The role of breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge in second language listening comprehension

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of the current study was to examine the extent by which second language breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge (BVK and DVK, respectively) were predictors of successful listening comprehension. To this end, along with a standardized test of listening comprehension ability, aural measures of both BVK and DVK were administered to 262 English learners within a wide range of proficiency level. The data were subjected to structural equation modeling, and the results showed that BVK and DVK were not measured in a psychometrically distinct way in the current study. This did not allow any conclusions about the relative contribution of BVK and DVK to listening ability at the construct level. However, at the measured-variable level, the findings showed that the DVK test scores were better predictors of success in listening comprehension than the ones from the BVK test.