Do you find learning phrasal verbs difficult and confusing? You’re not alone!
A vast majority of English learners struggle with memorizing and distinguishing them, especially the ones with the same verb (e.g. take up, take off, take over). It can be really frustrating especially if you’ve tried many times and you still fail to use them correctly.
The thing is that you just need to figure out how to learn them effectively. And it’s absolutely worth an effort since the knowledge of phrasal verbs will take your English to the next level – you will sound more natural and it will boost your comprehension skills. So what’s the secret?
Divide them into topics
First off, learn phrasal verbs by subject and always through context. This will help you understand their usage and get the meaning right. All you need to do is create phrasal verb groups according to the area that is useful or important for you. Then, find example sentences in which they appear. In order to do that, look them up in online dictionaries such as Cambridge Dictonary or just google them. Usually below the meaning you will see at least one example containing that phrasal verb, sometimes even text fragments.
Why is this method really effective?
- Grouping phrasal verbs by topic makes the learning process more enjoyable and practical
- They are all connected by the same subject which makes the memorizing easier – it’s scientifically proven that our brains need connections to comprehend and absorb new information
Practice them in familiar context
Write your own sentences with the phrasal verbs you are learning. You can also try using them in speaking. Whichever way you choose, link them to your own life, e.g. work, school, hobby, friends in order to create a familiar context. By associating phrasal verbs with a particular situation you will memorize them better. You will also be able to actually use them in everyday life and in your own context as opposite to only knowing their meaning.
Don’t group them by verb
Next thing you need to remember is that it’s better to avoid grouping phrasal verbs by verb. It will be difficult to remember what each of them means in a group of verbs that look very similar, e.g.:
- give off
- give away
- give back
- give up
You will likely end up frustrated and lose motivation to carry on learning.
Use technology
To make the learning process more fun use apps and different online learning tools, e.g. Quizlet. It’s a great tool which will help you organize your phrasal verbs, memorize them and then test yourself. You can also check out some of the free mobile apps like Phrasal Race.
Do lots of revisions
In order to retain new knowledge you need to revise it on a regular basis until it lands in your long-term memory. Do it at your own pace and don’t force yourself to learn a huge amount of phrasal verbs at once. Revisit your notebook frequently and use them consciously in context when possible. It’s also a good idea to create your own flash cards and post-in notes which you can stick onto your computer and other places around you. It will make your revisions more enjoyable and approachable.
Joanna Borzym | July 11, 2022