Lexical Bundles in Academic Writing among ESL Law Students in Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47750/pegegog.15.02.03Keywords:
Corpus Linguistics, Lexical bundles, Formulaic patterns, Multi word patternsAbstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the complexity of the lexical bundles and/or formulaic patterns in Law texts, create a corpus of authentic formulaic patterns in law and propose a workable method for identifying and teaching the types and function of law lexical and formulaic bundles in the academic writing classroom. The study adopts corpus linguistic approach to investigate the patterns in the Law students’ texts. The study used 792,237 corpus size. The routine of the types and functions of formulaic patterns and the multiword in Law subject areas found on a virtual learning platform were analysed. This procedure revealed brief prevailing six-word lexical formulaic patterns from Law texts. The discussion from the outcome of this search for extensively used formulaic patterns in Law leads to a consideration of challenges in formulaic pattern or multiword patterns data into English for academic writing in the law discipline in tertiary institutions. The challenges lead to suggestions for the instructors in the law faculties to engage their students in working with word lists made up of formulaic categorisations in law. The study provided formulaic patterns that are particularly useful for lecturers and Law students in the academic writing classroom in the Law faculties.
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