A Corpus-Based Study On The Using Regularity Of English Existential Sentence

In view of the existential sentences' significant role and the difficulties that CL have in using them, we conduct this corpus-based research to investigate the characteristics of existential sentences used by CL. By comparing learner corpora with a native one, we aim to explore the using differences of the existential sentences between CL and the natives. By analyzing these differences and their contexts, we attempt to disclose some underlying factors attributing to existential sentences' overuse, underuse and expect to provide some learning,pedagogical suggestions, and at the same time prove and revise to a certain extent some SLA theories, such as Output Hypothesis and Language Transfer Theory.The study adopts both quantitative and qualitative empirical methods, with the aid of text retrieval software wordsmith 5.0. Thus we have the immediate access to those linguistic items which are either underused or overused by learners. Based on the quantitative results obtained from the learner corpus WECCL and CLEC, and the native corpora Brown, we will be able to study such phenomena, such as, CL's overuse and underuse. When discussing the possible causes, we employed qualitative method.The whole thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter one is an introduction to the thesis. Chapter two is the literature review consisting of nine sections. Section one is the review of a diachronic analysis of learner English (Contrastive Analysis, Error Analysis and Contrastive Interlanguage Analysis), and then the method of studying learner English based on corpora is introduced. The second to the ninth section is a review of the previous studies on existential sentences conducted by linguists, and of the explanations in grammar books. In this chapter, we also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to existential sentences study to find a better way to conduct this study, which is the corpus approach. What should be noted here is that the classification of existential sentences is listed in the seventh section: the Standard pattern (There + be + Indefinite NP (+place or time position adverbial) and its Variants (Variant 1: There + model + be /Variant 2: There + marginal model + be/Variant 3: There + semi-auxiliary + be/Variant 4: There + intransitive verb). Around the patterns of existential sentences the whole thesis is discussed. In Chapter three, the focus turns to the research methodology. Firstly, the corpora employed in the study are described, then we briefly introduce the retrieval software and the statistic test employed in the study, and the procedures of data collection. Chapter Four is the main chapter describing and analyzing systematically the instances and investigates the possible causes of Chinese Learner's underuse,overuse and misuse of the existential sentences. Chapter Five provides a summary of the investigation and highlights its most important findings. And then we attempt to evaluate the pedagogical value of native and learner corpora in EFL grammar and writing teaching. This chapter also discusses limitations of the study and makes some suggestions for further research.The study has got the answers of the following questions raised at the beginning of the thesis:1. Which pattern(s) of English existential sentences actually exist in native speakers written materials?The English existential sentences which actually exist in natives' written materials focus on the standard forms and variant 1 of there-be structures.2. What are the overall similarities and differences in the use of English existential sentences between Chinese second language learners and the native English speakers? Both Chinese learners and natives tend to use the standard forms and variant 1 of existential sentences, no matter the positive patterns or the negative ones, and the tenses of these patterns are focused on the simple present tense and simple past tense, other tenses being rarely touched.The difference: Chinese learners more frequently use simple present tense of the standard form and variant 1, the using frequency of simple past tense being far less than that of the natives.3. Do Chinese second language learners incline to underuse or overuse some specific existential sentences?We have checked that there are ten overused types and five underused types of existential sentences.1) All the overused types are in present tense:(1) Six overused types common to all Chinese studentsthere is,there are,there will be,there is no,there is not and there are not(2) Four overused types by Chinese English majors only: there's,there's no,there're and there will be no2) All the underused types are in past tense:There was,There were,There was no,there were no and there had been4. What are the possible causes that underlie the Chinese learners' overuse or underuse of the English existential sentences?1) The reasons for overusing the above six types: (1) The side-effect of the Grammar book(2) The instruction from English teachers and course books(3) Free variability2) Four overused types by Chinese English majors only:(1) The side effect of oral output causes the overuse of three abbreviational types: there's,there's no and there 're.(2) English majors tend to use adverbial clause of condition. From the files we can see "if... there will be (no)..." appears frequently. So we can infer that the overuse of there will be (no) is the result of the frequently using this conditional clause.3) The reason why the overused are all types in present tense:(1) L1 transfer(2) Interference4) As to all the underused types, for they are all in past tense, we can attribute this phenomenon to L1 transfer.