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Native and Nonnative Speakers' Preferences for Preposition Pied-Piping versus Stranding in English Wh-Relative Clauses

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Title: Native and Nonnative Speakers' Preferences for Preposition Pied-Piping versus Stranding in English Wh-Relative Clauses
Language: English
Authors: Henan Duan, Helen Zhao (ORCID 0000-0002-3969-8501), Jonathon Lum
Source: Language Learning. 2026 76(1):103-131.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 29
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Native Speakers, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, English, Preferences, Form Classes (Languages), Foreign Countries, Asians, College Students, Verbs
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1111/lang.12712
ISSN: 0023-8333
1467-9922
Abstract: The current study investigated from a usage-based perspective how phrasal frequency and collocational strength of verb-preposition collocations influence preposition placement in wh-relative clauses. Native English speakers and Chinese learners of English as a second language of the intermediate and advanced English proficiencies completed a sentence completion task and an acceptability judgment task. The results showed that native and nonnative speakers had an overall preference for preposition stranding. Native speakers had a stronger acceptance of preposition pied-piping than nonnative speakers; advanced learners had a stronger acceptance of pied-piping than intermediate learners. The collocational strengths of verb-preposition combinations had a significant effect on the productive use and acceptability of preposition placement for both native speakers and advanced learners. Intermediate learners' preposition placement was more affected by phrasal frequency. Overall, the findings confirm that the distributional properties of verb-preposition collocations influence speakers' preference for the type of wh-clause structure, which provides strong support to the usage-based account of grammar analysis and grammar acquisition.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://osf.io/zje37
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496721
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Native and Nonnative Speakers' Preferences for Preposition Pied-Piping versus Stranding in English Wh-Relative Clauses
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Henan+Duan%22">Henan Duan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Helen+Zhao%22">Helen Zhao</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3969-8501">0000-0002-3969-8501</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jonathon+Lum%22">Jonathon Lum</searchLink>
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Native+Speakers%22">Native Speakers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English%22">English</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preferences%22">Preferences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Form+Classes+%28Languages%29%22">Form Classes (Languages)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asians%22">Asians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Verbs%22">Verbs</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/lang.12712
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  Data: 0023-8333<br />1467-9922
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The current study investigated from a usage-based perspective how phrasal frequency and collocational strength of verb-preposition collocations influence preposition placement in wh-relative clauses. Native English speakers and Chinese learners of English as a second language of the intermediate and advanced English proficiencies completed a sentence completion task and an acceptability judgment task. The results showed that native and nonnative speakers had an overall preference for preposition stranding. Native speakers had a stronger acceptance of preposition pied-piping than nonnative speakers; advanced learners had a stronger acceptance of pied-piping than intermediate learners. The collocational strengths of verb-preposition combinations had a significant effect on the productive use and acceptability of preposition placement for both native speakers and advanced learners. Intermediate learners' preposition placement was more affected by phrasal frequency. Overall, the findings confirm that the distributional properties of verb-preposition collocations influence speakers' preference for the type of wh-clause structure, which provides strong support to the usage-based account of grammar analysis and grammar acquisition.
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  Data: 2026
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