Getting Into Phrasal Verbs

By Rachel Abbott, ABC School’s Academic CoordinatorPhrasal verbs are two or three word combinations, consisting of a verb and another element, typically a preposition (walk into) or adverb (break even). Sometimes there is a combination of both, (look down on.) Some phrasal verbs have multiple definitions, such as take off, and the meaning depends on the context in which they are being used. This can be very confusing for English language students! Apart from the meanings, there are also grammar rules to contend with! It can be very difficult for students of English to remember which verbs go together with which prepositions or adverbs. Traditional approaches to teaching these multi-word verbs, or phrasal verbs, involve detailed study of the rules. Students study these rules and then try to remember them in order to categorise the phrasal verbs. This method can work quite well but quite often only analytical learners benefit from this approach. In my experience as an English teacher a lot of students are put off by all of these rules and want to be able to use the phrasal verbs naturally, especially when speaking. Too much focus on the grammar and terminology means less time to engage in real language use. So, what other ways are there for students of the English language to learn phrasal verbs? One way of learning phrasal verbs is by grouping them according to the verb (e.g. run) and noting down all prepositions/ adverbs that go together with this verb as you come across them and then learning the meanings. For example: Run into/ run out/ run smoothly etc. I would suggest buying an exercise book and using it exclusively for noting down phrasal verbs. Every time you learn a new phrasal verb connected to a verb, note it down and then write a full sentence for each one. This is useful for learning the meanings. To consolidate the meaning of these new phrasal verbs even further, you could try and make sentences about yourself using these phrasal verbs. Personalisation allows you to communicate real information about yourself, which makes learning more relevant and helps you to remember the words more effectively as well as providing an opportunity to use English in meaningful communication. Another way of learning phrasal verbs is through lexical sets. This means reading about a specific topic and learning phrasal verbs related to that topic. If you are interested in fashion for example, you could read an article in a magazine or newspaper about this topic and as you read, circle the phrasal verbs you see. For example: Try on, dress up, get into, pick out etc. I would recommend trying to guess the meaning from the context first before reaching for a dictionary. Once you are certain of the meaning, note it down in your note book and try to make sentences of your own, either in speech with a friend or by writing a story or blog of your own, about the topic. By being presented in a text in this way, the meaning of the phrasal verbs becomes clearer. As you can see, there are varied ways in which to learn phrasal verbs in English, but it is better if you learn in a fun, natural and interesting way that will help you to remember them more easily. Listen to conversations, read stories or articles in magazines or read internet blogs but remember to try to guess the meanings from the context. Write them down in a note book and remember to personalise! Have fun! ;)