While reading or speaking, individuals break up sentences into "meaningful chunks." This is true of any individual with any language background. Failure to do so, in an L2 context, leads to idiosyncrasies, and may possibly create some comprehensibility problems. In this study, native and non-native speakers of English read an authentic text into a…

Teaching of modal auxiliaries without developing in students an understanding of the concepts and unity underlying their use may undermine the original objective of communication in language. The use of a classification matrix with a set of sample sentences is suggested as an effective method of presentation. (MSE)

Sentences in a high school French I textbook were examined to determine the extent to which the writers controlled French syntactic surface structures in terms of their differences with English equivalents. Results show students were exposed to L1-L2 syntactic differences without explanation, and such sentences could cause future difficulties.…

A two-dimensional system used by speakers of Spanish to make imperative utterances is outlined. The system consists of the basic verb forms that make up the nuclei of such utterances and oblique marker usage, which consists for the most part of syntactic modification of base forms. (Author/HP)

An analysis is given of certain clitic pronouns that are the source of confusion in the classroom and for which fully satisfying explanations are not to be found in traditional grammars and contemporary studies. (Author/HP)

The continuation of articles on the passive voice appearing in the "Grammaire vivante" section of the periodical. The production of the passive sentence is considered under two headings: the simple verb and the complex verbal group. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

Investigates the effects of pragmatic principles on the acquisition of the binding of English reflexives by adult Turkish second language (L2) learners. Compares pragmatically-biased and pragmatically-neutral sentences to determine whether pragmatic bias towards a non-local antecedent overrides the parameter setting of English and causes learners…

In this practitioners' guide, a recognized reading expert explains how educators, parents, and concerned citizens can spot ineffective reading programs that may hide under the "scientifically-based" banner. Although the term "whole language" is not commonly used today, programs based on its premises remain popular. These…

Inexact uses of adverbs by students of Russian which are believed to be caused in part by native language interference are discussed. (RM)

Describes, adducting many examples, the external relative clause, discussing it from the pedagogical standpoint. This type of clause, belonging to normal speech, and not being merely a stylistic matter, belongs in the basic course. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

English modal verbs constitute a problem for the student of English as a foreign language. This study presents a methodology for a systematic presentation of the meaning of modal verbs. The modals "can,""may,""must," and "have to" are studied. (SW)

Four categories of statements are isolated in an attempt to analyze relationships between voice, tense and use of auxiliaries in French. The deep structure theory of generative grammar is questioned and a theory of semantic distinctions operating within the forms of a language is proposed. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

Discusses the English grammar rule of backshifting in reported speech, that after a past tense reporting verb the reported verb is backshifted. However, backshifting need not always take place. Examination of numerous examples indicates that the past is the unmarked form; the unbackshifted present is marked, as is the past perfect. (SED)

First part of a continued article. (DS)