Multi-word verbs, or MWVs, are verbs made up of two or more words.

Two students playing with vocabulary cards

These words are a verb plus a preposition or particle. They are often known as phrasal verbs.

Example
‘Get on' and ‘turn off' are multi-word verbs.

In the classroom
Recording MWVs correctly can help learners understand and use them. Verbs can be grouped together according to the particle, e.g. verbs with ‘up', according to meaning, e.g. verbs about feelings, or according to the main verb, e.g. verbs beginning with ‘turn'. However verbs are grouped, it is useful to encourage learners to include an example of the verb in use.

Further links:

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/phrasal-verbs-get

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/multi-word-verbs-learner-problems

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/multi-word-verbs-methods-approaches

 

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