Macmillan Phrasal Verbs Plus
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Macmillan Phrasal Verbs Plus - Book of the Month
Review from EL Gazette, no. 307, July 2005
Pete Sharma
Phrasal Verbs Plus includes many features that have made the Macmillan dictionary series so popular, such as frequency stars and menus. The most frequent phrasal verbs, highlighted in red, are given a 1, 2 or 3 star rating. A verb like go for, with nine meanings, is prefaced by a menu which helps the user locate the meaning they want. The meanings given use uncomplicated language and a defining vocabulary of 2000 words. The information on collocations is especially useful.
The dictionary includes a wealth of additional information, including meanings for associated nouns and adjectives. There are 26 language study pages in the middle with articles on areas like pronunciation, metaphor and new phrasal verbs. An index at the back allows students to locate a verb like get down through its single verb equivalent – depress. This is a useful feature for learners. Putting the key words (like leave) in shaded boxes before listing the phrasal verbs (leave out etc) makes for exceptional clarity of layout. The full-page diagrams of the twelve main particles are superb, and guide students to underlying meanings. User-friendly, and containing many amusing cartoon-style illustrations, this is an essential new dictionary.