The Use of the English Article among Japanese Students

Abstract

This study1 was designed to investigate a general feature of the use of the English articles among Japanese students learning English as a foreign language. An article cloze-type test was employed for this purpose. It was found that the accuracy level of the three types of articles ( the, a/an, and ϕ) pooled was about 70% even in the advanced students. The overall difficult order among the three types of articles from easiest to most difficult was: (1) the → (2) a/an → (3) ϕ for the intermediate level group; and (1) the → (2) a/an → (3) $ for the intermediate level group; teristics of difficult and easy items within each type were briefly discussed. Possible strategies used by the subjects and acquisition process were also suggested.