Module 4: Introduction To English Vocabulary

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Module 4: Introduction To English Vocabulary

4.1 What is Vocabulary?

When most people talk about vocabulary, they immediately envision a list of words. This list would more
than likely consist of single-word items. On our imaginary list we may see semantic sets such as animals -
cat, dog, elephant, or weather - hail, sleet, drizzle. However, vocabulary is much more than just single
word units.

Single words:

This is the group that most people think of first. By far, this group includes the bulk of the vocabulary of
any language:

Animals: cat, dog, elephant

Time periods: Sunday, April, yesterday

Descriptions: happy, unfortunate, devastated

Despite the name, however, this group also includes multiword vocabulary. Consider the words
thunderstorm and ice storm. Both are single "words" even though ice storm requires two words to
express its concept while thunderstorm only requires one. These are called compound nouns. There is
no rule as to whether they should be expressed as one word or as two words. Other examples are
graveyard, homework, and chalkboard versus car park, traffic light, and bread box.

Task 1

Make a list of ten ‘multiword vocabulary’ words

4.2 Types of Lexis

Set phrases:

These phrases consist of more than one word and do not usually change. They are fixed in the number
of words used and in the order in which they are expressed:

In other words…

All of a sudden…

It's up to you…

I don't mind…

Notice that the above examples can only be used in that order because English conventions have locked
these phrases into only one possible ordering.

Phrasal Verbs:

A teacher's awareness of phrasal verbs is critical to our ability to provide comprehensible input for our
students. Native speakers are never aware of when they are using phrasal verbs, but they provide a
particular challenge for our students.
A phrasal verb consists of two or three words. The first word is always a verb. The second word in a
phrasal verb is a preposition or particle/adverb. If there is a third word, it is usually a preposition. A good
example is put up with, meaning to tolerate or stand. Many verbs can serve as the verb in a phrasal
verb, but common ones include put, take, come, call, make, go, and get.

Examples: Put away, put off, come back, come up, come down with, take off, get up, call up, etc.

Phrasal verbs are problematic for our students because they are so common and there are so many of
them that students need to know even for the simplest of exchanges. The second major problem is that
phrasal verbs are rarely transparent in meaning. Knowing the parts of the phrasal verb does not equal
knowing the whole phrasal verb. An example such as this can cause students problems: His business
took off very quickly. Student will know the meaning of take and off, they may have even heard this
phrasal verb in relation to an airplane taking off, but they may be confused as to how a business can
take off. A third difficulty of phrasal verbs is that they are often reduced in conversation. They are not
only hard to comprehend semantically, but they are also hard to hear. Consider this example, “Did you
come up with any ideas?”The phrasal verb is greatly reduced in spoken English. The words run together.
Try saying the above example naturally and notice how the words run together and think of how
challenging that is for our students to hear. A fourth problem that students have with phrasal verbs is
the particle or preposition. This added part is critical to the meaning because it is what differentiates
postpone (put off) from get dressed (put on). Phrasal verbs can be separable and non-separable. For
example, we can say, "They called off the test" or "They called the test off".

Idioms:

Students will be familiar with idiomatic expressions even at a beginner level because all languages
feature idiomatic expressions. An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate
to the literal meaning of its words. An example: "He has a lot of skeletons in his closet." If a student
were to look up those individual words in a dictionary to establish the meaning of the idiom, they may
be very confused. Skeletons in his closet means secrets that would cause a lot of embarrassment and
shame. A student would not be able to establish the meaning by looking at the individual words. There is
no skeleton nor is there a closet.
Most phrasal verbs are idiomatic. Knowing the parts of a phrasal verb, like knowing the parts of an
idiomatic expression, does not mean a student will know the whole expression. As an example: throw
up. If you know throw (as most lower-level students do) and if you know up (as almost all beginner
students do), then you may think it follows that you know throw up, but this is not the case as the
meaning cannot be established from looking at its separate parts. A student may establish the meaning
through context: "He got food poisoning and threw up all his dinner."

Task 2:

Write down five examples for each of the categories given in this section.

