teaching lexical phrases
Teaching Lexical Phrases | Jonathan Clifton | February 2nd, 2000
Have just been reading Michael Lewis' book "Implementing the Lexical Approach" which basically outlines the importance of teaching fixed and semi fixed lexically phrases. Also he says that it is not really useful to study the grammar of such phrases.
An interesting incident occurred in one of my classes the other day. I taught the expression "why don't you......" . At the end of the lesson I was summing up and the student came out with the phrase "why do you not....".
I interpret this incident as follows: Lewis is right in the sense that certain phrases should not be over analyzed. And perhaps more importantly, a student who has gone through a traditional grammatically based English programme will be unaware of such fixed and semi fixed lexical chunks and will attempt to grammaticalise everything they come across.
Food for thought???
Best wishes to all on the course.
Jonathan
France
[Editor's Note: Read a review of this book at TESL-EJ here.]
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