Phrasal verbs starter pack and task! ;-)

After teaching a lesson on phrasal verbs, I thought it a must- to share some information on the subject, a tricky subject indeed- so, thank you to Diana for the inspiration today- for the laughter and smiles! We moved mountains in class :)  I trust that this blog entry proves helpful!

Question: What are Phrasal Verbs?

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition/adverb that has a figurative meaning-

You cannot always guess their meaning by looking at the verb alone!

There is an important aspect to consider in order to use a phrasal verb correctly:           Is it TRANSITIVE or INTRANSITIVE?

A tricky type of phrasal verb is a TRANSITIVE VERB- because they need an object. 

Some of them can be separated and others not at all! :) This is why we should learn them as we meet them!

If the phrasal verb is followed by an object, it's what we call, transitive.

Some transitive verbs are separable.( There are lists available- e-mail me, of you need help with finding the necessary!) This means that the object can be placed between the verb and the preposition/adverb, or after the preposition/adverb.

Examples:

Don't put off your homework to the last minute.

Don't put your homework off to the last minute.

Lets look at some examples to make the idea more tangible/understandable:

Stick around-------------------------> Phrasal verb

(To understand the meaning- we can use the logic of the particle...)

*(PARTICLE) around---> in this area/place...

*(VERB)stick--> fixed-glued...

So---> ''stick around'' would mean to stay in one place.

EXAMPLE:

''Stick around, don't leave yet! we have more Grammar to learn!''.

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put off-------------------->phrasal verb

*Off= remove/away from...

*put= to place something somewhere

So- ''put off'' would mean to delay something or to feel disgusted/sickened by something or someone:

EXAMPLE:

I put off the meeting until next Tuesday/ I put the meeting off until next week Tuesday.

*** I put off the meeting/ I  put the meeting off ...

I was put off when I found hair in my food! The hair in my food put me off!

NOTA BENE:

  

When the direct object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and the particle.

a.   We put off the engagement.

b.   We put the engagement off.

c.   We put it off     but NOT We put off it.

RECAP:

- transitive phrasal verbs have a direct object;

- intransitive phrasal verbs do not have a direct object.

BOOK A LESSON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT USING PHRASAL VERBS, PRONOUNCING THEM AND EXACTING MEMORIZATION!

TASK:

Listen the the following song and then search for the highlighted phrasal verbs in a good dictionary, also finding whether they are transitive or intransitive:

Turn around, every now and then I get a

little bit lonely and you're never coming round

Turn around, Every now and then I get a

little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears

Turn around, Every now and then I get a

little bit nervous that the best of all the

years have gone by

Turn around, Every now and then I get a

little bit terrified and then I see the look in

your eyes

Turn around bright eyes, Every now and

then I fall apart

Turn around bright eyes, Every now and

then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight

And I need you more than ever

And if you'll only hold me tight

We'll be holding on forever

And we'll only be making it right

Cause we'll never be wrong together

We can take it to the end of the line

Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time

I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark

We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks

I really need you tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love

But now I'm only falling apart

There's nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart

Once upon a time there was light in my life

But now there's only love in the dark

Nothing I can say

A total eclipse of the heart

INSTRUMENTAL

Turn around bright eyes

Turn around bright eyes

Turn around, every now and then I know

you'll never be the boy you always

you wanted to be

Turn around, every now and then I know

you'll always be the only boy who

wanted me the way that I am

Turn around, every now and then I know

there's no one in the universe as

magical and wonderous as you

Turn around, every now and then I know

there's nothing any better and there's

nothing I just wouldn't do

Turn around bright eyes, Every now and

then I fall apart

Turn around bright eyes, Every now and

then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight

And I need you more than ever

And if you'll only hold me tight

We'll be holding on forever

And we'll only be making it right

Cause we'll never be wrong together

We can take it to the end of the line

Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time

I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark

We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks

I really need you tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight

Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love

But now I'm only falling apart

There's nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart

READING TEXTS AND SOME INSTRUCTIONS: READING TIPS FOR STUDENTS:

Good day, gorgeous people of the page- I thought I would re-post some tips from a previous blog entry- just as a refresher- a little encouragement when it comes to reading for vocabulary acquisition and such. I have added some texts of reasonable length, to get you started on this self-study adventure!

