A Bigram-Based Exploration of Phraseological Development in Norwegian Secondary School Students’ Writing in English L2

This study investigates phraseological units produced by Norwegian secondary school students (aged 13 to 17) writing in English L2. The employs association measure as a way of calculating the collocational strength and certainty words word pairs (bigrams) L2 learners’ writing. measures MI t-score have been shown be reliable for telling learner language apart from native language. Durrant Schmitt (2009) Granger Bestgen (2014) found higher proportion high MI-scoring bigrams marker more advanced language, or nativelike, while t-scores was associated with less present includes lower proficiency level than has previously investigated. pattern intermediate learners does not match previous findings learners. Instead, an initial decline is uncovered, that produce scores first year they do one two years later. At levels proficiency, increase again, resembling findings. article considers possible explanations discusses applications teaching.