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Going for -ing or -en? A Puzzle about Adjectival Participles for Learners of English

  • Hye K. Pae

    Hye K. PAE, Ph.D., is a Professor of psycholinguistics, applied linguistics, and second language studies in the School of Education at the University of Cincinnati, USA.

         , Jing Sun

    Jing SUN, Ph.D., graduated from the University of Cincinnati in Educational Studies in a concentration of second language studies. Her research interests include the second/foreign language, education, psychology, and their intersections.

         , Haiyang Ai

    Haiyang AI, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Literacy and Second Language Studies at the University of Cincinnati. His research interests include corpus linguistics, computer-assisted language learning, and second language writing.

         und Elizabeth Lowrance Falhaber

    Elizabeth Lowrance FAULHABER, Ph. D., is a graduate of University of Cincinnati’s Second Language Studies program. Her expertise is in emergent literacy, particularly writing, with early childhood English learners. She currently works as an ESOL Specialist at Cincinnati Public Schools. Email: faulhaber.
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 17. März 2023
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Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics
Aus der Zeitschrift Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics Band 46 Heft 1

Abstract

This study investigates how learners of English process adjectival participles in both attributive and predicative positions within sentences in order to identify whether difficulties associated with participles stem from learner-specific or English-specific characteristics. A Chinese-speaking group and a mixed language group participated in Study 1 that used the target sentence in English as L2 without contextual cues. A subgroup of the Chinese participants took part in Study 2 that used target sentences with contextual cues. Results showed that the two groups’ performance was different in the use of pre-nominal attributive adjectival participles after controlling for English proficiency (Study 1). Contextual cues did not facilitate Chinese learners’ performance (Study 2). The target word frequency effects disappeared when contextual cues were provided. These findings suggest that the complexities of adjectival participles reside not only in the linguistic characteristics of English, but also in the learner characteristics of L1 background and English proficiency.

Keywords: adjectival participles; present participles; past participles; Chinese learners of English

About the authors

Hye K. Pae

Hye K. PAE, Ph.D., is a Professor of psycholinguistics, applied linguistics, and second language studies in the School of Education at the University of Cincinnati, USA.

Jing Sun

Jing SUN, Ph.D., graduated from the University of Cincinnati in Educational Studies in a concentration of second language studies. Her research interests include the second/foreign language, education, psychology, and their intersections.

Haiyang Ai

Haiyang AI, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Literacy and Second Language Studies at the University of Cincinnati. His research interests include corpus linguistics, computer-assisted language learning, and second language writing.

Elizabeth Lowrance Falhaber

Elizabeth Lowrance FAULHABER, Ph. D., is a graduate of University of Cincinnati’s Second Language Studies program. Her expertise is in emergent literacy, particularly writing, with early childhood English learners. She currently works as an ESOL Specialist at Cincinnati Public Schools. Email: faulhaber.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported in part by the Graduate Student-Faculty Mentoring Research Program to the first, second, and fourth authors in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services at the University of Cincinnati, USA.

Appendix . Stimuli Used for Study 1 and Study 2

Directions: Read each sentence carefully. Circle the word in the parenthesis that best completes the sentence. If the sentence has more than one possible answer, circle both words.

