A comparative study of the phrase frames used in the essays of native and nonnative English students

Abstract

A phrase frame (i.e., p-frame) is a type of recurrent discontinuous multiword sequence. So far, many studies have investigated the p-frames used in written texts in various genres, disciplines, and registers. However, few previous p-frame studies have attempted a comparative analysis of the p-frames used by native and nonnative English students. This scarcity prevents us from obtaining a full understanding of phraseological competence development in nonnative English learners. Using a corpus-driven approach, the current study identified and compared the 5-word p-frames used by native and nonnative English students in their college essays. The results showed no statistically significant difference between these two groups with respect to the types and tokens of p-frames used in their essays. However, significant intergroup differences could be observed when the predictability, variability, structural characteristics, and discourse functions of the identified p-frames were considered. These findings on the use of p-frames by native and nonnative English students could complement the comparative studies of recurrent continuous multiword sequences and thus advance our understanding of phraseological competence development in nonnative English learners.