1. The reason why I am writing this reflection is to provide some of the features of the
text: “Vocabulary connections: multi-word items in English”, specifically the features
of the summary which I wrote from that text. Moreover is also important to know why
is essential for future teachers to know about these topics, and not only for future
teachers but also all the people who is interested in this language.
One of the main topics inside the course of Lexical Analysis is “word formation”. In the
first place, There is important to know about multi-word items because is in this way
you can comprehend in a deeper way some aspects of English vocabulary, how some of
the words inside the English language are formed and the characteristics of multi-word
items. Moreover students need to understand every different type of multi-word item to
make their vocabulary and at the same time their fluency.
In the second place, we all know that around the world exist different variations of
English, the most common ones are the British and American variations which at the
same time affects the variability of multi-word items. The same thing happens in
different texts and discourses because you cannot use the same items in all texts. We
must be able to distinguish between these texts and chose the items that fit in with every
text. This makes us realize that there is much easier if we know these multi-word items
and we know when and how to use them.
Moreover this summary will introduce the second-language learning perspectives, this
means, how multi-word items should be taught in a way that learners understand it in a
perfect way. Thus, this text is really helpful to comprehend how a L2 student thinks and
what things are difficult for them to understand and acquire. There are many multi-word
items which have a metaphorical meaning and that makes it more difficult for L2
learners, but the text shows us that there is a way to teach this topic in a way that non-
native speakers could take the meaning and use it in an appropriate way in a real
context.
Personally, the process of making the summary of this text made me realize how
important is to inquire into the subjects we do not know much about it, especially if we
want to learn and teach a new language. Also, this text would be helpful to Future
teachers who must understand in a deeper way the use, characteristics, meaning of
multi-word items (extreme collocations) to improve their vocabulary and fluency at the
moment of speaking and also in grammar, which is also important. Moreover
understand the difficulties and anticipated problems which may also have their L2
students, to prepare theirselves in a better way to deliver in the knowledge to their
learners, so they can use what they learn in realistic situation and in their daily life.
Dannae Del Campo Méndez