Suela Pici (Koça)
University of Korça
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Words are not used in isolation but “in the web”.
Words vary their meanings according to different
collocations.
When lexicalized, they become set phrases. What are
they?
1) word-groups not made in the process of speech,
2) but as ready-made units,
3) they express a single notion,
4) used as one of a sentence.
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Integrity (or transference) of meaning: by heart
(përmendësh), bie sheqeri në ujë (suger drops into
water)
Stability (lexical and grammatical): green thumb, not
blue or red, and not finger.
Separability (certain modifications within certain
boundaries): bite one’s nails but bites, is biting, would
bite or my, his, her (të kafshosh thonjtë)
Expressivity and emotiveness: a hard act to
follow/hardworking or bëj një vrimë në ujë/(asgjë)
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First Ceritficate Masterclass (Student and Workbook)
The use of phrasal verbs under vocabulary section:
-Replace the words or phrases with the correct form of bring and one of
the particles from the list, (pg. 15) or Replace the verbs in italic in these
sentences with the correct form of the phrasal verb from this list. (pg.
16)
-He always turns to / into his manager for advice on what to do, (pg. 48)
-After you have checked in for a flight, what do you usually do?, or Do you
like people to come to the station or airport to see you off? (pg. 63)
-If you don’t know what a word means, look it _________,
-While he was clearing out the car, my father found my camera., came, My
father ________________ my camera while he was … (pg. 100)
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No information of what a set phrase (idiom) is:
-I can’t remember her name – it’s driving me mad – it’s on the tip of my
___________, (it’s on the tip of my tongue)
-e kam në majë të gjuhës or give one’s right arm / të japësh krahun e
djathtë, twist somebody around one’s little finger / e vërtit në majë të
gishtave
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Less exercises with set phrases:
-I’m really exhausted – think I’ll turn in / retire for
the night. (pg. 16)
-Another exercise requires from the students to
create different phrasal verb by combining the
verbs run, take, make, set, break with the
particles up and out. (pg. 51)
-The Rat Race (pg. 96)
-different uses of go on in different contexts. (pg.
130)
-expressions with get, which means not just
phrasal verbs. (pg. 163)
-phrasal verbs like throw in, roll up, heat up, turn
up, check out have more than one meaning and
the students are given examples to work on
them. (pg. 178)
More exercises with different requests:
-(pg. 3) They include idioms like a couch potato, a new
broom, a rolling stone, etc., connected with different
kinds of people.
-expressions connected with time trying to fit them with
the underlined words (pg. 16)
-luck (pg. 37) and weather (pg. 38).
-The disagreement is a lot of fuss about nothing/a
storm in a teacup. (pg. 42) (shumë zhurmë për asgjë)
-phrasal verbs, tie (pg. 45), or run, look, catch/to be
caught (pg. 61), take (pg. 91) help (pg. 97)
-read between the ___________. (të lexosh mes
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rreshtave)
-(pg. 129), I’m opting out of the __________ race and
going to live on a small farm in the country side. The
students have to choose from A horse B dog C rat
D cat and mouse.
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A lot of exercises with set expressions:
There are included exercises with drawings which help
students guess the meaning of the words to complete
the expressions, e.g. there are given drawings of an
armchair, a book, a blanket, leaf, etc. so that the
students can complete the expressions given: He’s a
real wet (blanket). The children have turned over a
new (leaf) and are getting down to work with some
enthusiasm. (pg. 78) (të kthesh një faqe të re) etc. or
another one with drawings of animals (pg. 80) e.g.
You look like a drowned (rat) (si pulë e lagur). He felt
like a (fish) out of water (si peshku pa ujë). She’s fed
up with doing all the (donkey) work around the office!
(puna e gomarit)
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much easier and sometimes funny.
help them to remember better the set expressions
and their meanings.
First, we noticed that there is no clear definition about set
expressions in general
 Second, the place of set expressions in texts is not as it should
be. Idioms present problems both in understanding and
production.(Thornbury 2002 b)
 Third, the types of texts should be various.
-certain text types are often very rich in them.
-lot of sources where teachers could pick them like fiction or
folklore.
-activities or exercises might be very well selected, and not just the
same, all the time
 Finally, teachers should also try and include set expressions
(either phrasal verbs or idioms) in their classroom language as
much as possible – and draw attention to these from time to time.
(Thornbury 2002: 127).
-Common classroom expressions incorporating phrasal verbs are sit
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down, put your hand up, turn your papers over, write this down,
cover the page up, look it up, hurry up, and calm down!
-Other common expressions including idioms are take it easy, by
word of mouth, pop the question, etc.
-An attempt to provide material in English as a foreign
language in which graphics serve as the supporting visual
representation of selected idioms.
-the drawing may be a realistic representation of the idiom
or it may be a symbolic scene or figure.
-The exercises consist of the base idiom(s), one or two
definitions, illustrative sentences with paraphrases,
synonymous expressions, and a functional activity.
-To give students an opportunity to use the idioms in
context with some degree of realism, the Functional
Activity provides suggestions to this end.
-However, teachers should not limit application of the newly
learned expressions exclusively to suggestions given in the
Functional Activity.
-No doubt other pedagogic applications for both the
illustration and the idioms will occur to many teachers
using the material on a regular basis. (Curry 1994)
-Only one of many other numerous books and dictionaries
on how to teach set expressions to foreign students.
-What set phrases or idioms are in general by
giving different examples in English and Albanian.
-Because of their very special nature, set phrases
are very difficult for foreign learners.
-Several issues are related with their teaching and
learning. The most crucial problems are connected
with:
 setting their boundaries in comparison with other
units like words and other phrases
 their definition
 their meanings
 their context of use.
 Teachers should be very careful in selecting
appropriate sources (books, activities, games,
etc.) to use in the classroom environment.
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Books:
Aspinall, T. & Capel, A. (1996) Advanced Masterclass CAE. OUP
Curry, N. (1994) Illustrated American Idioms. The Materials
Branch English language Programs Division US Information
Agency, Washington, DC 20547
Gude, K. & Duckworth, M. (1996) Proficiency Masterclass. OUP
Haines, S. & Stewart, B. (2008) First Certificate Masterclass. OUP
Naciscione, A. (2001) Phraseological units in discourse: applied
linguistics. Latvian Academy of Culture
Thomai, J. (1981) Cështje të Frazeologjisë së Gjuhës Shqipe.
Tiranë
Thornbury, S. (2002) How to teach vocabulary. Pearson Education
Limited
Electronic sources:
http://www.ranez.ru/article/id/391
htt://uareferat.com/ukr/details/1314
TRANS Nr.14: Internet-Zeitschrift fur Kulturwissenschaften
http://www.inst.at/trans/14Nr/arsentyeva14.htm