’ a preposition?
OR
Is ‘eat up’ used as a phrasal verb?
Please explain.

5

In “eating leaves up high on a tree”, “up” naturally associates with “high”, not “eat”. It would not normally be read as an instance of the phrasal verb “eat up”.

6

Dozy,
Can I say : “A giraffe was eating leaves up on a tree.”?

7

You could, but you ought to be wary about doing so. That sounds a little as if the giraffe were sitting in the tree.