Phrasal verbs: public speaking

This ESL lesson focuses on phrasal verbs related to public speaking, helping students understand and apply them in presentations, speeches, and discussions. Through matching exercises, dialogue completion, paraphrasing, and speaking activities, students will learn and practice 12 phrasal verbs.

The first 8 phrasal verbs (lead off, lay out, sum up, hold forth, round off, pad out, tone down, break down) are introduced through a conversation between team members preparing a presentation. Students match them to the correct definitions. Students then rewrite sentences by replacing formal phrases with phrasal verbs

Next, a second dialogue introduces the rest of the phrasal verbs (speak out, win over, gloss over, get the message across, choke up, come across as). After matching the verbs to their definitions, students create 8 dialogues by matching the first line to the suitable response.

Speaking activities: First, students discuss conversation questions that include the phrasal verbs. Next, they watch or read a speech (There are 2 links in the Teacher’s version. Before the class, select the speeches you want to show to your students.) and discuss it, using phrasal verbs from this lesson.

Finally, they are asked to create a short speech, present it to the class, and receive feedback.

For more speaking practice, you can use the conversation cards.