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Cited by 372EFL/ESL Teaching and LearningSecond Language Acquisition and LearningLinguistics and Language Analysis

Interlanguage Variability in Narrative Discourse: Style Shifting in the Use of the Past Tense

Ellis, Rod·1987·Studies in Second Language Acquisition
DOI 10.1017/s0272263100006483
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Abstract

This study examines style shifting in the use of three past tense morphemes (regular past, irregular past, and past copula) by 17 intermediate L2 learners of English. It differs from previous studies in that style shifting is examined within a single discourse mode—narrative discourse—according to the amount of planning time made available. Data were collected under three conditions: (a) planned writing, (b) planned speech, and (c) unplanned speech. Different patterns of style shifting were observed for three morphemes, suggesting that the nature of the linguistic feature under investigation is a determining factor. For regular past, greatest accuracy was most evident in planned writing and least evident in unplanned speech, with planned speech intermediate. Little style shifting took place in irregular past, whereas style shifting for past copula occurred only between planned speech and unplanned speech. The three conditions produced different accuracy orders for regular and irregular past, suggesting that the so-called “natural” order may not be a stable phenomenon. The paper concludes with a number of important questions requiring further investigation.

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  • Ellis (1987) found that accuracy on the regular (rule-governed) form of the past tense declined according to lack of planned discourse being engaged, whereas performance on the irregular (lexical) past form was hardly affected by these conditions.

    “Ellis (1987) found that accuracy on the regular (rule-governed) form of the past tense declined according to lack of planned discourse being engaged, whereas performance on the irregular (lexical) past form was hardly affected by these conditions.”

    From The Influence of Planning and Task Type on Second Language Performance (1996) · cites this paper as Ellis (1987)

  • Fluency may prioritize lexicalized language and the way learners avoid rule-based, constructed language, instead preferring more idiom-based language to enable communication to proceed more smoothly.

    “It may therefore prioritize lexicalized language (Ellis, 1987) and the way learners, during tasks, avoid rule-based, constructed language, instead preferring to use more idiom-based language (Sinclair, 1991) to enable communication to proceed more smoothly.”

    From The Influence of Planning and Task Type on Second Language Performance (1996) · cites this paper as Ellis, 1987

  • Ellis (1987) reported an effect of planning on accuracy, but the study focused on only one language form (the past tense) and its experimental conditions might be thought to favor accuracy.

    “Although Ellis (1987) reported such an effect, it was for a study that focused on only one language form (the past tense, so that no complexity dimension was involved) and for which the experimental conditions (talking, alone, into a tape recorder) might be thought to favor accuracy.”

    From The Influence of Planning and Task Type on Second Language Performance (1996) · cites this paper as Ellis (1987)

  • The evidence on the influence of planning on accuracy is mixed.

    “First of all, we need to recall that the evidence on the influence of planning on accuracy is mixed.”

    From The Influence of Planning and Task Type on Second Language Performance (1996) · cites this paper as Ellis (1987)

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Authors
Ellis, R.
Corresponding author
Ellis, Rod
ORCID
Ellis, Rod
Venue
Studies in Second Language Acquisition
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
1987-02
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
1-19
ISSN
  • 0272-2631 (ISSN-L)
  • 1470-1545
DOI
10.1017/s0272263100006483
OpenAlex
W2084614429
Cited by
372
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 58 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 25
FWCI
37.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 7950 d)
Locations
Studies in Second Language Acquisition (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Second Language Acquisition and Learning
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Linguistics and Language Analysis
Keywords
style-shifting, past tense, narrative discourse, planning time, morphological accuracy

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