Building Competency in Two/Three Word Verbs

Welcome to the DL Method!

You need to know that the DL Method id NOT a ‘conversation course’. Of course the method aims at developing your ability to speak English fluently. However, conversation in class is not the principal means we promote to take you there. Years of experience in the world of enterprise and industry have led us to establish the ‘English way of thinking’ as the basis for the DL Method. Though conversing is certainly a useful tool for learning English, it does little to ensure quality of speech. In business, you need to sound professional. That’s precisely what the DL Method has been designed to do: make YOU sound professional.

Your teachers are highly qualified and competent and are duly assisted by correctors who have your progress at heart. Do make the best of it.

We wish you a very happy and productive session.

2-3 Word Verbs / Introduction The DL Method 1 Denise Larose, Les Entreprises DL Elizabeth Burton, Les Entreprises Linguistiques EB Jeems von Platen, CBJT Communicators inc.

Building Competency in Two/Three-Word Verbs

2-3 Word Verbs / Introduction The DL Method 2 Two/Three-Word Verbs

Course Outline and Lesson Plan

1. Characteristics and Objectives of the Course: 1.1. This course is a Higher Intermediate / Advanced level course 1.2. The objective is three-fold: 1.2.1. widening the active vocabulary base (120 / 2-3 word verbs) by learning to interpret and to apply 2-3 word verbs in everyday language situations. 1.2.2. correcting written sentence structures. 1.2.3. encouraging the oral application of 2-3 word verbs and correcting spontaneous expression of the English language.

2. Lesson of Introduction (first hour) 2.1. Communicate the objectives of the course. 2.2. Go over the program material: mention the themes for all twelve units, including the Alternate Definitions and the Answer Key. 2.3. Read: “To The Student” aloud in class and define what are 2-3 word verbs. 2.4. Explain the general procedure1 to be used in class throughout the session. 2.5. Experiment Unit One. (second hour).

1General Procedure: The teacher and participants go over the vocabulary presented in the unit making use of the illustrations. The teacher attracts attention to the “separable” and “inseparable verbs”. Then, students pair up to experiment with the new vocabulary. Memorization of the 10 new 2/3-word verbs is mandatory.

2-3 Word Verbs / Introduction The DL Method 3 I

To the Student

You probably already know and use some two/three-word verbs. You may also know how confusing they can be! There are hundreds of two/three-word verbs in English, and they are used daily in formal and informal situations. A two-word verb consists of a verb and a preposition that work together to establish a meaning which is different from the meaning of the verb and the preposition used separately. You may understand the meaning of the verb and you may understand the meaning of the preposition, but you may misunderstand the meaning when they are used together.

Example: Do you know the verb to drop? Do you know the preposition out?

Then: What does this sentence mean? He dropped out because he didn’t like school. Drop out is a two-word verb, which means, “to quit”. It is used to talk about quitting school or any type of training.

A three-word verb consists of a verb and two prepositions.

Examples: catch up with (We will study it at Chapter 3.)

Some two/three-word verbs are separable, which means that you can separate the verb and its preposition(s) in order to insert the object between them.

Example: 1. John puts on his boots every morning. 2. John puts his boots on every morning. 3. John puts them on every morning.

If you use the object pronoun, as in the third sentence in the preceding examples, you must insert it between the verb and its preposition(s).

You cannot say: John puts on them every morning.

Of course, some verbs are intransitive; that is, they do not take a direct object. If the two/three-word verb is intransitive, it is also inseparable. You must learn these through practice. Inseparable two/three-word verbs cannot be separated. The verb and its preposition must appear next to each other.

2-3 Word Verbs / Introduction The DL Method 4 II

However, there are transitive verbs which are also inseparable. You must learn these through practice. Remember: inseparable two/three-word verbs cannot be separated by an object of the verb. The verb and its preposition must appear next to each other; occasionally, they are separated by an adverb, but never by an object.

Examples: 1. This hat goes with my suit. (correct) 2. This hat goes well with my suit. (correct) 3. This hat goes with it. (correct) 4. This hat goes my suit with. (incorrect) 5. This hat goes it with. (incorrect)

The verb goes and its preposition with must be next to each other. You cannot put an object between the verb and its preposition because it is an inseparable two-word verb.

Many three-word verbs become two-word verbs when they are not followed by an object. These verbs, such as fill in for and back out of usually function as three-word verbs that are followed by an object; however, the object may be dropped, and as a result, the second preposition is also dropped.

For example: I am filling in for Mary today. I am filling in today.

When we dropped the object (Mary), we also dropped the second preposition (for). This is not possible with all three-word verbs. Wherever these three-word verbs appear in the text, the second preposition is contained inside parenthesis.

Learning two/three-word verbs is useful and necessary to becoming fluent in English.

We suggest that you read this introduction “To the Student” at least 2 or 3 times. Memorization is essential to learning and integrating 2/3-word verbs into your vocabulary. Do make it a point to memorize your definitions weekly: it’s easy when you study 10 at a time.

2-3 Word Verbs / Introduction The DL Method 5 List of Illustrations

1-1 put on 5.1 bring up 1.2 take off 5.2 pick on 1.3 fold up 5.3 take after 1.4 put away 5.4 get along (with) 1.5 try on 5.5 look after 1.6 throw away 5.6 look up to 1.7 give away 5.7 grow up 1.8 wear out 5.8 get away with 1.9 go with 5.9 make up for 1.10 grow out of 5.10 split up

2.1 hand in 6.1 bring on 2.2 do over 6.2 clear up 2.3 look up 6.3 throw up 2.4 figure out 6.4 stick out 2.5 point out 6.5 break out (in) 2.6 talk over 6.6 cut down (on) 2.7 get through (with) 6.7 get over 2.8 catch on (to) 6.8 pull through 2.9 drop out (of) 6.9 feel up to 2.10 come along 6.10 come to

3.1 run over 7.1 pay back 3.2 find out 7.2 put aside 3.3 pull over 7.3 mark up/down 3.4 get on 7.4 pay off 3.5 get off 7.5 ring up 3.6 take off 7.6 run up 3.7 catch up (with) 7.7 put down 3.8 keep up (with) 7.8 cut back (on) 3.9 watch out (for) 7.9 get by (on) 3.10 hang around 7.10 live on

4.1 cut off 8.1 clean out 4.2 jack up 8.2 clog up 4.3 back up 8.3 fix up 4.4 start up 8.4 help out (with) 4.5 gas up 8.5 shut off 4.6 cut across 8.6 pitch in (with) 4.7 let up (on) 8.7 do without 4.8 run out (of) 8.8 cut out for 4.9 pull away 8-9 call for 4.10 pull up (to) 8-10 get behind in

2-3 Word Verbs / Introduction The DL Method 6 IV 9.1 cross out 11.1 carry out 9.2 fill out 11.2 leave up to 9.3 leave out 11.3 stick with 9.4 look over 11.4 deal with 9.5 mix up 11.5 get ahead 9.6 check off 11.6 come across 9.7 write down 11.7 get out of 9.8 turn in 11.8 fill in (for) 9.9 put down 11.9 go into 9.10 go over 11.10 hold on to

10.1 put off 12.1 bring up 10.2 give up 12.2 carry on 10.3 hear from 12.3 fill in (on) 10.4 look for 12.4 kick around 10.5 think about 12.5 let in on 10.6 show up 12.6 back up 10.7 follow up (on) 12.7 pop up 10.8 count on 12.8 break in (on) 10.9 get back to 12.9 come up with 10.10 back out (of) 12.10 occur to

2-3 Word Verbs / Introduction The DL Method 7