A Corpus-based Study On Chinese EFL Learners' Ordering Distribution Of Temporal Adverbial Clauses

Lots of studies have been done on the ordering distribution of adverbial clauses in English, but little is done on Chinese EFL learners' acquisition of this knowledge. Some researchers realize that there are some problems in ordering distribution of temporal adverbial clauses produced by Chinese EFL learners, but little empirical research has been conducted yet. Based on CLEC, the present research analyzes the characteristics of the ordering distribution of finite temporal adverbial clauses marked by three temporal subordinators, aiming to investigate the Chinese EFL learners' acquisition of the ordering distribution of temporal adverbial clauses.4316 finite temporal clauses, produced by five language proficiency levels, are collected from CLEC in the present study. The characteristics of ordering distribution of these clauses are analyzed by quantitative and qualitative analysis, in comparison with the ordering distribution of temporal adverbial clauses in native English data. The following findings are obtained in the present study: (1) There is an obvious tendency in Chinese EFL learners' composition writings to put the English temporal adverbial clause before the main clause. (2) In free composition writings in CLEC, Chinese EFL learners' ordering distribution of temporal adverbial clauses is gradually approaching to that of native English when the language proficiency develops; in test paper composition writings, however, the situation seems to backslide a bit when the language proficiency develops. (3) Chinese EFL learners' lacking cognition of the importance of ordering distribution results in some misuses in composition writings. (4) Ordering distribution of temporal adverbial clauses in English is different from that in Chinese.Conclusions can be drawn from the findings that: (1) Chinese EFL learners tend to distribute temporal adverbial clauses sentence-initially in composition writings. (2) There is a development pattern concerning the acquisition of ordering distribution across language proficiency levels in learners' composition writings, and the pattern is different in different writing task. (3) Learners usually do not realize the importance of different ordering distribution of temporal adverbial clauses in English. (4) Native language transfer is a very important factor causing Chinese learners' preposition tendency of temporal clauses.The present research provides some pedagogical implications for teachers, EFL learners and textbook writers: English teachers should realize the importance of the ordering distribution of temporal adverbial clauses in English, and display the difference between English and Chinese to English learners; In English teaching, sufficient contextualized input is important because what is learned through explicit instruction needs to be integrated into the developing system through practices. Textbook writers are suggested to use more authentic English texts to help learners increase high quality input and output.