ABSTRACT
As mentioned in Chapter 5, language is composed of an enormous number of prefabricated and semi-prefabricated expressions. Many different terms have been used to refer to such expressions, including idioms, fixed expressions, formulae (or formulaic sequences), lexical bundles , phrasemes ( phraseology ), and word clusters. While many of the terms are often used interchangeably, some of them do refer to different types of multi-word units. This chapter will focus on three important ones for language learning purposes: idioms, phrasal verbs, and formulae/lexical bundles. 1 First, each type will be defined and its functions described. Then a discussion will follow on effective ways to explain and teach them.
