TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units trainers notes

Description
These activities introduce participants to the different types of lexical units. Participants
practise categorising words and phrases, then do a sample TKT: KAL task.
Time required:

30 minutes

Materials
required:

Aims:

Participants worksheet (1 copy per participant)

Sample task (1 copy per participant)
to introduce different types of lexical units
to practise categorising words and phrases into their type of lexical
unit
to practise a sample TKT: KAL task

Procedure
1. Write the following words on the board:
to take off* (when
a person leaves)

high rise*

better late than never*

potato chips*

corkscrew*

to let the cat out of the bag*

temporary

acute stress*

one solution to the problem might be...*

sooner or later*

dangerous driver*

to feel under the weather*

to sharpen

Id like to suggest*

Elicit which of these words/phrases are lexical chunks (the asterisked

words/phrases).
2. Allow participants to discuss in small groups what kinds of chunks this group of
words contains. Feed back ideas in order to elicit the four categories: collocations,
idioms, fixed phrases, formulaic phrases.
3. Write the terms at the top of four columns on the board. In small groups or pairs,
allow 5 minutes for participants to categorise the phrases and to add their own
examples to each column.
4. Check and discuss answers, adding the suggestions to the correct column (see Key
below).
5. Give out Participants worksheet. Ask participants to work in their pairs or small
groups to identify the words/phrases in each set which do not fit. Feed back together
or between different groups (see Key below).

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TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units trainers notes

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6. Give out the Sample task. Participants work individually to complete the task. Allow
no more than 9 minutes for this (candidates have an average of 1 minute per
question in the TKT: KAL exam). Check answers (see Key below).
7. Write or show the following questions on the board:
a) How might knowledge of lexical units help the teacher in the classroom?
b) Would it be useful or not for teach learners these terms?
As groups finish the worksheet, encourage them to discuss these questions together.
Feed back ideas with the whole group. (See Key below.)

Additional information
In the TKT: KAL exam, tasks may go across some of the areas listed in the syllabus,
as in this sample task, or focus just on one area.
See the TKT: KAL Sample Paper questions 16 for an example task in which lexical
units are touched on.
https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/teachingqualifications/kal
Questions 1420 in the same sample paper cover the area of multi-word verbs.

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TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units trainers notes

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TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units answer keys

Key to Procedure steps
Step 4:
Collocations

high rise; acute stress; potato chips; dangerous driver

Idioms

to let the cat out of the bag; to feel under the weather, to take off

Fixed phrases

better late than never; sooner or later

Formulaic phrases

one solution to the problem might be...; Id like to suggest

Step 7:
a) How might knowledge of lexical units help the teacher in the
classroom?
This knowledge could help in:
designing worksheets
answering students questions
recognising cohesion in texts
identifying chunks and collocations to teach students
identifying reasons behind students mistakes
using course books, where many of these terms are used regularly
b) Would it be useful or not for teach learners these terms?
This knowledge could help in:
making students aware of what aspects of language some exams
focus on e.g. cloze tests in FCE
using course books, where many of these terms are used regularly
Key to Participants Worksheet
The following items do not fit:
A: Collocations*

frightening trees; broken trousers; beautifully driven;

B: Idioms

to multi-task; a great day for swimming; laugh hysterically; nobodys

business

C: Fixed phrases

the back door; business is looking up; scrambled eggs; a biased

argument

D: Formulaic
phrases

What a lovely haircut!; Pass me that book; Nobodys interested; The

future looks promising

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TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units answer keys

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* Collocation is related to register and therefore can be very variable. While these are not
common collocations they could be used in certain contexts, e.g. poetry, sports commentary.
TKT: KAL would not work with sets of words that were not clearly collocations.

Key to Sample Task

1. A

2. D

3. B

4. F

5. A

6. E

7. B

8. C

9. B

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TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units Participants Worksheet

Spot the chunk which does not belong in each set.
A: Collocations
set the table

to log on

frightening trees

hideously expensive
broken trousers

brand new

a sharp drop

(it) rose dramatically

beautifully driven

to work hard

the cats tail

broken fence

B: Idioms
a little bird told me

to learn the ropes

runs in the family

to multi-task

up to his eyes in work

a great day for swimming

to get up

drag and drop

on its last legs

to be in someones bad books

laugh hysterically

take something in your stride

nobodys business

C: Fixed phrases
to sum up

come in handy

to tell you the truth

the back door

one way or another

business is looking up
more or less

the thing is

as a matter of fact

time and again

so to speak

scrambled eggs

a biased argument

you might as well

generally speaking
D: Formulaic phrases
Bye for now

What a lovely haircut!

Pass me that book

Nobodys interested

Is this seat free?

Get a move on

See you later

Hows it going?

How are you?

No worries

The future looks promising

Sleep well

Cheers

Have a good day

UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo

TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units Participants Worksheet

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TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units Sample Task

A teacher is completing a task on lexis on a teacher training website for her own professional
development.
For questions 1 9, match the sentences with the types of lexical units they contain,
listed A H.
You will need to use some of the options more than once
Types of lexical unit
A

formulaic phrase

compound

idioms

word family

lexical set

fixed phrase

Sentences
1. Have a good trip he said, as Jane climbed on to the coach.
2. After youve cleaned the stove, Ill clean all those dirty cushions.
3. I must remember to pack my alarm clock.
4. Sooner or later hell have to retire.
5. Look after yourself was something he always used to repeat.
6. She put her printer and computer onto the new desk.
7. I really need to buy a new hard drive, Tom said unhappily..
8. Dont judge a book by its cover is excellent advice.
9. The argument was very one-sided.

UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further
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TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis: Lexical Units Sample Task

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