Job Discussion Forums

Mouse · Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Posts: 208

Ah, how I love them. And understandably, my students love them, too. Hmmm... Not sure that sarcasm was conveyed effectively enough. Nevermind. What I wanted to ask was whether anybody has (to hand) a good analysis of the role of particular particles in phrasal verbs: we use "on" to imply a continuing action or a phrasal verb which is done to somebody (for example -- I haven't thought extensively about that, and so may well be wrong).

Any ideas would be appreciated. Smile

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

I often throw them a lifeline by trying to find a core meaning for the root of phrasal verbs too. E.g. phrasal verbs used with "get" usually imply some sort of achievement/completion/totality

get stuffed
get laid
get a move on
get up
get away with sth
get bladdered

etc

Anyone suggest any others...?

Teacher in Rome · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 1286

The Market Leader Grammar and Usage book has a couple of pages on the use of particles. It's clear, but unfortunately there's not a lot of it! It might give you some good ideas, though.

Shaman · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 446 Location: Hammertown

I give my students opposites and use the white board to draw pictures that convey the abstract meaning. For example, "get through to" is related to "catch on". With the former, I draw two people separated by a wall - I have named it "I don't get it". After enough explanation, A manages to penetrate the "I don't get it" wall and B finally understands.

Shaman

schwa · Joined: 12 Oct 2003 Posts: 164 Location: yap

I think any set of "rules" to explain phrasal verbs would be so long & complex as to be self-defeating. But ability with phrasal verbs is crucial to making the leap from textbook english to the real spoken variety.

Heres what I started trying out this semester. At the beginning of each class, I write a common verb on the board & have the students brainstorm prepositions & surmise meaning. I suggest & explain a few too. Then we choose a couple that seem particularly useful, I leave them written in a corner of the board for a few days, & encourage incorporating them into discussions.

I limit this exercise to about 5 minutes per class -- the sheer number of phrasal verbs can seem overwhelming. Ultimately I believe they need to be learned one by one as if they were new single vocabulary terms. But by spending just a bit of time regularly, I hope my students will start to pay more attention to them.

Not sure how successful this is gonna be. Suggestions welcome.