Looking at L1 and L2 College Students’ English Textual Differences from an SFL Perspective

Objectives The present study explores how different L1 and L2 learners’ English written texts are and how these differences are realized through lexical and grammatical choices. Methods In order to explore the differences of thematic organization represented in L1 and L2 writer students’ essays, English texts written by L1 (an English native speaker) and L2 (a Chinese native speaker) writers were selected and analyzed in terms of first sentence introduction, cohesion, usage of conjunctions, clause-combining strategies, and thematic organization. Results The two texts written by L1 and L2 writers show salient differences in how to begin the texts, cohesion and conjunction, clause-combining strategies, and thematic organization. Conclusions The analysis of grammatical choices through which different meanings are construed and different contexts are realized explicitly shows the differences between L1 and L2 writers’ texts, which leads to more insights into L2 writers’ texts and more effective instruction depending on learning needs.