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Article published In: International Journal of Learner Corpus Research
Vol. 2:1 (2016) ► pp.31–67

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A phrase-frame approach to investigating phraseology in learner writing across proficiency levels

 | Georgia State University
Published online: 19 July 2016
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ijlcr.2.1.02gar
Findings from corpus-based and psycholinguistic research have highlighted the importance of acquiring productive knowledge of English phraseology for L2 learners. Many studies exploring this facet of language learning have investigated the use of predominantly fixed multi-word sequences by advanced learners in academic settings and compared their use against that of native-speaking writers. More recent studies have attempted to explore the differences between learners’ use of multi-word sequences across proficiency levels. The current study aims to add to this growing body of literature. It examines the use of phrase-frames by L1 German learners of English as a Foreign Language at five different proficiency levels represented in the EF-Cambridge Open Language Database (EFCAMDAT). The most frequent phrase-frames in each level are analyzed according to both quantitative and qualitative characteristics. The results revealed that, at higher proficiency levels, p-frames in learner texts are more variable, less predictable, and more functionally complex.
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