I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, Associate ProfessorWu Heping at Northwest Normal University, for his profoundacademic and professional knowledge, his wide and criticalinsight and his long-term support and encouragement. He in-troduced me to corpus linguistics, gave his vigorous in-structions concerning the choice of the topic, and providedme useful instruments and powerful software in undertakingthe present corpus-based study. I benefited considerablyfrom his profound academic knowledge and critical researchthinking during my master program. Had it not been for hispatient help and constructive guidance, the book would nothave taken the present form.

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Significance of the Present Study

1.2 Research Questions

1.3 Contents of This Thesis

Chapter 2 Literature Reviw

2.1 Interlanguage (IL) and Error Analysis (EA)

  2.1.1 interlanguage

 2.1.1.1 Characteristics of Interlanguage

 2.1.1.2 Scope of the Study oi lnterlanguage

  2.1.2 Error Analysis

  2.1.3 Brief Summary

2.2 SLA Studies on English Passive Construction

  2.2.1 Studies on L2 Use of Passive Construction

  2.2.2 Limitations o~ Previous Studies

2.3 Corpus Linguistics and Corpus Approach

  2.3.1 Corpus Linguistics and Characteristics of Corpus-based Approach

  2.3.2 Studies on Corpus Linguistic

  2.3.3 Corpus-based/tpltrtoach to Language Teaching

  2.3.4 CorpUs-based Language Studies

  2.3.5 IL Corpora and iL Studies Based on Corpus

  2.3.6 Brief Summary

2.4 Summary

Chapter 3 Theoretical Framework

3.1 The Theoretical Underpinnings of the Present Study

 3.1.1 The Theoretical Foundation in terms of IL and EA

 3.1.2 The Theoretical Foundation in terms of English Passive Construction

3.1.2.1 Characteristics of English Passive Construction

3.1.2.2 Constrains of English Passive Construction

  3.1.2.2.1 Verb Constrains

  3.1.2.2.2 Object Constrains

  3.1.2.2.3 Agent Constrains

 3.1.3 The Theoretical Foundation in terms of Chinese Passive Construction

3.1.3.1 Characteristics of Chinese Passive Construction

 3.1.3.2 The Bei Construction

3.1.3.3 The Notional Passive

3.1.3.4 Morphology Feature of Chinese Passive Construction

 3.1.4 Unaccusative Verb and English Passive Construction

3.1.4.1 Unaccusative Verb

3.1.4.2 The Relations Between Unaccusative Verb and Passive Construction

3.2 Three Types of Passive Errors under Investigation

3.3 Specific Research Questions

Chapter 4 Methods and Results

4.1 Methods and Procedures

  4.1.1 Approach

  4.1.2 Subject Selection

  4.1.3 Retrieving Data from Computer

4.2 Data-analysis and Results

  4.2.1 Data-analysis and Results of General Study

4.2.2 Major Findings in General Study

4.2.3 Data-analysis and Results of Specific Study

  4.2.3.1 Data-analysis and Results on Under-used Passive

  4.2.3.2 Data-analysis and Results on Over-used Passive

  4.2.3.3 Data-analysis and Results on Malformed Passive

4.3 Summary

Chapter 5 Discussion

5.1 Under-used Passive

  5.1.1 English Verbs and Underpassivization

  5.1.2 L1 Transfer and Underpassivization

  5.1.3 Semi-passives and Underpassivization

  5.1.4 Summary

5.2 Over-used Passive

  5.2.1 Overpassivization in Unaccusatlve Verbs

  5.2.2 Overpassivization in Well-formed Active Construction

  5.2.3 Overpassivization in Non-passive Expression

  5.2.4 Summary

5.3 Malformed Passive

5.4 Summary

Chapter 6 Conelusion

6.1 Major Findings of the Study

6.2 Pedagogical Implications of the Study

6.3 Limitations of the Study

Bibliography

Appendix Ⅰ

Appendix Ⅱ

Appendix Ⅲ