An Examination of the Use of Periphrastic Causative Constructions by Korean EFL Learners in Academic Writing

Based on Construction Grammar, which views constructions as basic linguistic units, this study closely investigates Korean EFL learners’ use of periphrastic causative constructions in academic writing by comparing their usage with native speakers. Using corpus data from argumentative essays written by Korean learners and native speakers, this study examines the target constructions at three levels of abstractness. Corpus analysis shows that Korean learners used the target constructions differently from native speakers. To further explore these differences, a distinctive collexeme analysis is conducted on the most specific form of the target constructions, reporting a lexical preference or a strong relationship between each target construction and a particular verb in the object position. Additionally, error analysis and qualitative examination of some concordance lines provide deeper insights into how Korean learners use the target constructions. The findings lead to pedagogical recommendations for explicit English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing instruction with a constructional approach to developing Korean learners’ academic writing proficiency.