Learning a Foreign Language: Phrasal Verbs

Read the following sentences and circle the phrasal verbs:

Some people pick up new vocabulary very quickly.

If someone speaks very fast, it’s difficult to make out individual words.

My partner goes on and on and never gives me a chance to speak.

If the teachers talks for too long I drift off.

I need to brush up on my English before I go to London.

I always note down new words so I can look at them later.

If the other students in the class aren’t very enthusiastic it can rub off on you.

You need to hand in your topic form before the Trinity exam.

Sometimes I need to look up words in the dictionary.

I studied a lot of grammar in school. Now I need to focus on my speaking.

I didn’t turn up to class last week because I was ill.

If everyone in the class is better than you it can put you off.
 Learning a Foreign Language: Phrasal Verbs
Match the phrasal verbs with their meanings:

Phrasal Verb Meaning

1. brush up on _____ A. learn
2. hand in _____ B. understand/ distinguish
3. pick up _____ C. give something to the teacher
4. note down _____ D. write / make a record
5. look up _____ E. search for in a book
6. rub off on _____ F. discourage
7. drift off _____ G. arrive
8. focus on _____ H. get distracted / lose concentration
9. turn up _____ I. influence
10. put off _____ J. speak for a long time
11. go on _____ K. revise or practice
12. make out _____ L. concentrate on

Complete the opinions:

I love learning English. I _______ to class 10 minutes early so I can

get a seat at the front and I always _______my homework on time.
My best friend loves English too and I think her enthusiasm ______ on
me. She speaks much better than me but it doesn’t put me off. I
usually _________ new words quickly but I have to________ the
difficult ones and look them up in a dictionary after class. Sometimes
I find it difficult to _________ what native speakers are saying so
now I suppose I need to _________ on my listening.

I don’t know why I _______to my English class. I could ________ more

studying online. It’s hard to make _______ what the teacher’s saying
because he speaks so fast. He goes on and on about grammar and I always
_______. It’s easier to ________ more communicative activities because
they’re useful for real life. All the written exercises ____ me ____. I
should _________on the first conditional for the exam next week but I’d
rather watch paint dry.

Discuss the following questions with your partner:

1. What’s the best way to pick up new vocabulary?
2. When you watch English films do you find it difficult to make out what people are
saying?
3. Do you ever drift off in class? When?
4. What skills do you need to focus on? How will you do it?
5. What can put you off when you’re learning a new language?
6. How often do you look up new words in the dictionary?
7. Have you handed in your Trinity topic yet?
8. Are your classmates enthusiastic? Have their attitudes rubbed off on you?
Key

brush up on = practice

pick up= learn

make out= understand/ distinguish

focus on= concentrate on

drift off = get distracted / lose concentration

hand in= give something to the teacher

note down= write / make a record

look up =search for in a book

rub off on= influence

go on = speak for a long time

put off= discourage

turn up = arrive

I love learning English. I turn up to class 10 minutes early so I can get a seat at the front and I always
hand in my homework on time. My best friend loves English too and I think her enthusiasm rubs off
on me. She speaks much better than me but it doesn’t put me off. I usually pick up new words
quickly but I have to note down the difficult ones and look them up in a dictionary after class.
Sometimes I find it difficult to make out what native speakers are saying so now I need to focus on
my listening.

I don’t know why I turn up to my English class. I could pick up more studying online. It’s hard to
make out what the teacher’s saying because he speaks so quickly. He goes on and on about
grammar and I always drift off. It’s easier to focus on more communicative activities because they’re
useful for real life. All the written exercises put me off. I should brush up on the first conditional for
the exam next week but I’d rather watch paint dry.