Teaching Idioms and Phrasal Verbs in Context: Creative Strategies for Success
Michael Rabbidge
Idioms and phrasal verbs are often challenging for English learners because their meanings aren't always literal, making them difficult to grasp through traditional learning methods. One resource that I have found useful to address this in the classroom is the book Vocabulary in Language Teaching, by Norbert and Diane Schmitt. Here I combine three different strategies with theoretical support to demonstrate how scenes drawn from "Days Crossing", by Chasing Time English, can be used to teach idioms and phrasal verbs using context-based learning.
1. Use Scenes from Stories to Introduce Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
Schmitt and Schmitt (2020) emphasize the importance of context in teaching vocabulary, explaining that embedding target vocabulary in stories or dialogues helps students infer meaning naturally. Context-rich examples, like scenes from Days Crossing, can serve as “memory hooks” that allow students to associate idioms or phrasal verbs with specific actions or scenarios. This also aligns with the suggestion that “meaningful use of words” aids in retention and application.
Example Activity: Provide students with scenes from "Days Crossing", where characters act out phrases like "figure out" and "brush off." For instance: "Tommy pulls out his phone to figure out the delivery address. Cass brushes off Tommy with a mouthed 'thanks'."
Ask students to match the meaning of these phrasal verbs based on the context. They might guess that "figure out" means to find a solution, and "brush off" refers to dismissing someone without much attention.
2. Create Interactive Role-Play Scenarios
Schmitt and Schmitt (2020) write about how the interactive nature of role-play provide students with experiential learning opportunities. Role-playing scenarios like a delivery interaction allows learners to practice idioms and phrasal verbs in ways that feel authentic, increasing the likelihood they will use them in real-life communication. This potentially helps to solidify language structures and increases comfort with using colloquial expressions.
Example Activity: Set up a role-play where students mimic a delivery scene, like Tommy’s job in "Days Crossing". One student could play the courier, using phrases like "drop off" or "hand out," while the other plays a customer. The customer might say, "Can you drop off the package at my house?" and the courier responds, "Sure, I’ll drop it off this afternoon."
Encourage students to create their own role-play scenarios using idioms or phrasal verbs found in the script, helping them apply new language in an interactive, fun way.
3. Incorporate Idioms and Phrasal Verbs into Writing Assignments
According to Schmitt and Schmitt (2020), “productive activities” such as writing assignments that incorporate target vocabulary encourage learners to use idioms and phrasal verbs in their output. Writing prompts inspired by Days Crossing can make vocabulary practice feel relevant and personal, supporting the assertions that meaningful application promotes deeper learning.
Example Activity: Ask students to write a journal entry inspired by the script. For instance, they could write about a time they were late for something, incorporating phrasal verbs like "run late" or idioms like "give someone a look." Prompt them to write about how they "figured out" a solution, as Tommy does with his delivery dilemma.
This allows students to practice using target language in meaningful, relevant contexts.
Conclusion
Teaching idioms and phrasal verbs in context not only makes them more accessible to students but also makes learning more enjoyable. Drawing on examples from everyday scenarios, real-life dialogue, or scripts like Days Crossing, teachers can create engaging, context-rich lessons. Whether through stories, role-play, or writing tasks, embedding these tricky phrases in meaningful contexts helps learners grasp and confidently use idioms and phrasal verbs in their English communication.
Schmitt, N., & Schmitt, D. (2020). Vocabulary in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press