Example of English Lesson Plan-Phrasal Verbs

Context:

This lesson introduces students to phrasal verbs.

Lesson Objectives

To be able to briefly understand what a phrasal verbs are.
To be able to identify phrasal verbs.

Suggested Grades

4th Grade
5th Grade

Reference

Lesson proper

- Discussion

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

Begin the English phrasal verbs ESL lesson by providing a definition of the term 'phrasal verb' for English language learners. Some frequent definitions include:

an English verb followed by one or more particles where the combination behaves as a syntactic and semantic unit [1]
a verb and one or more additional words, having the function of a verb [2]
a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb [3]
idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often not obvious from the dictionary definitions of the individual words [4]
formed by a verb phrase followed by a marooned preposition, the phrasal verb forms a semantic constituent whose meaning is not determined by the verb phrase or preposition as individual parts but rather by the whole phrasal verb as a single lexical item [5]
The most important points to teach about phrasal verbs are:
Phrasal verbs are periphrastic, meaning that a phrase of two or more words express a grammatical relationship that could otherwise be expressed through the inflection of a single word.
Phrasal verbs consist of a verb followed by at least one preposition that performs the grammatical function of particle.
Phrasal verbs may be transitive or intransitive depending on the specific phrasal verb.
Phrasal verbs are idiomatic, meaning that the meaning of a phrasal verb cannot be determined by combining the meanings of the verb and preposition but must be learned as a single lexical item.

If possible, use examples of similar verbs from the students' first languages to help clarify what a phrasal verb is. For example, other Germanic languages like German and Dutch have verbs similar to English phrasal verbs in the form of separable prefix verbs.

Examples of Phrasal Verbs

Next teach the four types of phrasal verbs in English. Provide examples of each phrasal verb type. The four types of English phrasal verbs are:

Intransitive phrasal verbs
Nonseparable transitive phrasal verbs
Optionally separable transitive phrasal verbs
Obligatorily separable transitive phrasal verbs

Intransitive phrasal verbs do not or cannot take a direct object. For example:

The baby woke up early today. (wake up)
His grandmother recently passed away (pass away)
My son finally nodded off around midnight. (nod off)

Nonseparable transitive phrasal verbs take direct objects. The particle must directly follow the verb. For example:

The cowboy got on his horse. (get on)
My classmates are boning up on verbs. (bone up on)
She ran into an old friend. (run into)

Optionally separable transitive phrasal verbs also take direct objects. The particle may follow the verb or the direct object. For example:

The woman called off the date. (call off)
The woman called the date off. (call off)
Many gas stations are jacking up their prices. (jack up)
Many gas stations are jacking their prices up. (jack up)

Obligatorily separable transitive phrasal verbs take direct objects in the form of pronouns. The particle must directly follow the direct object. For example:

The librarian looked it up. (look up)
He must have made it up. (make up)
The children wore it out. (wear out)

Provide plenty of examples of each type of phrasal verb.

Phrasal Verb Practice Exercises

After ESL students understand the concept of the phrasal verb and have learned the four types of phrasal verbs, assign activities to practice this new verb form. For example:

Vocabulary practice: Create phrasal verb dictionaries in which students collect lists of phrasal verbs heard or read throughout the day.
Reading practice: Have students identify the phrasal verbs in reading passages. Also have students identify the type of phrasal verb.
Writing practice: Have the students write short dialogues that include as many phrasal verbs as possible. Optionally have the students read their dialogues aloud to the class.
Speaking practice: Ask the students questions that must be answered with a sentence that contains a phrasal verb, e.g., When did you wake up today? ? I woke up at seven o'clock.
Phrasal verbs are a common verb form in the English language. This English phrasal verbs ESL lesson plan provides the necessary information and some suggested activities for teaching for teaching phrasal verbs to English language learners.

Evaluation:

The following exercise is meant to help advanced students review common phrasal verbs. Approximate class time: 45 Minutes Uncle Fester

Step 1: Read Uncle Fester to students. Make sure to notintroduce phrasal verbs or give students a copy of the text before the reading.
Step 2: Have students split up into teams. Read the text back with pauses, the focus information being presented, for the students to fill in. Each correct answer gets a point.
Step 3: Have students, in their respective teams, take cards (that you have prepared) with the phrasal verbs on them. Students then place the cards in the correct order of usage, or combine them with other cards to make sense.
Step 4: Have students make up sentences in turn using the paired up cards.

Uncle Fester

Last year, Jack Peterson found out that he had come into a small fortune after His uncle Fester had passed on. His uncle had been a heavy smoker for many years and hadn't been able to cut down on his smoking. Jack got on well with his uncle Fester, and often dropped in on him to see what he was up to. One summer, Uncle Fester promised to cut down on his cigarette smoking after having taken 3 months to get over an extremely bad cough. Jack had looked after him those 3 months and, a number of times, he had told Uncle Fester off. He came up with a brilliant idea to make Uncle Fester give up this nasty habit. He had the local cancer society telephone Uncle Fester. When they called, he told them to hold on and then put Uncle Fester through. They proceeded to make out that they were looking for a volunteer to take on to help look after the patients. Well, that frightened Uncle Fester, and he immediately swore to give up smoking. In fact, Uncle Fester took up jogging in order to help him feel better and he began to look down on other smokers (although he couldn't quite give smoking up entirely himself). One day, as he set off on his morning run, he made a stand out in the distance. It seems that a new society had turned up that day looking for people willing to bring up young puppies. Uncle Fester immediately went for a cute Dalmatian, and ended up taking on this new responsibility. Now, three years later, Jack had come into the 'small fortune' which reminded him every day of his wonderful, if not wise, Uncle Fester.

Here is the text with gaps

Uncle Fester

Last year, Jack Peterson _______ that he had _______ a small fortune after His Uncle Fester had _______. His Uncle had been a heavy smoker for many years and hadn't been able to _______on his smoking. Jack _______his Uncle Fester, and often _______ on him to see what he _______. One summer, Uncle Fester promised to _______on his cigarette smoking after having taken 3 months to _______ an extremely bad cough. Jack had _______ him those 3 months and, a number of times, he had _______ Uncle Fester _______. He _______ with a brilliant idea to make Uncle Fester _______ this nasty habit. He had the local cancer society telephone Uncle Fester. When they called, he told them to _______ and then _______Uncle Fester _______. They proceeded to _______that they were _______ a volunteer to help _______the patients. Well, that frightened Uncle Fester, and he immediately swore to _______smoking. In fact, Uncle Fester _______jogging in order to help him feel better and he began to _______other smokers (although he couldn't quite _______ smoking _______ entirely himself). One day, as he _______on his morning run, he _______ a stand _______ in the distance. It seems that a new society had _______that day _______people willing to _______ young puppies. Uncle Fester immediately _______ a cute Dalmatian, and _______ _______this new responsibility. Now, three years later Jack had _______ the 'small fortune' which reminded him every day of his wonderful, if not wise, Uncle Fester.