This document summarizes a study on how task-related factors influence learner use of English articles. It describes four types of noun phrases classified by specificity and hearer knowledge. The study tested three hypotheses: 1) two oral tasks would not elicit different proportions of noun phrase types, 2) accuracy rates would not differ by noun phrase type, and 3) accuracy rates would not differ between tasks for the same noun phrase type. The results rejected all three hypotheses, finding the tasks elicited different noun phrase type proportions and accuracy rates varied both between types and tasks. The conclusion is that communicative function, linguistic environment, and social/situational factors influence attention to language forms like articles.

1. Task related variation
in interlanguage:
The case of articles
ZHENBIN MA
BO ZHANG

2. Interlanguage
A dynamic linguistic system
Preserving some features of first
language
Overgeneralization of the target
language patterns

3. Tarone analysis
Participants
- Ten Arabic students
- Ten Japanese students
Methods
- Grammar (Correct sentences with errors)
- Oral interview (Interview native student)
- Oral narratives (describe the orders of events)

4. Result 1
56
70
83
38
85
91
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Grammar Oral interview Oral narratives
Japanese students
Conclusion
 Not enough to explain the pattern
shift of “attention to language
form”
 Other task factors might be more
helpful to explain

5. The present analysis
2. [+SR]
[+HK]
1. [-SR]
[+HK]
3. [+SR]
[-HK]
4. [-SR]
[-HK]
 +/- information
assumed known to
the hearer (HK)
 +/- specific referent
(SR)

6. 1. [ - Specific Referent] [+Hearer Knowledge]
Standard English: definite, indefinite, 0
e.g., The lion is a beautiful animal
2. [+ Specific Referent] [+ Hearer Knowledge]
Standard English: definite article
e.g. He went over to the book store
3. [+ Specific Referent] [- Hearer Knowledge]
Standard English: indefinite, 0
e.g. Dad gave me a car
4. [- Specific Referent] [- Hearer Knowledge]
Standard English: indefinite, 0
e.g. If I had a million dollars, I’d buy a big boat.

7. Three Hypothesis
 1. There will be no difference in the proportion of NP Types produced by
learners on the two oral tasks.
 2. There will be no overall difference in learners’ accuracy rates in article
production related to NP Type.
 3. There will be no difference in accuracy rates in article production related
to NP Type, when learners move from one oral task to another.

10. Results
 1. Hypothesis 1 must be rejected: the two oral tasks did in fact elicit different
proportions of NP Types.
 2. Hypothesis 2 must be rejected:
In the interview, NP Type1,2,3 has the equal proportion, NP type 4 is rarely used;
In the narrative, NP type 2 & 3 are the most frequently used, NP type 1&4 are
rarely used
 3. Hypothesis 3 must be rejected: The difference in accuracy rates was highly
significant. Accuracy was by far the lowest on the grammar.

11. Conclusion
 Communicative function of a feature
 The linguistic environment of that feature
 Social/situational factors such as formality
of situation and ability to attend to form

12. THANK YOU!