Analyzing The Progress And Variation Between Learners In English 5 And 7 : Formal language use among L2 English students in upper secondary school

Sammanfattning

This study aims to compare the frequency of the usage of such linguistic features and to explore potential progression and variation between learners in English 5 and 7. The linguistic features analyzed in the students' written texts include four key areas: relative clauses, nominalizations, passive verb forms, and linking adverbials. The study employs a corpus-based approach, drawing data from the Formal Learner English Corpus compiled by Uppsala University. The data comprises 40 written essays collected from various upper secondary schools in Sweden, with 20 essays from English 5 students and 20 from English 7 students. The essays selected have multiple genres, including discursive, literary, and expository writing. The findings reveal that student writers in both learner groups are capable of using the key features of academic writing mentioned above. However, there are notable differences in the frequency with which these linguistic features appear in their written texts. Furthermore, the results presented in the tables indicate that the groups demonstrate clear differences in their use of advanced and academic language. Overall, the analysis suggests obeservable progression and variation in the use of these linguistic features between learners in English 5 and 7.