An Analysis of Modal Verb Misuse among University Learners in Relation to Textbook Input

doi:10.18627/jslg.42.1.202605.53

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2026 Vol.42, Issue 1 Preview Page Next Page

Research Article

An Analysis of Modal Verb Misuse among University Learners in Relation to Textbook Input: Cho, Hyun-Jun^1*; ¹Kyungwoon University

31 May 2026. pp. 53-68

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Abstract

This study conducts an error analysis of English modal verbs among university students and examines how these errors relate to their presentation in English textbooks. A diagnostic test was administered to 97 students, and 20 high school English I and English II textbooks were analyzed. The results showed that accuracy varied by semantic function, with epistemic modality yielding lower accuracy (M = 46.6%) than form-focused items (68.2%). Textbook analysis revealed a similar pattern: activities were concentrated on deontic modality, while epistemic meanings were presented less frequently. Most activities focused on form and meaning selection, with limited opportunities for pragmatic use and production. These findings suggest that learners’ difficulties stem not only from insufficient grammatical knowledge but also from limited exposure to meaning and use in context. Therefore, instruction should integrate form, meaning, and use through contextualized and discourse-level tasks.

Keywords

modal verbs

deontic modality

epistemic modality

error analysis

English textbooks

References

Baek, J. H. and Lee, E. S. 2017. Perception and Production of English Modal Verbs by Korean University Students in Written Academic Discourse. Journal of Language Sciences 81, 133-156. 10.21296/jls.2017.06.81.133
Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G., Conrad, S., and Finegan, E. 1999. Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. London: Longman.
Celce-Murcia, M. and Larsen-Freeman, D. 1999. The Grammar Book: An ESL/EFL Teacher’s Course (2nd ed.). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Choi, S. Y., Kim, K. T., and Oh, S. Y. 2025. Grade-Level Classification of Grammar Items in English Textbooks Based on the 2015 Revised English Curriculum. English Teaching 80.2, 29-55. 10.15858/engtea.80.2.202506.29
Coates, J. 1983. The Semantics of the Modal Auxiliaries. London: Croom Helm.
Corder, S. P. 1967. The Significance of Learners’ Errors. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching 5, 161-170. 10.1515/iral.1967.5.1-4.161
Ellis, R. 1994. The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R. 2003. Task-Based Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 10.65961/AJELT-2003-1-009
Halliday, M. A. K. and Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. 2014. Halliday’s Introduction to Functional Grammar (4th ed.). London: Routledge. 10.4324/9780203783771
Hyland, K. and Milton, J. 1997. Qualification and Certainty in L1 and L2 Students’ Writing. Journal of Second Language Writing 6.2, 183-205. 10.1016/S1060-3743(97)90033-3
Jung, S. H. 2007. A Study on Teaching English Grammar for Communication by Analysis of Middle School English Textbooks. Unpublished master’s thesis, Chosun University.
Jung, T. G. and Noh, K. H. 2022. Korean University Students’ Acquisition and Hierarchy of English Modal Verb Meanings. Studies in Foreign Language Education 36.3, 89-114.
Larsen-Freeman, D. 2003. Teaching Language: From Grammar to Grammaring. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Leech, G. 2004. Meaning and the English Verb (3rd ed.). London: Pearson Longman.
Littlejohn, A. 2011. The Analysis of Language Teaching Materials: Inside the Trojan Horse. In B. Tomlinson (ed.), Materials Development in Language Teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 179-211. 10.1017/9781139042789.011
Long, M. H. 1991. Focus on Form: A Design Feature in Language Teaching Methodology. In K. de Bot, R. Ginsberg, and C. Kramsch (eds.), Foreign Language Research in Cross-Cultural Perspective. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 39-52. 10.1075/sibil.2.07lon
McDonough, J., Shaw, C., and Masuhara, H. 2013. Materials and Methods in ELT: A Teacher’s Guide (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell.
Ok, J. S. 2010. An Error Analysis of English Verb Usage: A Case Study of a Local Korean University. English Language and Literature Studies 52.4, 213-247. 10.18853/jjell.2010.52.4.011
Palmer, F. R. 2001. Mood and Modality (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Park, H. S. 2012. Modality in Korean Learners’ Spoken Interlanguage. English Language & Literature Teaching 18.1, 197-216.
Pyo, S. Y. 2019. Stance Expressions in Korean University Students’ Academic Writing. Korean Journal of Linguistics 44.1, 119-144. 10.18855/lisoko.2019.44.1.006
Richards, J. C. 1974. Error Analysis: Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition. London: Longman.
Tomlinson, B. 2012. Materials Development for Language Learning and Teaching. Language Teaching 45.2, 143-179. 10.1017/S0261444811000528
Yoon, T. J. and Lee, Y. H. 2016. A Multifactorial Analysis of “can” and “may” in Korean EFL Learners’ Writings. English Language & Literature 22.1, 7-30. 10.17960/ell.2016.22.1.007

