A corpus analysis of prepositional phrase-lexical bundles in academic writing: L2 writers from Indo-European and Non-Indo-European languages

Abstract

English prepositions, characterized by their high frequency and complex polysemy, pose significant challenges for L2 learners (e.g., Geluso, 2022). Despite their crucial role in lexical bundles, few studies have examined how L2 learners use prepositions within lexical bundles in academic writing. This study investigated prepositional phrase (PP)-lexical bundles among L2 writers from prepositional Indo-European (IE) languages, prepositionless non-Indo-European (NIE) languages, and native English speakers. The research aimed to analyze the variety, frequency, and functions of these bundles, as well as the impact of L1 backgrounds on prepositional usage. Data were extracted from the ETS Corpus and the Louvain Corpus of Native English Essays. The findings revealed that while there were no significant differences between the NIE and IE groups in bundle type and frequency, the IE group's prepositional usage more closely resembled that of NSs, reflecting linguistic disparities tied to writers’ L1 backgrounds. Additionally, the functions of lexical bundles varied between NNS and NSs, with both NNS groups exhibiting a greater reliance on discourse organizers and stance expressions. These results suggest pedagogical implications for teaching prepositions, particularly to learners from prepositionless languages.