4.3 Learning Vocabulary

What does it mean to know a word? What does knowing a word include?

Polysemy:

Teachers must be aware that words very rarely have just one meaning. The majority of words in English
are polysemous, that is, they have multiple meanings. Some have relatively few meanings, such as
shovel, which has two possible meanings: as a noun - the instrument and as a verb - the action.
However, shovel is a rare exception. A word like table is the norm in English. It has multiple meanings.
Here are some examples:

The food was served on long tables.

I looked at the table of contents and it looks like it will be an interesting book.

Dr Clark tabled a motion for debate at next month’s committee meeting.

The offer on the table is a 10% wage increase.

Payments were made under the table to local officials.

One word that students single out for special mention is the word get. Longman Dictionary shows 37
possible meanings of the word. Therefore, it is crucial that teachers familiarize students with this verb.
Here are some examples:
She got loads of presents. (receive)

We need to get help quickly. (obtain)

I got the measles when I was a child. (contract)

He got very angry today. (become)

We managed to get to the airport on time. (arrive)

I got on the bus. (enter)

Where did you get that jacket? (buy)

I got the impression she was fed up with me. (have a feeling or idea)

Connotation:

All words have both a denotation, which refers to the most basic or specific meaning of a word, and a
connotation, which is an idea suggested by or associated with a word. As an example, the word skinny
has a denotation of being not overweight, but a connotation of being a negative image. On the other
hand, slim has the denotation of being not overweight, but the connotation of being a positive image. As
you can see, denotation is fairly straightforward, whereas connotation of a word can change from
negative to positive over time or vice-versa.

It is very important for teachers to be aware of connotation when teaching students. We must make
students aware of the complexities around words. Sturdy is a very good example of this. Student must
be made aware that sturdy can be interchangeable with the word strong and have the same meaning,
such as a sturdy table and a strong table, but when describing something else, such as a strong woman
and a sturdy woman, the meaning changes and the use of the word sturdy may not be so flattering in
this instance. However, the connotation of a word can also vary from culture to culture as well as from
individual to individual. In some cultures, a strong woman (strong in an emotional sense) can be seen in
a positive light, and in other cultures a sturdy woman can be seen in a negative light or vice-versa.

Spelling and Pronunciation:

English is a challenging language for students in terms of spelling as it has a relatively low letter-to-
sound correlation. This is particularly true if you compare English to Japanese, Spanish, or Polish where
pronunciation is consistent with the way words are spelled. Therefore, for our students, knowing the
spelling of a word in English is both a challenge and an accomplishment.

Consider the sound /i/ (which is ee in some dictionaries). This sound can be written in multiple ways:
eat, need, retrieve, people, key, receive, be, lazy. Knowing the correct pronunciation can present
problems as well. The letter a can be pronounced in many different ways: cat /ae/, father /a/, cake /eI/.

This is why it is a good idea to drill the pronunciation of the words before giving the spelling when
presenting vocabulary. This ensures that knowing the spelling does not interfere with students' ability to
pronounce the words.

Collocation:

If we want students to understand a word, they need to know what words go with it. Teachers should
show students which words 'meet up frequently' or 'live with each other'. Collocation - co (together) +
location (place) - is a word or phrase that naturally and frequently occurs before, after, or very near the
target word. Teachers can use the green-cross code to help students notice collocations in texts.
Consider the following passage:

I have always had a thirst for adventure and would often get itchy feet, so I could hardly contain my
excitement when I set off for South America for a year. After a 12-hour flight to Sao Paulo, Brazil, I had
another long flight to Manaus in the Amazon, then I went by bus to a smaller town. It was a very
arduous journey. I should have broken the journey somewhere, but I did it all in one go. Next time, I will
have a stopover in Sao Paulo, take a bit of a rest, and do the sights there before travelling on.

