Phrasal verbs: Introduction article

By Lindsay Clandfield http://www.onestopenglish.com/skills/vocabulary/phrasal-verbs/phrasalverbs-teaching-phrasal-verbs-using-equivalents/-definitions-tips-and-activities/ !!"#$.article Level: %tarter/beginner& 'lementary& (re-intermediate& )ntermediate& *pper intermediate& +dvanced Type: ,eference material )ntroductory article on approaches to teaching phrasal verbs.

)ntroduction - .hat is different about phrasal verbs/ - 0ormality - 1ow to approach and teach phrasal verbs - )ntroducing phrasal verbs

Introduction
What is a phrasal verb? (hrasal verb& multi-word verb or two-part verb/ 2efinition from the 3acmillan 'nglish 2ictionary - Language +wareness section44

+ (hrasal 5erb is a verb formed from two 6sometimes three7 parts8 a verb and an adverb or preposition. 3ost are formed from a small number of common verbs 6such as get& go& come& put and set7 and a small number of adverbs and prepositions 6such as away& out& off& up and in7 (hrasal verbs sometimes have meanings that can easily be guessed 6such as sit down or look for7. But in most cases their meanings are quite different from the meaning of the verb they are formed from: for e9ample hold up can mean :to cause a delay: or :to try to rob someone: and has no obvious connection with the idea of :holding: something.

What is different about phrasal verbs?

)n one sense& you can say that phrasal verbs are ;ust more words and should be treated as such. 1owever& there are problems also with the grammar. 2ifferent phrasal verbs have different grammar. 1ere is the grammar of phrasal verbs: <here are five types of phrasal verb. <hese are: . Intransitive 6with no ob;ect7: =ou:re driving too fast - you ought to slow down. >. Transitive verbs whose object can come in two positions - after the verb or after the particle: ) think ):ll put my ;acket on ?, ) think ):ll put on my ;acket. )f the ob;ect is a pronoun& however& it must come between the verb and the particle: ) think ):ll put it on 6@?< ) think ):ll put on it7. A. Transitive verbs whose object must come between the verb and the particle: )ts high-quality designs sets the company apart from its rivals. !. Transitive verbs whose object must come after the particle: <he baby takes after his mother. .hy do you put up with the way he treats you/ B. erbs with two objects - one after the verb& the other after the particle: <hey put their success down to good planning. 0rom the 3acmillan 'nglish 2ictionary - Language +wareness section44

!ormality
(hrasal verbs are more informal& and are found in informal te9ts and in spoken language. 3any phrasal verbs have a Latinate equivalent. .hen students opt for this equivalent& they sound more formal. Conversely& a student who uses an informal phrasal verb in a formal situation 6like a business letter7 can sound out of place or wrong.

"ow #$T to teach phrasal verbs ?ften learners will tell you with a shake of their head that they really need to Cdo some phrasal verbsD. <his area of 'nglish is often seen as e9tremely daunting& difficult and tedious. .hy/ (erhaps itEs because the teaching of phrasal verbs has been daunting and difficult for the <'+C1',& and therefore tedious for the L'+,@',. <ry to avoid teaching phrasal verbs in the following ways:

By presenting huge lists 6in fact& lists of words the cover a page are unimaginative and daunting for any item of vocabulary& imagine having to learn all the animals by looking at a page with their names on it7 By focussing always and e9clusively on the verb 6e.g. phrasal verbs with F'<7. ?ften this results in a list 6admittedly shorter7 of verbs that are unrelated and can be confused.

"ow to approach and teach phrasal verbs

0irst of all& stop communicating to students that phrasal verbs are impossible. <his can quickly become a self-fulfilling prophecy. <he message should be that phrasal verbs are ;ust more words& that they are not that difficult to learn& and that students have already 6by an elementary stage7 acquired quite a few without realising it 6see the first lesson in this series of phrasal verbs for e9amples of phrasal verbs that students quickly pick up in the classroom7. <his still leaves problems for you& as the teacher. 1ow do you teach phrasal verbs in a fun& motivating way when so much material out there is dry and difficult to work with/ <hatEs what this section is all about. .e hope it helpsG

Introducing phrasal verbs

.ho says phrasal verbs are only for intermediate level students and up/ <he lesson at the bottom of the page is for elementary or false beginners to introduce some common phrasal verbs. )t can be used with higher levels who are suffering from Cphrasal verb an9ietyD and need to be reminded that it is not that difficultG

44 3acmillan 'nglish 2ictionary - Language +wareness %ection <he language awareness section of 3'2 includes up-to-date information on topics that are relevant to anyone who has any interest in the way the 'nglish language is being used at the beginning of the > st century. <hey are intended to give you a deeper understanding of such areas as %poken 2iscourse& 3etaphor& and (ragmatics. <hey also include articles on @umbers& (hrasal 5erbs& +cademic .riting& Computer .ords& %ensitivity: avoiding offence& British and +merican 'nglish& Business 'nglish and .ord formation.

<he materials in this section are prepared by Lindsay Clandfield& a former winner of the Lesson %hare competition.+nchor (oint:bottom

%elated %esources

&ritish 'nglish: Phrasal verbs (introduction) wor*sheet and teacher+s notes

<o practise phrasal verbs. ,uthor: Lindsay Clandfield Level: %tarter/beginner& 'lementary Type: Feneral lesson plan