CLASS 12 (28.ABR-5.MAI.09)

PHRASAL VERBS

Phrasal verbs are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often not obvious from the dictionary definitions of the individual words. They are widely used in both written and spoken English, and new ones are formed all the time as they are a flexible way of creating new terms.

Very often you'll have to look up in dictionaries the meaning of phrasal verbs. Here you have a list of pages where you can look them up:

• Phrasal Verb Dictionary
  
• Dictionary of English Phrasal Verbs
  
• esl-lounge – phrasal verbs
  
• Phrasal verbs
  
• 1000 phrasal verbs
  

Now it's time to take some exercises and quizzes to test your knowledge on phrasal verbs. Don't forget to look up their meaning in the previous pages and dictionaries. Phrasal verbs are very difficult! Don't become discouraged if you fail a lot, just try to do the exercises again.

• Phrasal Verb Quizzes - By Verb
  
• Phrasal verbs - Fill-in Exercise
  
• phrasal verb exercise page
  

WRITING A NARRATIVE (optional activities)

Writing a narrative is like telling a story. A narrative is a story about a series of events and they are usually written in the past. You can have a look at some Tips for Writing a Personal Narrative, if you want to improve your writing. A narrative essay must include:

1. Opening: Presents the setting, the characters and the place where the story takes place.
   
2. Body: Develops the plot explaining the events in the story.
   
3. Closing: Explains the end of the story and how the plot is solved.
   

There are some useful language and expressions you can use in narrative essays:

• TIME EXPRESSIONS: when, while, before, after, as soon as, by the time, until, during, yesterday, all night, a week later, last summer, it all began when…, before I knew it, suddenly
  
• SEQUENCE EXPRESSIONS: first, at first, in the beginning, to begin with, next, later, meanwhile, finally, at last, in the end
  

By now you should be ready to write your own narrative composition, using all the information you have about writing narrative essays. I want you to write a short composition (100 words) about the earthquake in Italy this Easter. You'll find useful information and vocabulary about this topic in the following websites:

• Natural Disaster Recovery - Popular Mechanics

• 22 Steps to Save Yourself When Natural Disaster Hits

• National Geographic - NaturalDisastersInformation

HOMEWORK (optional)

Send the composition to cristina.itaca@gmail.com with narrative in the subject of the message, before your next class in the computer room.