Verb argument construction complexity indices and L2 written production: effects of task complexity and task repetition

This study examines the extent to which verb argument construction (VAC) based indices of syntactic complexity could predict four different writing task conditions: a simple task with no repetition (S + NR), a simple task with repetition (S + R), a complex task with no repetition (C + NR), and a complex task with repetition (C + R). Ninety-six high-intermediate second language (L2) learners of English performed two argumentative writing tasks and repeated them at one-week intervals, with the order of the tasks counterbalanced. The 384 essays collected at four different time points were analyzed in terms of VAC sophistication measures using the Tool for the Automatic Analysis of Syntactic Sophistication and Complexity (Kyle 2016). Results indicated that S + R as well as C + NR and C + R conditions led to more lower-frequency VAC-verb combined structures used in the essays. Further analyses revealed a significant average association strength between verbs and VACs for the C + R group, showing the superiority of this condition over the others in developing syntactically complex argumentative essays. The implications for L2 writing pedagogy and assessment will be discussed.