Learning Phrases and Phrasal Verbs

Most students find learning phrasal verbs a real challenge. They can be confusing and complex, but today's activity looks at a way that you can make learning them a little more fun.

This activity combines two different website Phrases.net and TransL8it to help you learn and test yourself on new phrasal verbs.

Task:

• First decide on the phrasal verbs you want to learn or revise. If you can't think of any then just go to: http://www.phrases.net/ and you'll see some in the left column.

• Click on one and you'll see that you get more information about it. This includes what it means, an audio clip example of how to say it and an example sentence. You can also get a translation.

• Listen to the audio clip and then highlight the example sentence and copy it. Once you have copied it go to: http://www.transl8it.com/ and paste or write the sentence into the left hand field. Then click on the button that says 'transL8it-->'. This will translate your text into English sms texting language.

• Now copy and paste the sms translation into a word processing document.
• Go back to Phrase.net and repeat this process with ten more example sentences from phrasal verbs you would like to remember and copy them all into your document.
• Once you have the ten sentences in sms text chat language, try to remeber them and translate them back to standard English ( You can leave this until the next day if you prefer).
• Once you have finished check your answers by copying and pasting your translations of the sms text into the left column http://www.transl8it.com/ to see if you get the same translation again.
  

You can use this technique to rivise any new phrases or sentneces that you learn. You could even start translating example sentences from other vocaulary you want to learn. This will also help you to understand English sms and text chat.

I hope you enjoy this activity and try it regularly to develop your memory. here you can find more vocabulary building activities.

Related links for teachers:

• Find Easy to Read Text for Lower Levels
  
• Revising Short Texts and Syntax on IWB
• Prompting reading speeds
• Comparing Texts to Aid Noticing
• Write Your Own Quick Biography
• Animated EFL ESL Writing Prompts
• A Tool for Comparing Words
• Flickr and Wiktionary Based Image Dictionary

Best

Nik Peachey