Cover not available
Article published In:
Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 33:2 (2020) ► pp.505–535

Linking or delinking of ideas?

The use of adversative linking adverbials by advanced EFL learners

 | Universidad Complutense de Madrid
 | Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
This paper explores the use of adversative Linking Adverbials (LAs) in the academic writing of advanced English Foreign Language (EFL) learners with different linguistic backgrounds. The learner corpus used in this study consists of 50 argumentative essays which are contrasted with a native corpus: the American university students’ corpus (LOCNESS). Liu’s (2008) comprehensive list of adversative LAs has been used for the analysis. Findings reveal that both non-native (NNS) and native speakers of English (NS) use similar types of adversative LAs, but NNS place them regularly in sentence- and sometimes in paragraph-initial position, which often results in punctuation issues and misuse. A total of 9 LAs were found to be overused (e.g., nevertheless) and underused (e.g., actually) by NNS. The analysis performed according to L1 has yielded unexpected results in terms of preference, frequency, and placement of adversative LAs. The so-called ‘teaching effect’ is considered one of the main factors influencing the learners’ choices.
Keywords: adversative linking adverbials, learner corpus, advanced learners of English, teaching effect, language transfer
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
  • 3.The importance of adversative linking adverbials
  • 4.Corpus linguistics, learner corpora and contrastive methods
  • 5.Methodology
    • 5.1Context and corpus compilation
      • 5.1.1Equivalent type and similar stage of the learner
      • 5.1.2Comparable text type
    • 5.2Data and procedure
  • 6.Results
    • 6.1Overall frequency of adversative LAs
    • 6.2Overuse and underuse of adversative linking adverbials
    • 6.3Use of adversative linking adverbials by L1 groups
    • 6.4Difficulties in the use of LAs: Zooming in on five cases of misuse
      • 6.4.1Nevertheless
      • 6.4.2Although
      • 6.4.3In contrast
      • 6.4.4However
      • 6.4.5On the other hand
  • 7.Discussion
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 10 February 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.18020.nav
References (39)
References
Anthony, L. (2014). AntConc (Version 3.4.3) [Macintosh OS X]. Tokyo, Japan: Waseda University. Available from [URL]
(2015). TagAnt (Version 1.2.0) [Macintosh OS X]. Tokyo, Japan: Waseda University. Available from [URL]
Bell, D. M. (2010). Nevertheless, still and yet: Concessive cancellative discourse markers. Journal of Pragmatics, 42 (7), 1912–1927. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bennett, G. R. (2010). Using corpora in the language learning classroom: corpus linguistics for teachers. University of Michigan Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Biber, D., Conrad, S., & Reppen, R. (1998). Corpus linguistics: Investigating language structure and use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G., Conrad, S., & Finegan, E. (1999). Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Harlow, England: Longman.Google Scholar
Biber, D., Conrad, S., & Leech, G. (2002). Longman student grammar of spoken and written English. Halow, England: Pearson/ Longman.Google Scholar
Biber, D. (2004). Lexical bundles in academic speech and writing. In B. Lewandowska-Tomaszczyk (ed.), Practical Applications in Language and Computers. PALC 2003 (pp. 165–178). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.Google Scholar
Biber, D., Conrad, S., & Cortes, V. (2004). If you look at …: Lexical bundles in university teaching and textbooks. Applied Linguistics, 25(3), 371–405. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar Book: An ESL/EFL Teacher’s Course. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.Google Scholar
Chen, W. Y. C. (2006). The use of conjunctive adverbials in the academic papers of advanced Taiwanese EFL learners. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 11(1), 113–130. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Conrad, S. (2000). Will Corpus Linguistics revolutionize grammar teaching in the 21st century? TESOL Quarterly, 341, 548–560. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Field, Y., & Yip, L. M. O. (1992). A comparison of internal conjunctive cohesion in the English essay writing of Cantonese speakers and native speakers of English. RELC Journal, 23(1), 15–28. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Granger, S. (1996). From CA to CIA and back: An integrated contrastive approach to computerized bilingual and learner corpora. In K. Aijmer, B. Altenberg & M. Johansson (Eds.), Languages in Contrast. Text-based cross-linguistic studies (pp. 37–51). Lund: Lund University Press.Google Scholar
