Alternations and Argument Structure in Second Language English: Knowledge of Two Types of Intransitive Verbs

Abstract

This chapter discusses nontarget “overpassivization” errors in L2 English by Japanese speakers (e.g., the earthquake was happened last night) and the effects of classroom instruction on such errors. A number of studies have reported that the errors in which intransitive verbs appear in the passive form, be + V-ed, are confined to one type of intransitive verb, so-called unaccusative verbs, and that the errors are often found even among high-proficiency learners. An experimental study was conducted at a university in Japan to examine the effects of explicit teaching on the ungrammaticality of passive intransitive verbs. Learners’ knowledge was examined before and after four weeks of teaching. Results partly suggest that instruction had some positive effect on L2 knowledge of English. Even though the amount of instruction learners received in the present study may not have been sufficient for all the learners to attain knowledge that enabled them to correctly reject the ungrammatical passives, individual analyses revealed there were a few learners who appeared to have overcome overpassivization errors.