Comparing the Effects of Frequency of Occurrence and Typographic Enhancement on the Learning of L2 Collocations

Input enhancement techniques, such as frequency of occurrence and typographic enhancement, have been reported beneficial to the learning of L2 collocations. This study compared the effects of three times of frequency and bolding on the learning of L2 collocations by EFL learners so as to find a more effective technique for instructors and students to acquire collocations through reading activities. Four classes of English majors ( N = 90) participated in the study and were randomly assigned to a frequency group (FG), a typographic enhancement group (TEG), and a control group (CG). The learning of collocations was measured through form recall and form recognition tasks. Major findings indicated that: (1) the FG performed significantly better than the TEG and the CG on both form recall and form recognition in the immediate posttest. No significant differences were observed between the TEG and the CG, (2) significant differences were reported between the FG and the other two groups in the delayed posttest, and (3) the effect of frequency of occurrence could not be retained after 2 weeks given the significant difference discovered between the immediate and delayed posttests. More studies are needed to explore the effects and mechanisms of frequency of occurrence and typographic enhancement on the learning of L2 collocations.