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The Korean Association for the Study of English Language and Linguistics
[ Article ]
Korea Journal of English Language and Linguistics - Vol. 26, No. 0, pp.1-20
ISSN: 1598-1398 (Print) 2586-7474 (Online)
Print publication date 31 Jan 2026
Received 20 Dec 2025 Revised 13 Jan 2026 Accepted 13 Jan 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15738/kjell.26..202601.1

Comparing Form-focused Retrieval and Meaning-inferencing Approaches to Phrasal Verb Learning by Korean EFL Learners

Boha Hong ; Hyunsook Yoon
(First author) Department of TESOL, Graduate School, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies 107 Imun-ro, Dongdaemun-gu Seoul, Korea, Tel: +82-2-2173-3978 selenaboha@gmail.com
(Corresponding author) Department of English Education Hankuk University of Foreign Studies 107 Imun-ro, Dongdaemun-gu Seoul, Korea, Tel: +82-2-2173-3978 hsyoon3@hufs.ac.kr


© 2026 KASELL All rights reserved
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

English phrasal verbs (PVs) pose significant learning challenges for EFL learners due to their structural complexity and non-compositional meaning. Yet few studies have directly compared form-focused and meaning-focused approaches to PV learning. To address this gap, the present study examined the effects of two form-focused methods, particle-focused retrieval (PR) and chunk-focused retrieval (CR), and one meaning-focused method, meaning-inferencing (MI), conceptualized as structural and semantic elaboration, respectively. Using a within-subject design, 36 Korean adult EFL learners completed all three conditions. Learners’ recall of both PV form and meaning was assessed through immediate and two-week delayed post-tests, supplemented by surveys and semi-structured interviews. Results revealed no significant differences among PR, CR, and MI for meaning recall. For form recall, PR outperformed the other conditions at both time points, although its advantage diminished over time and became comparable to CR. Learner perceptions did not align with performance outcomes: MI was most preferred despite weaker recall, whereas PR, the least favored, yielded the strongest results. These findings underscore the effectiveness of retrieval-based practice, particularly particle-focused retrieval, for supporting accurate PV form learning, while suggesting that meaning-inferencing strategies may be more sensitive to individual learner characteristics. The study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how different learning conditions support distinct aspects of complex multi-word expression learning.

Keywords:

phrasal verbs, retrieval practice, form-focused learning, meaning inferencing, multi-word expressions

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund of 2025.

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