TEFL forum

Could someone provide me with a simple explanation as to why a learner might make the following errors:

'Do you can drive?'

'fish and cheaps'


Thanks!

[dan]

"Do you can drive"

A lot of research has shown that there is a sequence in which second language learners acquire structures. In the case above, the learner has reached the stage of realising that questions have a different structure, but is probably generalising that all questions are formed with a verb at the beginning.

"Fish and cheaps"

This is a phonetic error, and most likely results from the student's first language (L1).

For example, French really only has one sound where English has two in the area of /i:/ (as in cheaps) and /I/ (as in chips). This is what's called a minimal pair (a pair of words which differs in only one sound), and French speakers often have problems with this pair.

Confusion with this pair happens with several L1s.

Excellent question and solid response. A pleasure to read both!