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The Use of Sentence Adverbials in the Written Discourse of L2 Students of English: results of an analysis
Sanja Čurković Kalebić
The Use of Sentence Adverbials in
the Written Discourse of L2 Students
of English: results of an analysis
for my further development because it helped me
to understand better many things concerning
teaching seen from the perspective of the teacher.”
(essay 51)
Sanja Čurković Kalebić
University of Split, Croatia
4. Explaining and illustrating
“For example, in the first grade the teacher was
mostly concentrated on explanation through
singing, colourful pictures and games which I
found very useful and effective”. (essay 32)
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This paper is intended to provide an insight into
the nature of connecting sentences in the written
discourse of non-native speakers of English. It
offers an analysis of findings in the use of
sentence adverbials in the written discourse of
advanced L2 students of English. The aim of the
study is to present the frequency of different types
of sentence adverbials found, and to work towards
a consideration of the functionality of their
distribution patterns.
5. Expressing a result
“Therefore, the learners had to guess the meaning
of the new words while listening to the text”.
(essay 25)
6. Expressing an inference
“Otherwise, learning would not be effective.”
(essay 18)
Database
7. Expressing contrast
“Nevertheless, most of them obediently, by
following their teacher's instructions, started to
make the same pictures in their own textbooks and
by their own hands.” (essay 21)
This study was carried out on a corpus of 51
essays written by undergraduate students of
English language and literature at the University
of Split, Croatia upon the accomplishment of their
initial teaching practice training. In their essays
the students described their observation
component of their teaching practice and
commented on the data they collected by
completing a set of observation sheets.
Results and discussion
A great variability may be noticed in the
frequency of different adverbial types used to
perform a particular function (Table 1). Almost
one-fourth of adverbial types perform the function
of reinforcing. The most frequent adverbial in this
group is the adverb also. Second in frequency are
the types of adverbials that perform the function
of listing and enumerating. Then is the most
frequent among these linking words. Almost equal
numbers of different adverbials are used for
expressing contrast and summarizing. Contrast is
most often expressed by the adverb however,
while the phrase all in all is the most frequent
adverbial that the students use to summarize a
state of affairs. The different adverbials used to
express a result are fifth in frequency in the
sample. Most often a result is expressed by the
adverb consequently. The function of restating and
illustrating is performed by a few different
adverbials, for example being the most frequent
among them. The least common types of sentence
adverbials in the sample are those used to express
an inference.
Methodology
A classification of the semantic functions of
sentence adverbials in the sample was made on the
basis of previously established lists, in grammar
classifications, of the functions of sentence-initial
adverbials (Leech and Svartvik, 1975, Crystal,
2004). Seven types of semantic functions were
distinguished. They are illustrated by these
examples from our corpus:
1. Adding: reinforcing
“Also, each word is given together with its
pronunciation so they are familiar with all these
symbols from the very beginning.” (essay 32)
2. Adding: listing
“Finally, the teacher used the rest of the lecturetime, that is to say, ten or fifteen minutes to
provide students with some extra knowledge on
time in the English language.” (essay 15)
3. Summarizing and generalising
“To conclude, I would only like to say that I
consider this teaching practice to be very valuable
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Proceedings of the BAAL Annual Conference 2008
Table 1: Functional distribution and frequency
of adverbial types in the sample
Semantic
function
Types of
Sentence adverbials
sentence
in the sample
adverbials
in the
sample
(%)
Expressing a 16 (13%) For this reason (1), for that
result
reason (1), thus (6),
consequently (8), therefore
(15), because of that (1),
that is the reason why (1),
hence (1), otherwise (2), as
a consequence (2), so (5),
that is why (5), accordingly
(1), as a result (1), it is for
this reason (1), this way (1)
Expressing
4 (3%) So (2), according to that (1),
an inference
that is why (1), in other
words (1)
Expressing
18 (15%) However (83), but (72), on
contrast
the other hand (30), yet (3),
nevertheless (18), still (10),
anyway (1), again (1), in
spite of this/that (2), rather
(2), therefore (1!), unlike
this (1), on the contrary (5),
despite this (1), otherwise
(2), alternately (1), but still
(1), even then (1)
Total
122 (100%)
Semantic
function
Types of
Sentence adverbials
sentence
in the sample
adverbials
in the
sample
(%)
Adding:
28 (23%) Similarly(3), in fact (1),
reinforcing
anyway(2), moreover(3),
also (55), however (1!*),
furthermore(13), and (12),
in this way (10), generally
(2), above all( 2), in the
same way (1), alongside
with it (1), in general (2), in
addition to this (2), after all
(2), among others (1),
primarily (1), on that way
(1!), once again (3), other
than that (2), but not only
that (1), on top of this (1),
even so (1), specifically (1),
as well as that (1), what is
more (2), additionally (3)
Adding:
23 (19%) Later on (4), afterwards (5),
listing
then (18), firstly (4),
secondly (5), at the end (1),
after that (3), first (11), in
the end (3), later (3), and
(2), what is more (1), after
(3), finally (6), after this
(1), first of all (1), and last
(1), second (1), other than
that (1), after that (1),
primarily (1), secondarily
(1), thirdly (1)
Summarizing 20 (16%) All in all (9), to sum up (8),
and
finally (11), in conclusion
generalising
(6), anyway (4), to conclude
(2), however (1!), still (1!),
so (!), overall (1), in the end
(1!), in general (1), to
conclude with (1), so (6),
my conclusion is (1),
afterall (1), therefore (3), as
a conclusion (1), generally
(2)
Explaining
13 (11%) Actually (1), for example
and
(21), as a matter of fact (1),
illustrating
in this way (1), namely (4),
therefore (1), in other words
(2), for instance (3), in a
way (1), mostly (1!), in that
case (1), so (1!), in fact (1)
*An exclamation mark indicates the incorrect use
of a sentence adverbial
Table 2: Distribution of the semantic functions
of adverbials in the sample
Semantic function of adverbials
Adding: reinforcing
Adding: listing
Summarizing and generalising
Explaining or illustrating
Expressing a result
Expressing an inference
Expressing contrast
Total
Occurrence (%)
130 (22%)
78 (13%)
62 (10%)
39 (7%)
52 (8%)
5 (1%)
237 (39%)
603 (100%)
Significant variability in the use of adverbials with
respect to the semantic function that they perform
may be noticed (Table 2). Expressing contrast is
the most frequent semantic function of sentence
adverbials in the students' essays while expressing
inference is the least frequent. The complex of
reasons for differences in the frequency
distribution of the various semantic functions of
adverbials might be looked for in the type of text
in which they are used (a descriptive essay) and in
the writing style of Croatian L2 students'. It
should be added that close inspection of this
corpus of essays reveals a great variability
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The Use of Sentence Adverbials in the Written Discourse of L2 Students of English: results of an analysis
Sanja Čurković Kalebić
amongst students' written
adverbials.
use
of
sentence
References
David Crystal. 2004. Making Sense of Grammar.
Pearson Education: Harlow. UK.
Geoffrey Leech, Jan Svartvik. 1975. A
Communicative Grammar of English. Longman:
London. UK.
In place of a conclusion
The findings of this study indicate great variation
in sentence adverbial use in the written discourse
of non-native speakers at this capability level.
Further research in this area should investigate
variations in the levels of formality and the
sources and causes of incorrect use of sentence
adverbials. With regard to these issues, research
might also consider the influence of mother
tongue language production, that is to say, L1
writing style, upon the use of sentence adverbials.
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Proceedings of the BAAL Annual Conference 2008
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