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The Effect of Input Flooding and Explicit Instruction on L2 Acquisition of English Inverse Scope

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Title: The Effect of Input Flooding and Explicit Instruction on L2 Acquisition of English Inverse Scope
Language: English
Authors: Mien-Jen Wu (ORCID 0000-0001-8304-628X), Tania Ionin
Source: Language Teaching Research. 2026 30(2):771-800.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 30
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS)
Contract Number: 1917750
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Direct Instruction, Second Language Instruction, Second Language Learning, Mandarin Chinese, English (Second Language), Intervention, Linguistic Input, Ambiguity (Semantics), College Students, Universities, English Learners, Native Language
DOI: 10.1177/13621688231153759
ISSN: 1362-1688
1477-0954
Abstract: This article investigates how different types of input and instruction can affect L1-Mandarin L2-English learners' acquisition of English inverse scope. English quantifier-negation sentences such as "All the kids didn't climb the tree" are ambiguous between a surface-scope reading ('none of the kids climbed the tree') and an inverse-scope reading ('it is not the case that all the kids climbed the tree'), while the Mandarin equivalent only has the surface-scope reading. Inverse scope can be challenging even for advanced learners, due to its low frequency in naturalistic input and/or its complex form-meaning mapping. The present study implemented an intervention with inverse scope: learners received either input flooding (increased frequency) or explicit instruction (explicit explanations about form-meaning mappings). For learners receiving explicit instruction, acceptance of inverse scope increased significantly after instruction. In contrast, learners receiving input flooding did not show significant improvement; results from debriefing questionnaires indicated that learners in the input flooding group failed to either notice the target structure or further process the input. This suggests that input flooding alone is not as effective as explicit instruction in learning a property that has complex form-meaning mapping, such as inverse scope.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496718
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: The Effect of Input Flooding and Explicit Instruction on L2 Acquisition of English Inverse Scope
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mien-Jen+Wu%22">Mien-Jen Wu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8304-628X">0000-0001-8304-628X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tania+Ionin%22">Tania Ionin</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Language+Teaching+Research%22"><i>Language Teaching Research</i></searchLink>. 2026 30(2):771-800.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS)
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  Data: 10.1177/13621688231153759
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  Data: This article investigates how different types of input and instruction can affect L1-Mandarin L2-English learners' acquisition of English inverse scope. English quantifier-negation sentences such as "All the kids didn't climb the tree" are ambiguous between a surface-scope reading ('none of the kids climbed the tree') and an inverse-scope reading ('it is not the case that all the kids climbed the tree'), while the Mandarin equivalent only has the surface-scope reading. Inverse scope can be challenging even for advanced learners, due to its low frequency in naturalistic input and/or its complex form-meaning mapping. The present study implemented an intervention with inverse scope: learners received either input flooding (increased frequency) or explicit instruction (explicit explanations about form-meaning mappings). For learners receiving explicit instruction, acceptance of inverse scope increased significantly after instruction. In contrast, learners receiving input flooding did not show significant improvement; results from debriefing questionnaires indicated that learners in the input flooding group failed to either notice the target structure or further process the input. This suggests that input flooding alone is not as effective as explicit instruction in learning a property that has complex form-meaning mapping, such as inverse scope.
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