An Investigation of the Acquisition of Conditional Sentences by Mandarin Speakers

Journal: Journal of Higher Education Research DOI: 10.32629/jher.v5i6.3402

Yijun Chen

Guangdong University of Education, Guangzhou 510800, Guangdong, China

Abstract

This essay investigates the challenges encountered by junior high school students in mainland China when learning Conditional Sentences in English, particularly focusing on the difficulties stemming from L1 transfer and form-focused teaching. Drawing on previous research that highlights the complexities of Conditional Sentences and the unique struggles of Mandarin speakers, the study identifies two primary learning difficulties: the back-shifting of tenses and the oversimplification of teaching conditional sentences. A qualitative analysis of these challenges reveals that L1 interference significantly contributes to errors in Conditional Sentence usage. Furthermore, the essay discusses the implications of form-focused teaching, which may hinder the natural acquisition of grammar. To address these issues, two pedagogical strategies are proposed: adopting the sociocultural approach in teaching and obeying the developmental sequence and mastering the prerequisite knowledge before learning conditional sentences. 

Keywords

conditional sentences; L1 transfer; form-focused teaching; Mandarin speakers; back-shifting; grammar, junior high school students

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