Stimuli Without Prime Sentences (Study 1) Stimuli With Prime Sentences (Study 2)
Condition 1
(Predicative Complements with Inanimate Subjects)
The sunset tonight was (amazing, amazed). Did The you sunset see tonight the sky? was (amazing, amazed).
I thought the movie was (boring, bored). I I wasted thought my the money. movie was (boring, bored).
The lawyer’s argument was (convincing, convinced). The The judge lawyer’s thought argument carefully. was (convincing, convinced).
The rainy weather all week was very (discouraging, discouraged). I The was rainy in a bad weather mood. all week was very (discouraging, discouraged).
The exercise was (energizing, energized). I felt like I could conquer the world. The exercise was (energizing, energized).
The story was really (entertained, entertaining). The The children story was listened really (and entertained, laughed. entertaining).
The news was very (excited, exciting). She The jumped news was for very joy! (excited, exciting).
The five-hour meeting was really (exhausted, exhausting). I The drove five-straight hour meeting home and was went really to (sleep. exhausted, exhausting).
The haunted house in the park was really (frightened, frightening). I The hope haunted I don’t house have bad in the dreams. park was really (frightened, frightening).
The news in the letter was really (frustrating, frustrated). I The couldn’t news believe in the letter what was I was really reading. (frustrating, frustrated).
The salary was (insulted, insulting) to the expert. They The salary made was a job (insulted, offer. insulting) to the expert.
The article is (interesting, interested) to me. I The want article to read is (it interesting, again. interested) to me.
The classroom rules are (irritating, irritated) to the students. The The teacher classroom is quite rules strict. are (irritating, irritated) to the students.
The process was (overwhelming, overwhelmed). I The finished process applying was (overwhelming, for the job. overwhelmed).
The summer breeze is really (relaxed, relaxing). I The love summer this weather! breeze is really (relaxed, relaxing).
The dishes tonight were so delicious and (satisfied, satisfying). We The went dishes out tonight to dinner were at so a new delicious restaurant. and (satisfied, satisfying).
The news was (shocking, shocked) to many people. The The story news made was (shocking, the front page. shocked) to many people.
The result of the research was (surprised, surprising). We The did result not of find the what research we expected. was (surprised, surprising).
The roller coaster ride was (thrilling, thrilled). I The want roller to go coaster again! ride was (thrilling, thrilled).
High paying jobs are usually (tired, tiring). I don’t know if I want to make more money. High paying jobs are usually (tired, tiring).
Stimuli Without Prime Sentences (Study 1) Stimuli With Prime Sentences (Study 2)
Condition 2
(Attributive Pre-Nominal Modifiers to Inanimate Subjects)
The long (boring, bored) flight tired me out. I The couldn’t long (wait boring, to go bored) to sleep. flight tired me out.
The (convincing, convinced) argument made me think. I The listened (convincing, to the speaker convinced) at the argument debate. made me think.
The (entertaining, entertained) book made me laugh. She The is (entertaining, a great author. entertained) book made me laugh.
The (exciting, excited) game made everyone cheer. The The team (exciting, did a excited) great job! game made everyone cheer.
My (exhausting, exhausted) day was finally over. I My arrived (exhausting, home at exhausted) 10 pm. day was finally over.
The (flashing, flashed) lights blinded me. I The couldn’t (flashing, see anything. flashed) lights blinded me.
His (frightened, frightening) mask made him look scary. He His wore (frightened, a great costume! frightening) mask made him look scary.
Her (frustrating, frustrated) test score made her stressed. She Her was (frustrating, already worried frustrated) about test her score grade. made her stressed.
The (insulting, insulted) word upset me. The The store (insulting, clerk was insulted) very rude! word upset me.
The speaker’s (interesting, interested) story held my attention. I The enjoyed speaker’s the conference. (interesting, interested) story held my attention.
My (irritating, irritated) sweater was uncomfortable. I wanted to go home and change my clothes. My (irritating, irritated) sweater was uncomfortable.
His (overwhelming, overwhelmed) task made him anxious. He His couldn’t (overwhelming, sleep. overwhelmed) task made him anxious.
The (relaxed, relaxing) music put me to sleep. I’m The glad (relaxed, I brought relaxing) my headphones. music put me to sleep.
The (shocking, shocked) news made us worried. We The went (shocking, to the doctor shocked) today. news made us worried.
The (surprised, surprising) results changed my opinion. We The sent (surprised, out a survey. surprising) results changed my opinion.
The (threatened, threatening) phone call was scary. I The called (threatened, the police. threatening) phone call was scary.
The (thrilling, thrilled) music made me happy. I The really (thrilling, enjoyed thrilled) the concert. music made me happy.
My (tired, tiring) job made me sleepy. I My wanted (tired, to tiring) take a nap. job made me sleepy.
The (troubled, troubling) question was hard to answer. I The thought (troubled, for a moment. troubling) question was hard to answer.
My (worked, working) memory is short. I My need (worked, to write working) that down. memory is short.
Condition 3
(Attributive Pre-Nominal Modifiers to Animate Subjects)
My (worrying, worried) mother asked me to call. I My just (worrying, got a text message. worried) mother asked me to call.
The (starving, starved) children in Africa need food. I The am sending (starving, money starved) to a children charity. in Africa need food.
Stimuli Without Prime Sentences (Study 1) Stimuli With Prime Sentences (Study 2)
The (shocking, shocked) people couldn’t believe their eyes! The The crowd (shocking, watched shocked) the house people burn. couldn’t believe their eyes!
His (irritating, irritated) sister continued to annoy him. The His boy (irritating, couldn’t irritated) concentrate sister on continued his homework. to annoy him.
Her (frightening, frightened) children ran away. The Her big (frightening, dog growled. frightened) children ran away.
The (entertaining, entertained) singer amazed the audience. What The (entertaining, a wonderful show! entertained) singer amazed the audience.
The (tiring, tired) baby went straight to sleep. The The sitter (tiring, laid tired) him baby in his went crib. straight to sleep.
The (frustrating, frustrated) teacher sighed. The The children (frustrating, would frustrated) not stop talking. teacher sighed.
The (exhausted, exhausting) nurse rested in the chair. It The was (exhausted, a long day at exhausting) the hospital. nurse rested in the chair.
The (threatened, threatening) tiger frightened me. I don’t want to go back to the zoo. The (threatened, threatening) tiger frightened me.
The (inspired, inspiring) speaker changed my mind. I The listened (inspired, carefully. inspiring) speaker changed my mind.
The (improving, improved) cook made a delicious meal. I’m The glad (improving, I attended improved) the dinner cook party. made a delicious meal.
The (insulting, insulted) woman left the party. No The one (insulting, liked her insulted) dress. woman left the party.
The (satisfying, satisfied) customer left good feedback. We The worked (satisfying, hard satisfied) to please customer him. left good feedback.
The (surprising, surprised) birthday girl jumped for joy. She The was (surprising, so excited! surprised) birthday girl jumped for joy.
The (amazed, amazing) crowd cheered. The The magician (amazed, made amazing) the woman crowd cheered. disappear.
The (exciting, excited) children couldn’t sleep before the party. They The (stayed exciting, awake excited) much children too late! couldn’t sleep before the party.
(Troubling, Troubled) teens need a lot of support. I (want Troubling, to teach Troubled) high school. teens need a lot of support.
The (overwhelming, overwhelmed) young mother needed a break. I The took (overwhelming, my neighbor’s children overwhelmed) to the park. young mother needed a break.
The (relaxing, relaxed) young woman enjoyed the massage. It The had (relaxing, been a long relaxed) day. young woman enjoyed the massage.
Published Online: 2023-03-17
Published in Print: 2023-02-23

