Abstract
This study aimed to explore Taiwanese EFL learners’ performance of two discourse markers because and so with special attention to the information sequence and functions that are done through the use of causal expressions in their written and spoken discourse. In addition, the effects of misuse of causal markers in EFL students’ written and spoken discourse were also investigated. The data for analysis were obtained from EFL students’ edited written discourse and unplanned speeches. Four research questions were (1) What are the distributions of because and so in students’ written and spoken discourse? (2) Are there any differences between students’ use of because and so in written and spoken discourse? If so, what are they? (3) Are there any problems when students use causal markers? If so, what type of problems are they? (4) What are the pedagogical implications for EFL teachings of the present study? The result of study can be presented based on the two causal markers and students’ problematic use of these causal markers. The analysis of because and so indicated: (1) Less frequency of because and so uses in written discourse is due to students’ employment of more because and so alternatives in their writing. (2) Pragmatic functions which are common and typical in speech often occur in students’ academic writing in the present study. The analysis of students’ problematic uses of causal markers indicated: (1) At the sentence level, students are found to make a wrong construction like Because…so in their written discourse. (2) At the discourse level, incoherent causal relations are also found in students’ written and spoken discourse. It is suggested that teachers, when teaching causal markers, should explicitly tell students’ different discourse functions of causal markers when used in different modes or genres.