We could ask our students to look at the nouns in this short passage and use the green-cross code to get
them to look to the left and right of each noun. If students look to the sides of these nouns, they will
notice what those words go with - adventure goes with thirst for, feet goes with itchy, flight goes with
long, journey goes with arduous, and sights goes with do the, etc. These are examples of what is called
lexical chunks and if our students want to speak English fluently, they need to be able to use these
chunks as if they were one word. We need to draw our students' attention to lexical phrases when they
occur. Remember: collocations are words which are frequently used together. Here are more examples:
burst into tears, to be in a black mood, reduce someone to tears, sleep peacefully.
Teachers need to be on hand to tell students that some words, though at first glance a logical
combination, do not in fact go together. For example, strong rain and heavy wind are not collocations,
but strong wind and heavy rain are.

Usage:

Knowing a word also means knowing when it is appropriate to use particular words for different
contexts and when it is not appropriate. As an example, when someone we know has suffered a
bereavement we tend to say, "I am sorry for your loss". It is inappropriate to say, "I apologize for your
loss" even though sorry and apologize are close synonyms. Equally, it would be inappropriate to say,
"I'm sorry your dad kicked the bucket." We use the idiom "kick the bucket" humorously or when we do
not know or care much for the person who has died. Therefore, as teachers, we need to make students
aware of the sociolinguistic nature of vocabulary items.

Task 3

Take the word ‘study’. Analyze this word based on the categories listed above.

4.4 Teaching Vocabulary Part 1

How to teach vocabulary:

Presenting a vocabulary set through a visual/oral context -

This particular method is effective with lower-level learners and young students. Presenting a vocabulary
set through a visual or oral context is often used by teachers to introduce a set of concrete words on a
specific topic.

The following outline is for a teacher who wants to introduce food and drink to his/her students:

Use a visual aid to illustrate the meaning (a visual aid can be a picture, drawing or, when possible, you
can bring in real items, otherwise known as realia).
Elicit from the students what they think the word is. Use the visual to help you ask focused questions.

If the students do not know the word, say it. Ask them to repeat it for you. Do this three times chorally
and three times individually.

Write the word on the board. Concentrate on the pronunciation of each word. Focus on the sounds and
the word stress. Use your mouth to illustrate how students should say the particular sounds.

Note any useful information about the word – Is it a noun, adjective, or verb? Are there any spelling
points worthy of note, such as contractions, punctuations, or capital letters where appropriate?

Write the words in sentences with a clear context for the students as it is important for them to know
how to use the vocabulary in a sentence.

Give students time to take note of the vocabulary in their notebooks or show them where the items of
vocabulary are in their course books.

Encourage students to include any memory triggers – a picture, diagram, translation, color coding, etc.

Any further practice of the vocabulary is recommended. You can prepare gap-fill exercises, multiple
matching exercises where students match the words with the definition, or you can get students to use
the words in a conversation.

Roleplays work well with younger students. You could set the roleplay in a restaurant and then
encourage student A to be the waiter and student B to be the diner.

Presenting collocations/idioms through a reading

Use a warmer (an activity at the start of the class to warm up the learners) to get students thinking
about the topic/content and introduce the text.

Assign a gist question and have students read the text quickly and answer it. They can write a summary
headline to sum up the reading.

Assign a noticing task for the second reading, such as “Read the text and look for collocations and/or
expressions that are used to talk about movies”. Tell students to underline or highlight the collocations
or the idioms.

Elicit what the students have found, write the correct items on the board and explain the meaning
where necessary.

Elicit the different parts of speech. Which word is a verb? Which one is a noun? Which one is a
preposition?
Drill the pronunciation. Model the pronunciation. Drill three times chorally and individually. Focus on
how the sentences connect.

Here are some common ways to pre-teach vocabulary found in coursebooks:

Match the words with the pictures

Check the meaning of the words in a dictionary

Match the words with the definitions

Brainstorm words on set topics

Divide words into groups

Label the items in pictures with the correct words

Complete gapped sentences with words from a list

Discuss a topic

Task 4

Write down the positives and negatives of the approaches mentioned in this section.

4.5 Teaching Vocabulary Part 2

Ways to present vocabulary:

There are many ways of getting the meaning of a lexical item across to students.

Illustration

This is very useful for more concrete words (dog, rain, tall) and for visual learners. It has its limits though
as not all items can be drawn.

