Learning from our learners’ grammar

Dr Anne O’Keeffe, MIC, University of Limerick, Ireland

Cambridge Learner Corpus

It contains over 35 million words from Cambridge exam scripts from over:

• 135,000 exam scripts • 130 different first languages • 190 different countries

See: http://www.cambridge.org/elt/corpus/learner_corpus2.htm

Practical application of learner corpus

• English Profile • Research • Materials design

– What students get wrong helps identify typical errors.– What students get right gives good model sentences and

tells us about typical competencies.

• to do sports not to make sports

Polish B1 BECPTurkish B1 BECPSwiss (German L1)

B1 BECP

France B1 BECPTurkish B1 BECPSwiss (German L1)

B1 BECP

Swiss (German L1)

B1 BECP

Swiss (German L1)

B1 BECP

German B1 BECPSwiss (German L1)

B1 BECP

Swiss (German L1)

B1 BECP

Swiss (German L1)

B1 BECP

Swiss (German L1)

B1 BECP

German B1 BECP

Percentage errors make/do

Looking forward to

• What range of errors do you expect to find?• At what level do you think learners will, on

the whole, get it right?

I am looking forward <#RT>for|to</#RT> your reply. (BECP; Greece; B1 2003)

I'm looking forward <#RT>from|to</#RT> hearing from you. (FCE; Brazil; B2; 2000)

We are looking forward<#RT>in|to</#RT> hearing from you. (FCE; Malaysia; B2; 1997)

I am looking forward <#RT>of|to</#RT> hearing from you. (FCE; Greece; B2; 1993)

I'm looking forward <#RT>on|to</#RT> hearing from you. (PET; France; B1; 2003)

looking forward forLooking forward for

Let’s focus on the word opinion and its patterns :

What patterns for the word opinion can do you expect to find in the learner corpus?

All of the following patterns are found in the Cambridge Learner Corpus:on my opinion in my opinion of my opinion to my opinion under my opinionto be of the opinion that

Cambridge Learner Corpus

in my opinion

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AcademicWriting

Fiction BNC Spoken BNC Written CANCODE BusinessWritten

in my opinion

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AcademicWriting

Fiction BNCSpoken

BNC Written CANCODE BusinessWritten

LearnerCorpus

Learner Corpus In my opinion : in my

opinion

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In my opinion in my opinion

• These things are usually, in my opinion, anyway, er, er the results are often accidents.

• There has unfortunately in my opinion been a change of attitude about which cases to prosecute.

• Terrible shame in my opinion that that building was demolished, allowed to go to wrack and ruin, er and then demolished.

Examples from the BNC

Examples from the Learner Corpus• In my opinion the best means of getting to work is by bicycle … (FCE; Italy; B2 VANTAGE; 1993)

• So, in my opinion, I'm really looking forward to the next music festival. (577965; FCE; China; B2 VANTAGE; 1997)

• In my opinion, it seems that we achieved the aim satisfactorily, even though it was not easy. (CAE; Japan; C1 EFFECTIVE OPERATIONAL PROFICIENCY; 2000)

• A lot of people prefer cats to dogs, but, in my opinion, cats are only interested in food, not in you. (581974; FCE; Italy; B2 VANTAGE; 1997)

Some Turkish examples• In my opinion you should go to Antalya.

(2605889; Preliminary English Test; Turkey; B1 THRESHOLD; 2008; Turkish; Pass)

• In my opinion, a friendly receptionist is the essence of a welcoming reception.... (571244; First Certificate in English; Turkey; B2 VANTAGE; 1999; Turkish; Pass)

• In my opinion life is extremely difficult and complicated for mankind. (584268; Certificate of Proficiency in English; Turkey; C2 MASTERY; 1998; Turkish; Fail)

• In my opinion this film also has very good camera work. (587238; First Certificate in English; Turkey; B2 VANTAGE; 1999; Turkish; Pass)

Will + have + participle

• At what level do you think learners begin to use it?

• At what level is it ‘criterial’?

B2beenbeen increasingfinishedincreasedscored

C1beendisappeareddetermineddisappointedimprovedlivedmadetakensettled down

spent

C2been deliveredgainedincreasedlivedsucceeded

I can’t use it.

I can’t use it.

I try to use it but mostly get it wrong.

I try to use it but mostly get it wrong.

I use it and usually get it right.I use it and usually get it right.

English Profile project: getting a fuller profile

Course books Exam syllabi

Corpus

In conclusion…

• By using a corpus of learner writing, we can learn more about our students’ grammar patterns at different levels.

• More research into learner patterns in needed.

• For grammar materials writers, the Learner Corpus is the key resource on which to base materials.

Thank you for listening!

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professionals• submit a research proposal• use website to find out about English

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