An Interlanguage - Based Error Analysis Of Middle School Students’Use Of The Relative Clause

As mutually considered by both researchers and students, the relative clause is among one ofthe most difficult syntactic structures in the process of second language acquisition. Students’learning status of the relative clause can be reflected in two aspects. Firstly, according to CLEC,the frequency of using the relative clause is comparatively low. Very often, students avoid usingthe relative clause by replacing it with other structures, such as adjectives, prepositional phrasesor non-finites. This is obviously reflected in students’writings, in which lack of changes insentence structures is prevailing. Secondly, in applying the structure of the relative clause,students constantly make errors. Having a good mastery of the relative clause poses a greatchallenge to those who desire to have a good command of English. Why students are challengedin the process of mastering relative clauses deserves our attention.The present thesis is centered on analyzing students’errors in relative clauses from bothqualitative and quantitative perspectives through carrying out an empirical research to investigatetheir language on the ground of interlanguage theory and error analysis. The thesis aims to findout errors most frequently made in the experimental tasks as well as dig out the major causes forerrors. Besides, one hypothesis is put forward in the thesis: There exists a close relationshipbetween the errors made in relative clauses and the different proficiency level of senior highschool students.From the qualitative perspective, several questions are to be settled: 1) the differencesbetween the two groups in the correct using of relative clauses; 2) the influence on frequency oferror occurrence exerted by the types of tasks as well as the types of the relative clauses; 3) thedistribution of error sources shown by the subjects in the questionnaires. From the quantitativeperspective, the major causes of errors occurred in the survey are qualitatively examined andexplained.103 students from Jinjiang NO.1 Senior High School participated in the study. The authoradopts two kinds of measurements: tests and questionnaires. As for the procedure of the test, thesubjects are given instructions about the whole process before the test. Afterwards, test papers aredelivered and the subjects are asked to finish them as required. As for the procedure of carryingout the investigation, it’s the same as that of the test. It is carried out after students’completion ofthe test of the relative clause. Besides, students are encouraged to present their real answers in thequestionnaires. At last, both the test papers and questionnaires are gathered, which will be usedfor further study.After analysis and discussion, the author concludes eight types of errors and tries to explore error sources, which include interlanguage transfer, intralanguage interference, context of learningas well as communication strategies. The data shows that the most striking error type is the wronguses of relative pronouns and the most influential error source is intralingual interference, whichmeans students’previous learning experience exerts a negative effect on the absorption of newknowledge in the process of second language acquisition.The study is of both theoretical and practical significance. As far as theoretical importance isconcerned, the study enriches the theories of interlanguage and error analysis and it sheds newlight on the study of second language acquisition. Seen from practical perspective, the empiricalstudy deepens our understanding of the correlation between errors made in the relative clause bySenior High students and their linguistic competence. In addition, the author puts forward severalpedagogical suggestions, which, to some extent, enhance the second language teaching.