大学生英语写作中的句法复杂性研究

A study of syntactic complexity in college students' writing

为检验二语学习者写作中的句法复杂性是否随二语水平的提高而变化,系统分析120篇英语论说文中的句法特征。研究发现:写作单位的长度和频数与学期水平密切相关;非英语专业大学生同样经历着从并列句到子句的过渡;句子类型使用上,简单句使用过多。句法复杂性与作文质量显著正相关,对写作教学和作文评分具有一定的启示意义。

This study carried out a systematic analysis of the syntactic features in 120 English argumentative compositions to test whether a L2 learner＇s writing is becoming more complex as their L2 proficiency develops.This study has major findings as follows：frequencies and lengths of producing units were closely related to the variable of term;the non-English majors were experiencing the transition from using compound sentences to using clauses;simple sentences were overused.The fact that syntactic complexity significantly and positively correlated with writing quality had some revelations to writing instruction and writing evaluation.