N-gram measures and L2 writing proficiency. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Garner, James; Crossley, Scott; Kyle, Kristopher
• Is Part Of: System. Volume 80(2019)
• Page Start: 176
• Page End: 187
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: n-gram analysis -- L2 writing proficiency -- Automatic text analysis; Language and languages -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Langage et langues -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 407
• DOI: 10.1016/j.system.2018.12.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0346-251X

Abstract

Abstract: Productive knowledge of English phraseology can assist second language writers in composing more effective and target-like texts. As such, researchers have taken a great interest in L2 phraseological competence by comparing the use of multi-word sequences by L2 writers with that of native speakers as well as comparing the use of multi-word sequences of L2 writers from different proficiency levels. This study expands on this research by investigating how multi-word sequence use can predict human judgments of writing proficiency using a multi-faceted approach. The study specifically examines multiple indices of bigrams and trigram use (frequency, range, association strength) in a corpus of English placement test essays written by L1 Korean learners of English. Results of the multiple regression revealed that n-gram proportion and association strength measures were predictive of human judgments of writing proficiency, indicating that higher rated essays include more strongly associated academic bigrams, a greater proportion of frequent academic trigrams, and more strongly associated spoken trigrams. These results highlight the importance of including instruction on multi-word sequences in the second language writing classroom.