| This study is a longitudinal case study of two children of different ages. It explores the development of interlanguage verb forms produced in writing over one year. The children's written forms are analyzed from the point of view of time reference and discourse function. Both children showed development toward the English target both in time reference and in discourse function, although their processes and levels of acquisition were different. The results suggest that there are three influential factors on their individual acquisition: learning style, first language influence, and teachers' input. Regardless of the level of acquisition, the children successfully expressed their ideas in writing; furthermore, we can clearly observe how the purpose of discourse shapes the children's language through the written data. |
