A Study On L2 Knowledge Model And English Modal Verbs

The research for L2 knowledge construction has theoretical meaning and practical significance for L2 teaching and L2 testing. Many researchers have put forward varieties of theoretical models about L2 knowledge construction. However, there is not a clear relationship between L2 knowledge model factors. Whether do the grammatical knowledge and pragmatic knowledge have effect on each other? How do the grammatical form and grammatical meaning affect with each other? Which factors are consisted of pragmatic knowledge? The object of this study is L2 knowledge modal. L2 knowledge model plays an important role in English teaching. This dissertation compares two L2 knowledge models. They are Larsen-Freeman's (1991) grammar teaching model, and Bachman &Palmer's (1996) L2 ability model. Bachman &Palmer's (1996) model of L2 communicative ability consists of two components: language knowledge and strategic competence. Language knowledge includes organizational knowledge and pragmatic knowledge. Organizational knowledge refers to the formal aspects of language; whereas pragmatic knowledge refers to functional and social aspects of language use. Larsen-Freeman's (1991) theoretical framework of grammatical knowledge is formulated for pedagogical purposes. This framework consists of three inter-related, yet still distinguishable components: grammatical form, semantic meaning, and pragmatic use. On the basis of the two models, this dissertation refines a new L2 knowledge model. The frame theory of this model includes two parts. They are grammatical knowledge and pragmatic knowledge. Grammatical knowledge consists of morphosyntatic form, word meaning and morphosyntatic meaning. Pragmatic knowledge consists of politeness, certainty and naturalness.English grammar has been a difficult point for Chinese English learners for a long time and English modal verbs are one of the most difficult points. This dissertation takes researching English learners learning English modal verbs as point of penetration. Because learning English modal verbs is a difficult point for English learners, English learners have not found an effective way to solve this problem. This dissertation finds why English learners don't have a good way to learn English modal verbs by researching English learners learn English modal verbs. At the same time, this dissertation has deeply discussed two questions concerning English modal verbs acquisition. The one is that the entire grammar knowledge and specific grammar knowledge have different predictive power for pragmatic knowledge. The other one is that root meaning modal verbs and epistemic meaning modal verbs should have acquisition sequence for Chinese English learners.