Spoken Grammar and Its Teaching

Abstract

This study systematically examines the distinctive features of spoken English grammar and their application in language teaching. Drawing on empirical analyses of spoken     corpora (e.g., Carter & McCarthy; Cullen & Kuo), it identifies core characteristics: omission (situational, textual, structural), head/tail structures, and interactional markers like fillers, feedback signals, and lexical bundles. Crucially, spoken grammar prioritizes realtime processing and interpersonal functions over formal complexity, contrasting sharply with written norms. Pedagogically, while introducing spoken grammar post-written mastery is widely endorersed(e.g., Goh,2009), we advocate awareness-raising before production— exemplified by McCarthy & Carter’s Illustration-Interaction-Induction framework and Timmis’s four-stage tasks. However, tensions arise betweeen native-speaker (NS) models and English as a Lingua Franca(ELF) needs, necessitating a pedagogic filter. Current textbooks underrepresent key features, and exam-oriented systems may penalize informal expressions. This research underscores the need to align corpus insights with classroom practice, urging future work on cross-cultural pedagogy and the lexicogrammar interface.