The use of collocations by intermediate vs. advanced non-native writers: A bigram-based study

Abstract

Phraseological competence, the use of (semi-)prefabricated expressions in language, is a major component of second language acquisition. Recent research focused on lexical bundles, i.e. recurrent contiguous strings of words, has highlighted quantitative and qualitative differences between native and non-native speaker use of these strings. Few studies, however, have investigated the development of phraseological competence as a function of degree of proficiency in L2. Relying on a methodology used by Durrant and Schmitt (2009: IRAL 47, 157–177) to compare native and non-native speakers, the present study identifies significant differences in the way in which intermediate and advanced learners use collocations. In particular, the intermediate learners tend to overuse high frequency collocations (such as hard work) and underuse lower-frequency, but strongly associated, collocations (such as immortal souls). The concluding section addresses the limits of the study and points to possible applications in foreign language teaching and automated scoring.