Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effect of Induced Emotion on Grammar Learning
Published on: January 29, 2020
A Bayesian probabilistic analysis of the use of English modal verbs in L2 writing: Focusing on L1 influence and topic
Fatih Ünal Bozdağ1, Gareth Morris2, Junhua Mo3,4
1Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, Fakiusagi Mah, 80000, Merkez Osmaniye, Turkey.
Abstract:
Modal verbs, with their multifaceted semantic nuances and varied grammatical configurations, present notable challenges for L2 learners and regularly intrigue L2 researchers. This study attempts to investigate and compare how English modal verbs are used by L2 learners from different L1 backgrounds. By exploring the Turkish and Chinese learners' subcorpora of the International Corpus of Learner English (ICLE), this work scrutizes the overall frequencies of nine core English modal verbs as grouped into three major semantic classes along with the influential lexico-syntatic variables that are semantic classes of collocated verbs, grammatical patterns and subject pronominality. The results of a Bayesian probabilistic analysis show that both the Turkish and Chinese learners primed similar modal verbs and constructional preferences without topic as the normalizing factor. While the broader analysis reveals no statistically significant divergences between these two learner groups in English modal verb preferences, a pronounced contextual influence is evident when the dataset narrows to essays on a unified theme. This nuanced shift underscores the intricate relationship between essay topics and linguistic structures, thus emphasizing the pivotal role of context in modal verb usage.
More Related Videos
09:09Foreign Accent and Forensic Speaker Identification in Voice Lineups: The Influence of Acoustic Features Based on Prosody
Published on: September 27, 2024
08:32Examining Online Syntactic Processing of Spoken Complex Sentences in Chinese Using Dual-Modal Interference Tasks
Published on: September 5, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Language and Cognition
Variability: Analysis
The range is a simple measure of variability, indicating the difference between the highest and...
Typical Model Studies
Cause and Effect
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Statistical Significance