Multiword Verbs Random Pelmanism Game

Multiword verbs random pelmanism game

 

Instructions for teachers

Photocopy and cut up one set of cards per class or per group of two to four people, perhaps with the two kinds of cards on different coloured paper (which can also help make sure that the words can’t be seen through the back of the cards). Ask students to spread the cards out face down across their table.

One student takes one of each kind of card (using the shape and/ or colour to make sure that they don’t get two of the same kind of card). They should then try to explain what that combination would mean and/ or make an example sentence, e.g. saying “Cause something to happen” or “My headaches are usually brought on by stress” for “bring” + “on”. If they are not sure, they should be encouraged to just make up likely sounding definitions, synonyms or example sentences. If their partners accept what they say, they can keep those two cards. If their partners reject what they say or they can’t think of anything, they have to put them back face down in the same places and it is the next person’s turn. Note that students are likely to have lots of questions about which words match and what they might mean, so you will need to decide if they can use dictionaries to check, if they can ask you questions (perhaps a limited number of times per game) or if they must accept their partners’ decisions and leave all questions until after the game. The variation below also helps solve this issue.

 

Variation: Multiword verbs random pelmanism betting game

Students take two cards from the table as in the game above but only have to say if they think that combination will be in their dictionary or not. If their (positive or negative) statement is correct, they can keep the cards. If not, they have put them back face down in the same places. The next person must then choose different cards, but after that students can try the same cards again if they can remember where they are. You will need at least one dictionary to play this game, preferably one that matches the students’ level such as an Intermediate-level “learner’s dictionary”. However, you could possibly use the list of suggested matches below in the same way.

 

Suggested multiword verb combinations

• bring + along/ back/ forward
• eat + in/ out/ up
• get + along/ back/ down/ off/ on/ out
• go + along (with)/ away/ back/ forward (with)/ out/ over
• hand + down/ in/ out/ over
• hang + around/ back/ on/ up
• hold + in/ off/ on/ up
• look + away/ down/ forward/ into/ out/ over/ up
• put + back/ down/ forward/ off/ on/ up (with)
• stand + around/ back/ down/ in (for)/ out/ up (to)
• stay + around/ away (from)/ back/ in/ out/ over
• switch + back/ off/ on/ over
• take + along/ away/ back/ down/ in/ off/ on/ out/ over
• throw + around/ away/ back/ down/ in/ on/ out/ up
• turn + around/ away/ back/ down/ in/ off/ on/ over/ up

 

Cards to cut up and spread face down across the table

 

Verb cards 

bring	bring	eat	eat
get	get	go	go
hand	hand	hang	hang
hold	hold	look	look
put	put	stand	stand
stay	stay	switch	switch
take	take	throw	throw
turn	turn

 

Particle cards

along	along	around	around
away	away	back	back
down	down	forward	forward
in	in	off	off
on	on	out	out
over	over	up	up