Mime

This lends itself particularly well to action verbs and can be fun and memorable.

Synonyms/Antonyms/Gradable items
Using the words a student already knows can be effective for getting meaning across.

Definition

Make sure that the definition is clear (maybe check in a learner dictionary before the lesson if you are
not confident). Remember to ask questions to check that students have understood properly.

Translation

If you know the first language of the students, then it is fast and efficient to translate the lexical items.
Remember that not every word has a direct translation.

Context

Think of a clear context when the word is used and either describe it to the students or give them
example sentences to clarify meaning further.

Whichever way of presenting vocabulary you choose will depend on the item you are presenting. Some
are more suitable for particular words. Often a combination of techniques can be both helpful and
memorable.

Review the vocabulary you teach through a game or activity and encourage your students to do the
same at home.

Encourage autonomy in your learners. Tell them to read, watch films, listen to songs, etc., and note the
useful vocabulary.

Have a section of your board for vocabulary items that come up as you are teaching. Use different colors
for the word / the phonemics / the prepositions / the part of speech.

It is a good idea to teach/learn words with associated meanings together.

Encourage your students to purchase a good dictionary and use class time to highlight the benefits of
one.

Teach your students the grammatical names for the parts of speech and the phonemic script.

Always keep a good dictionary by your side in case a student asks about a word you do not know.

If you do not have a dictionary and do not know a word, tell the student you will check and get back to
them. Ensure you do not forget to follow up with them on this word.

Give extra example words to students if they are unsure of their use and encourage them to write the
word in an example sentence (perhaps as a homework assignment).
Task 5

How would you teach the word ‘website’ using some of the methods mentioned above?

4.6 A vocabulary presentation

Here is an example lesson for presenting vocabulary related to clothes:

The theme of this part of the class is clothes. You will be presenting VOCABULARY. You will also be
helping the learners to practice these new words.

Introduce yourself. Find out where the students are from and use their names in class.

Introduce the topic by showing students a visual of the famous designer Karl Lagerfeld. Ask them what
his job is. He is a fashion designer for Chanel. He designs clothes.

You will decide on 12 vocabulary items you want to focus on in your lesson. Think of your learners’ level
and needs, then choose from the following: hat, skirt, shirt, dress, pants, suit, tie, bow-tie, shoes, high
heels, boots, slippers, flip-flops, sandals, belt, gloves, coat, jacket, jumper, anorak, hoodie, cardigan,
scarf, waistcoat, long-sleeved, short-sleeved, V-neck, jumper, zip, necklace, bracelet, baggy, loose, tight,
striped, casual, style, formal, smart, elegant, scruffy, floral, trendy, fashionable, denim, woolly, suited
and booted, dressed to the nines, hand-me-down, Sunday best, fits like a glove, etc.

Using visuals, elicit (do not tell) your chosen vocabulary.

Drill pronunciation (chorally and individually).

Ask questions to make sure that students understand what your words mean. Show learners the spelling
of the words.

Set a controlled practice activity. Prepare a gap-fill activity to consolidate the new words you have
introduced.

e.g., “His head was cold, so he put on his ___________.”

The learners can do this in pairs or alone.

Get feedback and check their answers.

Set a freer practice SPEAKING activity. Prepare a questionnaire. The students are going to interview each
other about clothes. 5 or 6 questions should be enough. Questions on the questionnaire could be:

Do you enjoy shopping for clothes? Why or why not?

What do people usually wear to work in your country?

What do teenagers usually wear in your country?

What do you usually wear at the weekend? Why?

What is your favorite clothing item? Why?

Do you have a favorite shop?

How would you describe your style?

How has style changed over the last 50 years?

Do you and your friends have the same style?

When shopping for clothes do you prefer quantity or quality?

Swap partners.

Tell students to tell their new partner what they discovered about their old partner.

Task 6

Do you think this presentation would be effective? Why or why not?

Assessment

Think of common vocabulary related to the topic of holidays and travel. Create a short lesson presenting
this vocabulary to a higher-level group.