Phrasal verbs are a common feature of English language that can pose a challenge for both learners and teachers. In this blog post, I will explain what phrasal verbs are, why they are important, and how to teach them effectively in the EFL classroom.
What are phrasal verbs?
Phrasal verbs are verbs that consist of two or more words: a main verb and one or more particles. Particles can be prepositions (such as in, on, up, down) or adverbs (such as away, back, out, off). For example:
- She looked up the word in the dictionary. (look + up)
- He turned off the TV and went to bed. (turn + off)
- They ran away from the police. (run + away)
Phrasal verbs have different meanings from the main verb alone. Sometimes, the meaning is predictable from the context or the particle. For example:
- He picked up the phone. (pick + up = lift something)
- She put down the book. (put + down = place something on a surface)
However, many phrasal verbs have idiomatic meanings that are not easy to guess. For example:
- He made up a story. (make + up = invent something)
- She broke down in tears. (break + down = lose control of emotions)
- They got along well. (get + along = have a good relationship)
Why are phrasal verbs important?
Phrasal verbs are important because they are very common in spoken and written English. According to some estimates, there are more than 10,000 phrasal verbs in English, and they account for about 20% of all verb occurrences. Phrasal verbs are especially frequent in informal contexts, such as conversations, emails, texts, and social media posts. Therefore, learning phrasal verbs can help EFL students improve their fluency and comprehension of natural English.
Moreover, phrasal verbs can express subtle nuances of meaning that may not be captured by a single word. For example:
- He gave up smoking. (give + up = stop doing something)
- He quit smoking. (quit = stop doing something)
Both sentences have the same basic meaning, but the phrasal verb give up implies more difficulty or reluctance than the verb quit.
How to teach phrasal verbs in the EFL classroom?
Teaching phrasal verbs can be challenging because there are so many of them and they often have multiple meanings depending on the context. However, there are some strategies that can help EFL teachers make phrasal verbs more accessible and memorable for their students.
Group phrasal verbs by topic or theme. For example, you can teach phrasal verbs related to travel, such as check in, take off, get on, get off, etc. This way, you can provide a meaningful context for the phrasal verbs and help students associate them with a specific situation.
Group phrasal verbs by particle. For example, you can teach phrasal verbs with up, such as wake up, stand up, grow up, etc. This way, you can highlight the common patterns or functions of the particle and help students notice the similarities and differences among the phrasal verbs.
Use visual aids or gestures to illustrate the meaning of phrasal verbs. For example, you can use pictures or diagrams to show the direction or movement of the particle. You can also use body language or facial expressions to convey the emotion or attitude of the speaker. This way, you can appeal to different learning styles and make phrasal verbs more concrete and memorable.
Provide plenty of practice and exposure to phrasal verbs. For example, you can use games, quizzes, puzzles, songs, stories, or videos to engage students in using and recognizing phrasal verbs in various contexts. You can also encourage students to keep a record of new phrasal verbs they encounter and review them regularly.
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English language that EFL students need to master. By using these strategies, EFL teachers can make phrasal verbs more manageable and enjoyable for their students.