Survey Study on the Use of Lexical Chunks in High School Students’ English Writing

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the use of lexical chunks in English compositions among Grade 2 students at a high school in Pan Zhihua, Sichuan Province, involving 100 students. Research instruments encompassed student writing samples, questionnaires, and interviews. The study employed AntConc, EXCEL, and SPSS 26.0 for data analysis. The research questions addressed are: (1) What types of lexical chunks are employed by high school students in their English writing, and what is the frequency of their usage? (2) In comparison to the English Curriculum Standard (2017 Edition, 2020 Revised Edition) for high schools, which lexical chunks are underutilized in students' English writing?  Findings reveal that senior high school students predominantly utilize four types of lexical chunks in their English compositions: discourse organizers, stance bundles, topic chunks, and institutionalized expressions. Among these, topic chunks and stance bundles are the most frequently used, while discourse organizers are the least utilized. Furthermore, in comparison to the English Curriculum Standard (2017 Edition, 2020 Revised Edition) for high schools, these lexical chunks are underused, primarily due to high repetition rates, monotony, and misapplication by students. These issues reflect deficiencies in language fluency, accuracy, diversity, and authenticity.The main reasons for students' inadequate use of lexical chunks include lack of motivation, learning strategies, influence of prior learning experiences, and teaching methods. In light of these challenges, this study proposes corresponding teaching strategies with the aim of informing English instruction.