I trust that my blog serves you well and that you will certainly approach me if you would like any specific posts or need further tips! For today- just a recap and a kind hello from Sunny South Africa!

RE-POST FROM AN OLD BLOG: A KINDLY REMINDER TO ALL:

Why on earth should reading be a silent activity? I fully encourage and actively believe in the power of  reading activities as a lead in to lessons-reading aloud. 

Reading shapes us- moulds the imagination and helps us retrieve prior knowledge ( words we have seen before/grammar structures we may have studied previously.) it may even awaken vocabulary that has long since lain dormant ( fallen asleep for a time...vocabulary we know and just have not used in a while.) 

To distinguish sounds that differ from those of your  native language, reading aloud with guided instruction is essential. 

  READING TIPS FOR STUDENTS:

Pick a few sentences from your reading text and highlight the content words. (words like verbs, adverbs, adjectives and so on.)

Read these sentences focusing on SAYING THESE WORDS LOUDER (content words) -with more stress , while quickly speaking over/ gliding over - the structure words/function words. (Words like pronouns/ prepositions and articles.)

When you feel  comfortable reading a single paragraph aloud, read an entire page by reading a paragraph aloud and then reading one silently.Continue in this order-

The next step is to record your voice- this is a great way to grade your own reading and decide where to improve while keeping track of your progress. The more you read- the better you become in good time!

Confusing word pairs PART ONE ( a short review...)- TOEIC Students and Upper level learners

Vocabulary acquisition is a challenge when learning a new language, trust me, I know. I am bilingual, fluent in Afrikaans as a second language-steadily working at Russian and attempting German as some of you may well know- yet I am well aware of the fact that vocabulary acquisition is a never-ending road...

Remembering vocabulary is always a challenge after we have have learnt new words. A simple fact.

This is an issue raised by many of my students as we study new words and phrases in class.To make matters more interesting- the situation of dealing with synonyms and homonyms can often cause confusion. In my experience- words are often confused by students, no matter the level they are on. 

Word pairs are essential- something to be taught and studied, these word pairs often appear in exams like the TOEIC.

Below, is a short review of some confusing word pairs:

..........................................................................................................

advice (noun)

recommendation

I need some advice, how can I manage my time?

advise (verb)

the act of giving a recommendation

I advise (that) you go and see her now!

.................................................................................................................

effect:

the result or influence of something- noun

I tried taking tablets for the headache but they didn't have any effect.

affect:

 to influence or produce an effect on

Health issues, like Fibromyalgia affect people in their twenties right through to those in their more senior years.

.......................................................................................................

allot

to give something, especially a share of something available, for a particular purpose:

[+ two objects] They allotted everyone a separate desk.

a lot

always two words meaning many

I have a lot of homework to correct.

...........................................................................................................

assistance (noun)

help

I need some assistance with these reports.

assistants (noun)

people who help

I need a new assistant- the one I have at the moment just isn't working out!

............................................................................................................

complement / compliment

Complement is a noun or verb that means something that completes or makes up a whole:

The black jacket is a perfect complement to those lovely slacks.

Compliment is a noun or verb that means an expression of praise or admiration:

Students receive compliments when they do well in class.

................................................................................................................

council / councilor / counsel / counselor

A councilor is a member of a council, which is an assembly called together for discussion or deliberation. 

A counselor is one who gives counsel, which is advice or guidance. More specifically, a counselor can be an attorney or a supervisor at camp.

.................................................................................................................

i.e. / e.g.

The abbreviation e.g. means for example (from Latin exempli gratia): 

She gives a variety of language sessions (e.g.,Art, crafts, English literature, Grammar and Exam tutorials.).

 The abbreviation i.e. means that is or in other words (from Latin id est): 

The joy of my existence (i.e., Teaching English) imbues my life with meaning.

....................................................................................................................

lend / loan

Some say that loan should only be used as a noun, lend and loan are both acceptable as verbs in standard English: “Can you lend (loan) me a dollar?” However, only lend should be used in figurative senses: “Will you lend me a hand?”/ ''lend me an ear...''