Abstract
This paper examines how Korean EFL learners use conditional if-clauses in terms of their position and boundness related to main clauses. Based on Chafe (1984), if-clauses are divided into four types: Type A (preposed bound), Type B (postposed bound), Type C (preposed free), and Type D (postposed free). According to the previous studies, Type C is the most typical if-clause and Type B is also used very frequently by English native speakers. In this study, 213 if-clauses in 180 college students’ English writings were analysed based on the four types. The results showed that 200 if-clauses (93.9%) are used as Type C and that the other types are hardly used. Native speakers used 44(44%) Type B if-clauses in written English in Park (2019b). This result may derive from L1 transfer because conditional clauses always precede main clauses in the Korean language. Based on the results, it is required to teach the use of Type B (postposed and bound) if-clauses for Korean EFL learners, and such if-clauses are shown to function as afterthoughts to add something after the main clause.
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