Fluency in Writing: Generating Text in L1 and L2
Abstract
This study explores the relation between fluency in writing and linguistic experience and provides information about the processes involved in written text composition. The authors conducted a think-aloud protocol study with native speakers of English who were learning French or German. Analysis reveals that as the writer's experience with the language increases, fluency (as measured by words written per minute) increases, the average length of strings of words proposed between pauses or revision episodes increases, the number of revision episodes decreases, and more of the words that are proposed as candidate text get accepted. To account for these results, the authors propose a model of written language production and hypothesize that the effect of linguistic experience on written fluency is mediated primarily by two internal processes called the translator and the reviser.
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L2 writers pause after shorter writing episodes and shorter stretches of continuous text than L1 writers.
“Past research comparing the writing process of L1 and L2 writer shows L2 writers pausing after shorter writing episodes and lengths of writing continuous text as compared to L1 writers [28,46].”
From Interacting with Next-Phrase Suggestions: How Suggestion Systems Aid and Influence the Cognitive Processes of Writing (2023) · cites this paper as [28]
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- Authors
- CHENOWETH, N. A., & HAYES, J. R.
- Affiliations
- Carnegie Mellon University (US)
- Venue
- Written Communication
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2001-01
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 80-98
- ISSN
- 0741-0883 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-8472
- OpenAlex
- W2001893676
- Cited by
- 518
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 33.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Written Communication (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Writing and Handwriting Education
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
- Keywords
- writing fluency, language experience, second language writing, think-aloud, French as a second language, German as a second language
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