Breaking through barriers

The objective of this research was to expose the kind of language required to push through the intermediate barrier, to the levels beyond. The findings confirmed the need for more critical evaluation of grammar input; suggesting a focus shift, away from peripheral areas of grammar (tense shift in reported speech, for example)* to a more systematic study of vocabulary as used in spoken discourse.

* This was found to be largely redundant, since native speakers and high level learners report speech in a number of acceptable ways that do not involve tense shift.