Reading and listening texts are often used in the ELT classroom to practise receptive skills and / or as the introduction to a topic or language point.

It is widely recognized that second language (L2) mental lexicon must be independent of its first language (L1) counterpart, if learners are to use the target language effectively and fluently.

Have you ever considered why a learner (even an advanced one) can hear a difficult English word or phrase literally thousands of times and still not use that word in the way that a native speaker does?

In the first of these two articles, Multi-word verbs: Learner problems, I looked at some of the problems that multi-word verbs cause students.

Multi-word verbs are complex and present problems for learners both in terms of their grammatical form and their lexical meaning.

For too long now the verb phrase has been the dominant focus of attention in course books, syllabuses, and teacher training programmes.

Skills circuits are a fun way to review language. They also provide a change to coursebook activities allowing learners to work together to re-cycle grammar or vocabulary and share knowledge.

In the first part of this article the writer explored the use of delexicalised verbs and the problems they create for our learners.

In the first part of this two part article Shaun Dowling looks at delexicalised verbs, and the problems they cause for our students.