Granger, S., & Tyson, S. (1996). Connector usage in the English essay writing of native and non-native EFL speakers of English. World Englishes, 151, 19–29. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Granger, S. (1997). Identifying the syntactic and discourse features of participle clauses in academic English: native and non-native writers compared. In Aarts, J., de Mönnink, I. and Wekker, H. (Eds), Studies in English Language and Teaching (pp. 185–198). Rodopi: Amsterdam & Atlanta.Google Scholar
(2002). A bird’s-eye view of learner corpus research. In S. Granger, J. Hung and S. Petch-Tyson (eds), Computer Learner Corpora. Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Teaching (pp. 38–51). Lund: Lund University.Google Scholar
(2004). Computer learner corpus research: Current status and future prospects. In U. Connor & T. Upton (eds), Applied Corpus Linguistics: A Multidimensional Perspective (pp. 123–145). Rodopi: Amsterdam.Google Scholar
(2009). The contribution of learner corpora to second language acquisition and foreign language teaching: A critical evaluation. In K. Aijmer (ed.), Corpora and Language Teaching (pp. 13–32). Benjamins: Amsterdam & Philadelphia. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2015). Contrastive interlanguage analysis: A reappraisal. International Journal of Learner Corpus Research, 1(1), 7–24. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2017). Learner Corpora in Foreign Language Education. In S. Thorne & S. May (Eds.), Language, Education and Technology (pp. 1–14). Cham: Springer International Publishing. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gries, S. (2013). Statistical tests for the analysis of learner corpus data. In A. Díaz-Negrillo, N. Ballier, & P. Thompson (Eds.), Automatic treatment and analysis of learner corpus data (pp. 287–309). Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Halliday, M. A. K., & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Hasselgren, A. (1994). Lexical teddy bears and advanced learners: a study into the ways Norwegian students cope with English vocabulary. International Journal Of Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 237–258. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Leech, G. (1998). Learner corpora: what they are and what can be done with them. In Granger, S. (Ed), Learner English on Computer (pp. 14–20). London & New York: Addison Wesley Longman.Google Scholar
Lei, L. (2012). Linking adverbials in academic writing on applied linguistics by Chinese doctoral students. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 11(3), 267–275. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Leńko-Szymańska, A. (2008). ‘Non-native or non-expert? The use of connectors in native and foreign language learners’ texts.’ Acquisition et interaction en langue étrangère, 271, 91–108. Available online from: [URL]
Liu, D. (2008). Linking adverbials: An across-register corpus study and its implications. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 131, 491–518. Available online from: [URL]
Nevertheless. (2018). Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Retrieved from: [URL]
On the contrary. (2018). Oxford Dictionary of English. Retrieved from: [URL]
Paquot, M. (2017, March). Phraseological complexity in English writing by French EFL learners. Paper presented at the workshop Learner Corpus based approaches to Second Language Acquisition, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Peacock, M. (2010). Linking adverbials in research articles across eight disciplines. Iberica, 20(20), 9–34.Google Scholar
Prommas, P., & Sinwongsuwat, K. (2011). A comparative study of discourse connectors used in argumentative compositions produced by Thai EFL learners and English-native speakers. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences; Songkhla, Thailand, April 2nd, 2011. Faculty of Liberal Arts: Prince of Songkla University.
Rica-Peromingo, J. P. (2012). Corpus analysis and phraseology: transfer of multi-word units. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 61, 321–343. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Shaw, P. (2012). Linking adverbials in student and professional writing in literary studies: what makes writing mature. In Hunston, Pecorari & Charles (Ed.) Academic Writing. New York: Continuum Publishing Corporation. 215–235.Google Scholar
Sinclair, J. (2005). Corpus and Text: basic principles. In M. Wynne (Ed.), Developing Linguistic Corpora: a Guide to Good Practice (pp 1–16). Oxford: Oxbow Books. Available online from [URL]
Swales, J. M. (2002). English in Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Wilkinson, R., & Hommes, J. (2010). A Guide to Academic Writing Skills. 2nd ed. Maastricht, The Netherlands: School of Business and Economics. Maastricht University.Google Scholar
Wray, A. (2002). Formulaic Language and the Lexicon. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar