Cover not available
Article published In:
Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 36:2 (2023) ► pp.436–466

Constructional complexity as a predictor of Korean EFL learners’ writing proficiency

ORCID logo | Yonsei University
ORCID logo | Palacký University Olomouc
ORCID logo | Gyeongin National University of Education

Based on usage-based constructionist approaches to language development, this study investigates the validity of constructional complexity as a predictor of writing proficiency of Korean EFL learners. We analyzed argumentative essays produced by Korean EFL learners and compared a prediction model that uses English argument structure constructions with a conventional T-unit-based model. We first tested the predictive power of a discriminant function model with argument structure constructions as predictors for assessing writing proficiency of lower- and higher-level learners. We then compared the construction-based model to another model that included T-unit measures as predictors. The results validated the contribution of argument structure constructions for predicting L2 writing proficiency: The construction-based model yielded higher prediction accuracy than the T-unit-based model did, confirming that constructional complexity is closely aligned with writing proficiency. These findings demonstrate the significance of a construction-based model as a reliable tool for diagnosing EFL learners’ writing proficiency.

Keywords: second language writing, discriminant function analysis, constructionist approach, T-unit, Korean EFL students
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Syntactic complexity measures in L2 writing
  • 3.Constructional approaches to language development
  • 4.L2 acquisition of English ASCs
  • 5.Present study
    • 5.1Research question 1: Constructional model
      • 5.1.1Method
        • 5.1.1.1Data collection
        • 5.1.1.2Variable selection and coding
      • 5.1.2Results and discussion
        • 5.1.2.1Multivariate analysis of variance
        • 5.1.2.2Discriminant function analysis
    • 5.2Research question 2: Testing model validity
      • 5.2.1Method
      • 5.2.2Results and discussion
        • 5.2.2.1Multivariate analysis of variance
        • 5.2.2.2Discriminant function analysis
        • 5.2.2.3Comparison of the models
  • 6.General discussion and conclusion
  • References
Published online: 10 May 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.20066.kim
References
Bacha, N.
(2001) Writing evaluation: What can analytic versus holistic essay scoring tell us? System, 29 (3), 371–383. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bardovi-Harlig, K.
(1992) A second look at T-unit analysis: Reconsidering the sentence. TESOL Quarterly, 26 (2), 390–395. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Beers, S. F., & Nagy, W. E.
(2009) Syntactic complexity as a predictor of adolescent writing quality: Which measures? Which genre? Reading and Writing, 22 (2), 185–200. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Behrens, H.
(2009) Usage-based and emergentist approaches to language acquisition. Linguistics, 47 (2), 383–411. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Biber, D., Gray, B., & Poonpon, K.
(2011) Should we use characteristics of conversation to measure grammatical complexity in L2 writing development? TESOL Quarterly, 45 (1), 5–35. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cadierno, T., & Eskildsen, S. W.
(Eds.) (2015) Usage-based perspectives on second language learning. De Gruyter. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Chien, B. C., Lin, J. Y., & Yang, W. P.
(2006) A classification tree based on discriminant functions. Journal of Information Science and Engineering, 22 (3), 573–594.Google Scholar
Cho, Y. J., & Jeon, M. G.
(2015) hankwuke swuyongseng phantanuy silhempangpeplon pikyo yenkwu [A comparative study of acceptability judgment collection methods in Korean]. The Journal of Linguistics Science, 72 1, 397–416.Google Scholar
Conway, A. R., Kane, M. J., Bunting, M. F., Hambrick, D. Z., Wilhelm, O., & Engle, R. W.
(2005) Working memory span tasks: A methodological review and user’s guide. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 12 (5), 769–786. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Croft, W.
(2001) Radical construction grammar: Syntactic theory in typological perspective. Oxford University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Crossley, S. A., Salsbury, T., & McNamara, D. S.
(2012) Predicting the proficiency level of language learners using lexical indices. Language Testing, 29 (2), 243–263. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ellis, N. C.
(2006) Cognitive perspectives on SLA: The associative-cognitive CREED. AILA Review, 19 (1), 100–121. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2013) Construction grammar and second language acquisition. In T. Hoffmann, & G. Trousdale (Eds.), Oxford handbook of construction grammar (pp. 365–378). Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Ellis, N. C., & Ferreira-Junior, F.
(2009) Construction learning as a function of frequency, frequency distribution, and function. The Modern Language Journal, 93 (3), 370–385. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ellis, N. C., O’Donnell, M. B., & Römer, U.
(2015) Usage-based language learning. In B. MacWhinney, & W. O’Grady (Eds.), The handbook of language emergence (pp. 163–180). John Wiley & Sons. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R., & Yuan, F.
(2004) The effects of planning on fluency, complexity, and accuracy in second language narrative writing. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26 (1), 59–84. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Friginal, E., Li, M., & Weigle, S. C.
(2014) Revisiting multiple profiles of learner compositions: A comparison of highly rated NS and NNS essays. Journal of Second Language Writing, 23 1, 1–16. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Goldberg, A. E.
(1995) Constructions: A construction grammar approach to argument structure. University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
(2006) Constructions at work: The nature of generalization in language. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
(2013) Constructionist approach. In G. Trousdale, & T. Hoffmann (Eds.), Oxford handbook of construction grammar (pp. 15–31). Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
(2019) Explain me this: Creativity, competition, and the partial productivity of constructions. Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Goldberg, A. E., & Casenhiser, D.
(2008) Construction learning and second language acquisition. In P. Robinson, & N. C. Ellis (Eds.), Handbook of cognitive linguistics and second language acquisition (pp. 197–215). Routledge.Google Scholar
Goldberg, A. E., & Jackendoff, R.
(2004) The English resultative as a family of constructions. Language, 80 (3), 532–568. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gries, S. Th., Hampe, B., & Schönefeld, D.
(2005) Converging evidence: Bringing together experimental and corpus data on the association of verbs and constructions. Cognitive Linguistics, 16 (4), 635–676. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gries, S. Th., & Wulff, S.
(2005) Do foreign language learners also have constructions? Annual Review of Cognitive Linguistics, 3 (1), 182–200. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2009) Psycholinguistic and corpus-linguistic evidence for L2 constructions. Annual Review of Cognitive Linguistics, 7 (1), 163–186. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hunt, K. W.
(1965) Grammatical structures written at three grade levels (Research Report No. 3). National Council of Teachers of English.Google Scholar
Jackendoff, R.
(1997) Twistin’ the night away. Language, 73 (3), 534–559. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Jarvis, S., Grant, L., Bikowski, D., & Ferris, D.
(2003) Exploring multiple profiles of highly rated learner compositions. Journal of Second Language Writing, 12 (4), 377–403. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kim, H., Hwang, H., & Rah, Y.
(2017) Young EFL students’ reliance on path-breaking verbs in the use of English argument structure constructions. Journal of Cognitive Science, 18 (3), 341–366. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kim, H., & Rah, Y.
(2016) Effects of verb semantics and proficiency in second language use of constructional knowledge. The Modern Language Journal, 100 (3), 716–731. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kim, H., Shin, G-H., & Hwang, H.
(2020) Integration of verbal and constructional information in the second language processing of English dative constructions. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 42 (4), 825–847. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kyle, K.
(2016) Measuring syntactic development in L2 writing: Fine grained indices of syntactic complexity and usage-based indices of syntactic sophistication [PhD dissertation]. Georgia State University.
Kyle, K., & Crossley, S.
(2017) Assessing syntactic sophistication in L2 writing: A usage-based approach. Language Testing, 34 (4), 513–535. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Lan, G., Liu, Q., & Staples, S.
(2019) Grammatical complexity: ‘What does it mean’ and ‘So what’ for L2 writing classrooms? Journal of Second Language Writing, 46 1, 100673. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Langacker, R. W.
(2008) Cognitive grammar: A basic introduction. Oxford University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Lee, J.-H., & Kim, S.-S.
(2016) Korean college students’ knowledge on English argument structure constructions depending on English proficiency. Korean Journal of English Language and Linguistics, 16 (2), 121–142. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Lu, X.
(2010) Automatic analysis of syntactic complexity in second language writing. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 15 (4), 474–496. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2011) A corpus-based evaluation of syntactic complexity measures as indices of college-level ESL writers’ language development. TESOL Quarterly, 45 (1), 36–62. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Lu, X., & Ai, H.
(2015) Syntactic complexity in college-level English writing: Differences among writers with diverse L1 backgrounds. Journal of Second Language Writing, 29 1, 16–27. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
McClure, K., Pine, J. M., & Lieven, E. V.
(2006) Investigating the abstractness of children’s early knowledge of argument structure. Journal of Child Language, 33 (4), 693–720. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Meyers, L., Gamst, S. G., & Guarino, A. J.
(2006) Applied multivariate research: Design and interpretation. Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Norris, J. M., & Ortega, L.
(2009) Towards an organic approach to investigating CAF in SLA: The case of complexity. Applied Linguistics, 30 (4), 555–578. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
O’Brien, R. M.
(2007) A caution regarding rules of thumb for variance inflation factors. Quality & Quantity, 41 (5), 673–690. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Oh, S.
(2006) Investigating the relationship between fluency measures and second language writing placement test decisions [MA thesis]. University of Hawai‘i.
Ortega, L.
(2003) Syntactic complexity measures and their relationship to L2 proficiency: A research synthesis of college-level L2 writing. Applied Linguistics, 24 (4), 492–518. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2015) Syntactic complexity in L2 writing: Progress and expansion. Journal of Second Language Writing, 29 1, 82–94. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pallotti, G.
(2015) A simple view of linguistic complexity. Second Language Research, 31 (1), 117–134. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pinker, S.
(1989) Learnability and cognition: The acquisition of argument structure. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Rah, Y-O.
(2014) Effects of construction-grammar-based instruction on the sentence production ability of Korean college learners of English [PhD dissertation]. Seoul National University.
Rappaport Hovav, M., & Levin, B.
(1998) Building verb meanings. In W. Geuder (Ed.), The projection of arguments: Lexical and compositional factors (pp. 97–134). CSLI Publications.Google Scholar
Rhee, S.-C., & Jung, C. K.
(2012) Yonsei English Learner Corpus (YELC). Proceedings of the first Yonsei English Corpus symposium (pp. 26–36). Seoul.Google Scholar
Rimmer, W.
(2006) Measuring grammatical complexity: The Gordian knot. Language Testing, 23 (4), 497–519. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Sethuraman, N.
(2002) The acquisition of verbs and argument structure construction [PhD dissertation]. University of California at San Diego.
Sethuraman, N., Goldberg, A. E., & Goodman, J. C.
(1997) Using the semantics associated with syntactic frames for interpretation without the aid of non-linguistic context. In Proceedings of the 27th Annual Child Language Research Forum. CSLI Publications.Google Scholar
Shim, J. Y., & Dikken, M. D.
(2007) The tense of resultatives: The case of Korean. In K. Moulton, M. Walkow, & E. Elfner (Eds.), NELS 38: Proceedings of the 38th Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistic Society (pp. 337–350). GLSA.Google Scholar
Shin, G.-H.
(2020) People also avoid repetition in sentence comprehension: Evidence from multiple postposition constructions in Korean. Linguistics Vanguard, 6 (1), 20190043. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Snyder, W.
(2001) On the nature of syntactic variation: Evidence from complex predicates and complex word-formation. Language, 77 1, 324–342. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Sokal, R. R., & Rohlf, F. J.
(1995) Biometry. Freeman.Google Scholar
Sung, H.
(2019) Korean EFL learners’ processing of English caused-motion construction. English Teaching, 74 (1), 49–73. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Sung, M., & Kim, H.
(2022) Effects of verb-construction association on second language constructional generalizations in production and comprehension. Second Language Research, 38 (2), 233–257. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Theakston, A. L., Maslen, R., Lieven, E. V., & Tomasello, M.
(2012) The acquisition of the active transitive construction in English: A detailed case study. Cognitive Linguistics, 23 (1), 91–128. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Tomasello, M.
(2003) Constructing a language: A usage-based theory of language acquisition. Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Verhelst, N., van Avermaet, P., Takala, S., Figueras, N., & North, B.
(2009) Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Verspoor, M., Schmid, M. S., & Xu, X.
(2012) A dynamic usage-based perspective on L2 writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 21 (3), 239–263. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Whong-Ваrr, M.
(2005) Morphology, derivational syntax and second language acquisition of resultatives [PhD dissertation]. Durham University.
Wiseman, C. S.
(2012) A comparison of the performance of analytic vs. holistic scoring rubrics to assess L2 writing. International Journal of Language Testing, 2 (1), 59–92.Google Scholar
Wolfe-Quintero, K., Inagaki, S., & Kim, H.-Y.
(1998) Second language development in writing: Measures of fluency, accuracy, & complexity. University of Hawaii Press.Google Scholar
Wolff, P.
(2007) Representing causation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136 1, 82–111. DOI logoGoogle Scholar