Prototype effects in L2 grammar learning: A typicality study of EFL practice sentences

Prototype theory predicts that category members are graded in their typicality, and that the typicality distribution of members influences the ease of category learning. In second language (L2) grammar learning, learners encounter grammar structures (categories) mainly through practice sentences (category members) in teaching materials. Yet, the typicality structure of this learning input has not been examined. This study investigates the typicality distribution of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) practice sentences for two grammar structures, namely second conditional and gerund . Forty sentences were randomly selected from German secondary-school coursebooks and rated for typicality by 39 native speakers of English on a 7-point scale. The results show that practice sentences for both grammar structures display graded membership and a top-heavy distribution, with high mean typicality and limited variation across members. Such input may facilitate initial category formation for L2 learners acquiring new grammar structures. The findings suggest the hypothesis that L2 grammar learning may benefit from a progression from a top-heavy to a broader distribution of sentence typicality, a possibility that should be tested in future learner studies.