Post-beginner L2-learner knowledge of ultra-frequent English words

Abstract

It is often assumed that the most frequent English words are known by post-beginner second language learners. Yet the sheer frequency of these words and the important roles they play in discourse mean that confirmation of whether they are indeed known would be valuable for understanding second language vocabulary development and reading comprehension. This article reports on a study in which university learners with Japanese as their first language (L1) ( N = 200) were tested on their written receptive knowledge of 63 senses/functions of the first 44 words in the New JACET8000 word list. The study found that for 13 senses/functions item facility was < 0.9. That is, some gaps in receptive knowledge were uncovered which qualitative item analysis suggested may stem from relative frequency of exposure, instructional experiences, knowledge of one sense/function blocking the acquisition of another, as well as abstractness and lack of a direct L1 equivalent. Nevertheless, overall receptive knowledge of the tested senses/functions of these ultra-frequent words was extremely good. Hence, although miscomprehension may arise from occasional gaps in knowledge of these words, the assumption that ultra-frequent words are receptively known by post-beginner second language (L2) learners does seem reasonable.