ENGLISH CHAT CAFE BLOG

PHRASAL VERBS? NO PROBLEM!!

2012-01-31T04:54:00.000-08:00

Hello again and Welcome to the English Chat Cafe Blog!!

Students always become stressed at the mention of phrasal verbs, purely because they haven´t been taught how to use them correctly. It´s actually easier to grasp (to dominate) than you think....so just sit back, relax and read on.

What are phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs are made up of a verb and a particle and are used in every day conversational English. In an informal setting a native speaker can use on average about two phrasal verbs in one short sentence.

Let´s take a look at their basic structure:-

1. A phrasal verb is made up of a verb and a particle (a preposition) e.g. to get to (to arrive)

2. A phrasal verb has a literal meaning and an idiomatic meaning e.g.

LITERAL MEANING

to take down=to dismantle something

IDIOMATIC MEANING

to take down= to write something down

3. A phrasal verb can be intransitive=it takes NO object e.g.

On New Year´s Eve in London, the fireworks go off just after midnight

4. A phrasal verb can be transitive=it takes an object e.g.

Type (i) SEPARABLE to try something on e.g.

During the January sales I always try on loads of clothes that I never buy

N.B. If the object of a separable phrasal verb is a pronouun, it always goes between the verb and the particle e.g.
....I always try them on (them=pronoun)

Type(ii) NOT SEPARABLE to get over e.g.

Gonzalo is getting over his winter cold and he´s feeling much better now.

How to learn Phrasal Verbs

To be able to speak English like a native, be it in a professional or a personal setting, you need to know how to use them effectively. There´s no escaping from Phrasal Verbs, so let´s see how they are best learnt.

1. To be understood and used fully, they need to be introduced in a context which is familiar to you, the learner, so that you leverage your memorising them.

2. The context could be written, a spoken anecdote or even heard in a film, but remember they MUST BE INTRODUCED NATURALLY.

3. From the context, as long as it´s familiar, you´ll be able TO GUESS its meaning... believe me nine times out of ten your guess will be correct and you´ll be feeling very pleased with yourself and extremely confident.

4. Never take a list of phrasal verbs and try to learn them off by heart, you´ll become confused, frustrated and perhaps even give up!!

To sum up

The best way to learn Phrasal verbs is in a context, a few at a time. What I do with my students at The English Chat Cafe in Granada is to contextualize the phrasal verbs in an interesting theme, one that will engage the students´ interest. After discussing the grammatical elements students proceed to using them.....either by writing a play or a conversation which is then acted out to the rest of the class.

I hope you find these tips useful and realise that the key to using phrasal verbs is easy when you know how! My students are experts at mastering the mystery of phrasal verbs.

STUDENTS WRITE AND ACT OUT A PHRASAL VERB PLAY "LET´S GIVE IT A GO!" AT THE ENGLISH CHAT CAFE, GRANADA, SPAIN

Thanks chaps!!

English Chat Cafe´s Innovative Teaching Methodology Attracts Canal Sur Television, SPAIN

2011-11-28T11:21:00.001-08:00

HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH MORE EFFECTIVELY!!

2011-10-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

Hello and Welcome to The English Chat Cafe Blog!

A blog written by an expert in the teaching of English as a Foreign Language, whose aim is to enlighten learners of the language of Shakespeare..... from all over the globe.

The key to SPEAKING English successfully, depends on how receptive you are...i.e. your EARS play an important role in the process!! Yes, that´s right, your ears!! It is doesn´t depend entirely on your verbal skills, but on how well you can listen to other people and thus interact correctly. Are you a good listener or are you forever interrupting....not concentrating on your classmate´s comments...?

If you are one of the above or even both, the chances are that you will not be able to progress as fast as someone who does listen, someone who gives their colleagues 100% attention...Sound familiar?!!! Yes? Oh dear! No? Congratulations!! :)))

I used to have a student at The English Chat Cafe in Granada, Spain, who was continuously interrupting his colleagues, speaking when it was not his turn, speaking when it was my turn!!...His STUDENT TALKING TIME went over the limit! So I decided to.... NO...NOT STUFF AN APPLE IN HIS MOUTH... but teach communication skills in a multi-cultural setting. It proved successful and the student got the message!! What a relief it was!!

Would YOU like to be a great communicator in English? Feel SATISFIED at meetings? Travel abroad comfortably? Make small talk with a stranger? MAKE THAT UNFORGETTABLE IMPRESSION? YES? Well, read on....

What makes an effective communicator in English?

Social Skills
Cultural Awareness
Empathy
Respect
Dynamic teacher

How?

Social Skills - You need to be aware of social interaction between two people A and B. In order to obtain maximum results you need to co-operate, which requires 100% participation from you, e.g.

A:How was your weekend?

B:It was really good, some friends came to visit and we went out for dinner and then to the cinema. How about yours?

Cultural Awareness - What is acceptable in one culture may seem rude in another, keep it in mind. This skill can be enhanced by socializing with groups that represent diversity, be it their ethnic origen, sexual orientation, their religious or political views etc. Other than that, travelling broadens the mind.....

Empathy - Treat others how you yourself would like to be treated, include them in the conversation, look at everybody when you talk.....

Respect - Listen and react to your colleagues, take an interest in what is being said...

Dynamic teacher - Whether it´s the English Chat Cafe in Granada or elsewhere, you need a highly qualified, dynamic teacher, whose ideas and methodologies have been tested and proved, just like mine!!

Follow my advice, it´s practical, effective and free!

YOU CAN DO IT........MY STUDENTS CAN!!!

SOCIAL INTERACTION IN ENGLISH !!

AT ENGLISH CHAT CAFE, LANGUAGE SCHOOL, GRANADA, SPAIN

¡OLÉ!