Learner knowledge of phrasal verbs

This study analyses whether a group of learners’ productive and receptive knowledge of some of the most common phrasal verbs (PVs) is related to the frequency of those PVs. Secondly, we look at factors which may have affected the learners’ PV knowledge. The learners completed two tests (productive, receptive) and were also required to complete a biodata questionnaire containing questions about age, gender and nationality, and items relating to the language instruction they received and the incidental exposure they had to English. The analysis of the data shows that there is a relationship between learner knowledge and PV frequency, and that extensive reading and watching English language films and TV programmes appear to have a positive effect on the acquisition of PVs.