This is a guest post by Katy Wright. Students take part in an information gap activity in pairs in order to develop their understanding of phrasal verbs and other fixed expressions. Download the handout below:
Teacher’s notes
- Split students into pairs
- Give them either Student A or Student B worksheet
- Ask them to look at the top exercises by themselves for a few minutes
- Tell students that the second paragraph contains their partners answers
- Each pair “teaches” the other by helping the find the answer (ideally not just giving the answer ie “it sounds like….” or “the first letter is…”
- Once both pairs have corrected their work they could turn over their worksheets and test each other’s memory
Follow up: You could encourage students to write a text or a story containing these expressions
Student Worksheet
Student A worksheet
- She has _______ her books in order of colour =
- I’ve completely _________ out dairy from my diet =
- My love of jazz _________ back to my days as a school trumpet player =
- Her imagination is amazing, she __________ up with the most bizarre ideas =
- When I heard the noise from upstairs the hairs ___________ up on the back of my neck =
- You are still so angry about what he said to you, you need to ______ over it =
- The little boy always felt ______ out of games in the playground =
Student B’s Answers
- Society needs to cut back on using single-use plastics (reduce)
- ● My mum hates it when I leave my things lying around and don’t put them away for days (don’t tidy up)
- He puts up with a lot of trouble from his younger sister (tolerate)
- I have really come to like electronic music though I thought it sounded like garbage a few years ago (enjoy now though you didn’t originally)
- My alarm goes off at 7:30 everything morning (makes a noise/rings)
- I love animals but the sound of my neighbours dog barking all night long gets to me (irritate)
- Don’t let the bullies call you horrible names, you need to stand up for yourself (speak/act in support of)
Student B worksheet
- Society needs to _______ back on using single-use plastics =
- My mum hates it when I _______ my things lying around and don’t put them away for days =
- He ________up with a lot of trouble from his younger sister =
- I have really ________ to like electronic music though I thought it sounded like garbage a few years ago =
- My alarm ________ off at 7:30 everything morning =
- I love animals but the sound of my neighbours dog barking all night long ___________ to me =
- Don’t let the bullies call you horrible names, you need to ___________ up for yourself =
Students A’s Answers
- She has put her books in order of colour (alphabetise/organise)
- I’ve completely cut out dairy from my diet (stopped/blocked)
- My love of jazz goes back to my days as a school trumpet player (originate)
- Her imagination is amazing, she comes up with the most bizarre ideas (imagines/thinks of)
- When I heard the noise from upstairs the hairs stand up on the back of my neck (makes me scared/reaction to music)
- You are still so angry about what he said to you, you need to get over it (accept something and move on)
- The little boy always felt left out of games in the playground (excluded)