Information

Publisher :The Modern Linguistic Society of Korea
Publisher(Ko) :한국현대언어학회
Journal Title :The Journal of Studies in Language
Journal Title(Ko) :언어연구
Volume : 42
No :1
Pages :53-68
DOI :https://doi.org/10.18627/jslg.42.1.202605.53

[1] Baek, J. H. and Lee, E. S. 2017. Perception and Production of English Modal Verbs by Korean University Students in Written Academic Discourse. Journal of Language Sciences 81, 133-156. 10.21296/jls.2017.06.81.133

[2] Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G., Conrad, S., and Finegan, E. 1999. Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. London: Longman.

[3] Celce-Murcia, M. and Larsen-Freeman, D. 1999. The Grammar Book: An ESL/EFL Teacher’s Course (2nd ed.). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

[4] Choi, S. Y., Kim, K. T., and Oh, S. Y. 2025. Grade-Level Classification of Grammar Items in English Textbooks Based on the 2015 Revised English Curriculum. English Teaching 80.2, 29-55. 10.15858/engtea.80.2.202506.29

[5] Coates, J. 1983. The Semantics of the Modal Auxiliaries. London: Croom Helm.

[6] Corder, S. P. 1967. The Significance of Learners’ Errors. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching 5, 161-170. 10.1515/iral.1967.5.1-4.161

[7] Ellis, R. 1994. The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[8] Ellis, R. 2003. Task-Based Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 10.65961/AJELT-2003-1-009

[9] Halliday, M. A. K. and Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. 2014. Halliday’s Introduction to Functional Grammar (4th ed.). London: Routledge. 10.4324/9780203783771

[10] Hyland, K. and Milton, J. 1997. Qualification and Certainty in L1 and L2 Students’ Writing. Journal of Second Language Writing 6.2, 183-205. 10.1016/S1060-3743(97)90033-3

[11] Jung, S. H. 2007. A Study on Teaching English Grammar for Communication by Analysis of Middle School English Textbooks. Unpublished master’s thesis, Chosun University.

[12] Jung, T. G. and Noh, K. H. 2022. Korean University Students’ Acquisition and Hierarchy of English Modal Verb Meanings. Studies in Foreign Language Education 36.3, 89-114.

[13] Larsen-Freeman, D. 2003. Teaching Language: From Grammar to Grammaring. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

[14] Leech, G. 2004. Meaning and the English Verb (3rd ed.). London: Pearson Longman.

[15] Littlejohn, A. 2011. The Analysis of Language Teaching Materials: Inside the Trojan Horse. In B. Tomlinson (ed.), Materials Development in Language Teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 179-211. 10.1017/9781139042789.011

[16] Long, M. H. 1991. Focus on Form: A Design Feature in Language Teaching Methodology. In K. de Bot, R. Ginsberg, and C. Kramsch (eds.), Foreign Language Research in Cross-Cultural Perspective. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 39-52. 10.1075/sibil.2.07lon

[17] McDonough, J., Shaw, C., and Masuhara, H. 2013. Materials and Methods in ELT: A Teacher’s Guide (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell.

[18] Ok, J. S. 2010. An Error Analysis of English Verb Usage: A Case Study of a Local Korean University. English Language and Literature Studies 52.4, 213-247. 10.18853/jjell.2010.52.4.011

[19] Palmer, F. R. 2001. Mood and Modality (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[20] Park, H. S. 2012. Modality in Korean Learners’ Spoken Interlanguage. English Language & Literature Teaching 18.1, 197-216.

[21] Pyo, S. Y. 2019. Stance Expressions in Korean University Students’ Academic Writing. Korean Journal of Linguistics 44.1, 119-144. 10.18855/lisoko.2019.44.1.006

[22] Richards, J. C. 1974. Error Analysis: Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition. London: Longman.

[23] Tomlinson, B. 2012. Materials Development for Language Learning and Teaching. Language Teaching 45.2, 143-179. 10.1017/S0261444811000528

[24] Yoon, T. J. and Lee, Y. H. 2016. A Multifactorial Analysis of “can” and “may” in Korean EFL Learners’ Writings. English Language & Literature 22.1, 7-30. 10.17960/ell.2016.22.1.007

The Journal of Studies in Language ISSN:1225-4770(Print) 2671-6151(Online) 언어연구

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