Speaking:
Phrasal Verb Charades
Grouping:
Time:
Small groups (3-4)
15 minutes
Aim
Students will act out and guess common phrasal verbs in an engaging way.
Materials
• A set of phrasal verb cards (e.g., wake up, give up, look after, run out of).
• A list of phrasal verbs on the board for reference.
Preparation
• Prepare cards with common phrasal verbs.
Activity Breakdown
1. One student picks a card and silently acts out the phrasal verb.
2. Their group guesses the correct verb.
3. The first student to guess correctly must use the phrasal verb in a sentence.
4. The next student picks a new card and repeats.
Instructions
1. Pick a card (don’t show it).
2. Act out the meaning silently.
3. Your group must guess the phrasal verb.
4. The first correct guesser must use it in a sentence.
5. Switch roles and repeat.
Concept Checking Questions
• “What is the meaning of ‘give up’?” (To stop trying).
• “Does ‘look after’ mean ‘to watch’ or ‘to take care of’?” (To take care of).
Examples
• I woke up late this morning.
• She looks after her younger brother.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students must use the phrasal verb in a past tense sentence.
• Easier: Provide example sentences to help.
Error Correction
• Teacher focuses on correct usage and word order in sentences.
Writing:
Story Time
Grouping:
Time:
Individual → Pairs
20 minutes
Aim
Students will write a short story using at least five phrasal verbs.
Materials
• A worksheet with a story starter (e.g., Yesterday, I ran into an old friend…).
Preparation
• Write a sample story on the board:
• Yesterday, I ran into my old friend Joe. He had taken up painting, but he was about to give it up. I told him not to give up and to keep going!
Activity Breakdown
1. Students choose a story starter.
2. They write a short story using at least five phrasal verbs.
3. They swap papers with a partner to check for mistakes.
4. They read one sentence aloud.
Instructions
1. Choose a story starter.
2. Write a short story with at least five phrasal verbs.
3. Swap with a partner and check mistakes.
4. Underline all phrasal verbs.
5. Read one sentence to the class.
Concept Checking Questions
• “Can phrasal verbs be separated?” (Some can, e.g., pick up the phone / pick the phone up).
• “What’s another way to say ‘give up’?” (To quit).
Examples
• She took up photography last year.
• They set off early in the morning.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students write a longer story.
• Easier: Provide a word bank with phrasal verbs.
Error Correction
• Teacher corrects misplaced particles (e.g., She took photography up → She took up photography).
Listening:
What Did They Do?
Grouping:
Time:
Pairs
15 minutes
Aim
Students will listen to a short conversation and identify phrasal verbs.
Materials
• A short recorded dialogue using phrasal verbs (or teacher-read script).
• Example dialogue:
• A: I ran into Sarah yesterday!
• B: Really? How is she? I haven’t seen her since she broke up with Tom.
• A: She’s fine! She said she’s taking up yoga.
Preparation
• Prepare a transcript with missing phrasal verbs for students to complete.
Activity Breakdown
1. Students listen to the dialogue twice.
2. They write down any phrasal verbs they hear.
3. They compare their answers with a partner.
4. The teacher reviews the answers as a class.
Instructions
1. Listen carefully to the conversation.
2. Write down any phrasal verbs you hear.
3. Compare your answers with a partner.
4. Listen again and check.
5. Discuss the meanings with the class.
Concept Checking Questions
• “What does ‘run into’ mean?” (To meet by chance).
• “Is ‘broke up’ formal or informal?” (Informal).
Examples
• She ran into her old teacher at the market.
• They broke up last year.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students write their own short dialogues.
• Easier: Provide a word bank with missing verbs.
Error Correction
• Teacher corrects incorrect phrasal verb usage in follow-up sentences.
Reading:
Fix the Sentences
Grouping:
Time:
Pairs
15 minutes
Aim
Students will identify and correct mistakes in phrasal verb usage.
Materials
• A worksheet with incorrect phrasal verb sentences.
• Example errors:
• I wake up my alarm at 7:00. (Incorrect)
• I wake up at 7:00. (Correct)
Preparation
• Prepare 6-8 incorrect sentences.
Activity Breakdown
1. Students read each sentence and underline errors.
2. They rewrite the correct version.
3. They compare answers with a partner.
4. Teacher checks as a class.
Instructions
1. Read each sentence carefully.
2. Find the mistake in the phrasal verb.
3. Rewrite the correct version.
4. Compare with a partner.
5. Check with the teacher.
Concept Checking Questions
• “Can ‘wake up’ have an object?” (No, but ‘wake someone up’ can).
• “What’s the past of ‘run into’?” (Ran into).
Examples
• He gave up smoking last year.
• She looked up the word in a dictionary.
Extensions/Varations
• Harder: Students write their own incorrect sentences for partners to fix.
• Easier: Provide multiple-choice correction options.
Error Correction
• Teacher corrects incorrect verb placement (He up gave smoking → He gave up smoking).