A corpus-based study of English modal verbs and adverbs for pedagogical purposes

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00806
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02100:Foreign language education-related
• Research Institution: Soka University
• Principal Investigator: Fujimoto Kazuko 創価大学, 文学部, 教授 (20350499)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 黒田 正博 岡山理科大学, 経営学部, 教授 (90279042)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 英語法助動詞 / 英語法副詞 / 学習者コーパス / コーパス言語学 / 言語教育のための英文法 / 学習指導要領

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Modal verbs and adverbs play an important role in expressing the speaker’s or writer’s attitude towards things, but it is difficult for EFL/ESL learners to use them appropriately for the purposes and situations of language use. This study investigated the characteristics of Japanese EFL learners’ use of modal verbs and adverbs to express the degree of certainty or to soften their assertions. Based on our findings from the analysis of general English corpora and learners’ corpora, we have pointed out the influence of students’ L1 and teaching materials on their language use. Suggestions have been made for improving the teaching content and developing teaching materials so that learners can deepen their understanding of the use of modal verbs and adverbs and use these modal expressions according to differences in formality.

Free Research Field

英語学、英語教育

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

国内外において、学習者の助動詞や副詞の使用についてのコーパス基盤型研究の結果に基づく指導内容の提示や教材開発への提案が期待されている。本研究において、一般英語コーパスと学習者コーパスの分析に基づき、日本人英語学習者の確信度や丁寧さを表す助動詞と副詞の使用の特徴をつかみ、指導内容と教材の改善点を提示したことは、英語教育、そしてグローバル社会に生きていく日本人英語学習者の実践的コミュケーション能力向上のために貢献するものと考える。