© 2023 FLTRP, Walter de Gruyter, Cultural and Education Section British Embassy

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Speech Intelligibility
  3. Does the Functional Load Principle Predict How Important Phonemic Contrasts Are to Intelligibility Among ELF Users? A Partial Replication of Munro and Derwing (2006) From an ELF Perspective
  4. Comparing the Intelligibility of Different Varieties of English Through Predicting Learners Comprehension: A Phonetic Experimental Approach
  5. Second Language Acquisition
  6. Dialogic Learner and Identity Changes in the English Majors at a University for Liberal Arts
  7. Going for -ing or -en? A Puzzle about Adjectival Participles for Learners of English
  8. Study of High-Proficiency Chinese EFL Learners’ Strategy Applications in Constructive Feedback
  9. Language Teaching
  10. An Exploratory Study of Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Language-Literature Integration in Secondary EFL Education
  11. An Exploration of Learning Satisfaction and Problems on Synchronous Online Teaching Mode in an English Comprehensive Reading Course During the COVID-19 Epidemic Period
  12. Second Language Writing
  13. Student Engagement With Peer Feedback in L2 Writing: A Multiple Case Study of Chinese Secondary School Students
  14. Book Review
  15. Review on Languaging in Language Learning and Teaching: A Collection of Empirical Studies
  16. Abstracts
  17. Chinese Abstracts
https://doi.org/10.1515/CJAL-2023-0104
Schlagwörter für diesen Artikel
adjectival participles; present participles; past participles; Chinese learners of English

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Speech Intelligibility
  3. Does the Functional Load Principle Predict How Important Phonemic Contrasts Are to Intelligibility Among ELF Users? A Partial Replication of Munro and Derwing (2006) From an ELF Perspective
  4. Comparing the Intelligibility of Different Varieties of English Through Predicting Learners Comprehension: A Phonetic Experimental Approach
  5. Second Language Acquisition
  6. Dialogic Learner and Identity Changes in the English Majors at a University for Liberal Arts
  7. Going for -ing or -en? A Puzzle about Adjectival Participles for Learners of English
  8. Study of High-Proficiency Chinese EFL Learners’ Strategy Applications in Constructive Feedback
  9. Language Teaching
  10. An Exploratory Study of Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Language-Literature Integration in Secondary EFL Education
  11. An Exploration of Learning Satisfaction and Problems on Synchronous Online Teaching Mode in an English Comprehensive Reading Course During the COVID-19 Epidemic Period
  12. Second Language Writing
  13. Student Engagement With Peer Feedback in L2 Writing: A Multiple Case Study of Chinese Secondary School Students
  14. Book Review
  15. Review on Languaging in Language Learning and Teaching: A Collection of Empirical Studies
  16. Abstracts
  17. Chinese Abstracts
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