Weak Forms: How Do Arabic-speaking Learners of English Use Them?


Abstract in English

This paper attempts to investigate the way Arab learners of English deal with weak form items and the difficulty they encounter in using such grammatical items in context. This problem was approached from two different avenues. I therefore carried out two separate tests. The first test, the pronunciation test, showed that Arab learners have a serious problem with pronouncing weak form items. The second test, the identification test, also demonstrated that Arab learners had a problem with identifying weak form words in context.

References used

(Brown, D. (2006). “Whyzit importan' ta teach reduced forms?” Authentic Communication: Proceedings of the 5th Annual JALT Pan-SIG Conference. May 13-14, 2006. Shizuoka, Japan: Tokai University College of Marine Science. (pp. 13-24
Fangzhi, Cheng. (1998). “The teaching of pronunciation to Chinese students of English”. English Teaching Forum, 36, 1, pp. 37-39
Flege, J. (1984). “The Effects of Linguistic Experience on Arabs’ Perception of The English /s/ vs /z/ contrast”. Floria Linguistica, XVIII, pp. 1-2

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