Collocation Recognition And Use By EFL Learners

Abstract

The use of collocations in second language (L2) learning is regarded as a critical tool for effective communication in the target language and is thus widely considered of pressing concerns for L2 researchers, teachers, and learners. In light of this, the present quantitative study aimed to elucidate both male and female Saudi university student recognition of English collocation through the design and application of two questionnaires; one for teachers, and the other for students. Using Microsoft Excel and Cronbach’s alpha for subsequent statistical and analytical purposes, the results proved extremely revealing. Specifically, instructors largely agreed that collocations play a crucial role in L2 learning, maintain the major causes of collocation deficiency to be limited English proficiency and L1 transfer, and concur that collocations should be taught at beginner levels. Student performance, on the other hand, varied from one collocational category to another. For instance, they demonstrated high scores in the verb-noun combinations, low in the adjective-noun collocations, and average in the remaining bulk categories. No significant statistical distinction was evident in the performance of male and female learners. The study ultimately recommended the inclusion of collocation courses throughout the curricula and increased emphasis on the classes of word combinations found to be most problematic for L2 learners.