Formulaic sequences in the written production of L2 learners of English

Abstract

This article investigates the use and function of written formulaic sequences and its relation to second language proficiency level (English). This is a cross-sectional study in which data are gathered from 138 students from 5th and 6th grade (from 10 to 12 years old) from 8 different schools in Catalonia. The paper analyzes: 1) the relationship between number of formulaic sequences and proficiency level of the students and 2) distribution of formula types depending on the students’ level. For the purpose of this analysis of formulaic sequences, an original classification has been created. The data show that there is a higher use of formulaic sequences in lower levels of proficiency and that each level presents a different distribution of formula types