CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research background 1.2 Research objectives 1.3 The organization of this book CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Defining discourse marker and pragmatic marker 2.2 The characteristics of pragmatic markers 2.3 Research on pragmatic markers in China 2.4 Different approaches to discourse 2.4.1 Formal approaches to discourse 2.4.2 Functional approaches to discourse 2.4.3 Corpus-based approaches to discourse 2.5 SLA theories: a cognitive approach 2.5.1 Schmidt's construct of noticing 2.5.2 Formal instruction 2.5.3 The information-processing approach 2.5.4 VanPattern and input processing 2.6 Approaches to pragmatic markers 2.6.1 Coherence-based approach to pragmatic markers 2.6.2 Relevance-based approach to pragmatic markers 2.6.3 Differences between coherence-based approach and relevance-based approach to pragmatic markers 2.6.4 Gonzalez's approach to pragmatic markers 2.6.5 A tentative theoretical framework of pragmatic markers 2.7 Summary CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH DESIGN 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Research methodology 3.2.1 Corpus linguistics 3.2.2 Contrastive interlanguage analysis 3.2.3 Design and method 3.3 Corpora used in the present study 3.4 Statistical and computer tools 3.4.1 Concordance software 3.4.2 Detagging software 3.4.3 Statistical tools CHAPTER 4 WELL AS A PRAGMATIC MARKER 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Previous studies on the use of well 4.3 Results and discussion 4.3.1 The functional categories of well in this study 4.3.2 Contrastive analysis 4.4 Interim Summary CHAPTER 5 IMEAN AS A PRAGMATIC MARKER 1 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Previous studies on the use of I mean 5.3 Results and discussion 5.3.1 The functional categories of I mean in this study 5.3.2 Comparative analysis 5.4 Interim summary CHAPTER 6 YOU KNOW AS A PRAGMATIC MARKER 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Previous studies on the use of you know 6.3 Results and discussion 6.3.1 The functional categories of you know in this study 6.3.2 Comparative analysis 6.4 Interim summary CHAFFER 7 ACTUALLY AS A PRAGMATIC MARKER 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Previous studies on the use of actually 1 7.3 Results and discussion 7.3.1 The functional categories of actually in this study 7.3.2 Comparative analysis 7.4 Interim summary CHAPTER 8 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PRAGMATIC MARKERS BETWEEN BNC AND SECCL 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Results 8.2.1 Frequency of the pragmatic markers used in BNC and SECCL 8.2.2 Range of the pragmatic functions used in BNC and SECCL 8.2.3 Distribution of individual pragmatic function in BNC and SECCL 8.2.4 Distribution of the pragmatic markers in respective pragmatic structure 8.2.5 Distribution of overall syntactic positions in BNC and SECCL 8.3 General discussion 8.3.1 Underuse of the pragmatic markers and functions by Chinese EFL learners 8.3.2 Overuse of the pragmatic functions in the inferential structure by Chinese EFL learners 8.3.3 Possible factors facilitating the acquisition of pragmatic markers 8.4 Interim summary CHAPTER 9 CONCLUSION 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Summary of the major findings 9.3 Pedagogical implications 9.3.1 Consciousness raising 9.3.2 Explicit instruction 9.3.3 The I - I - I - I teaching methodology 9.4 Limitations of this study 9.5 Suggestions for future study REFERENCES INDEX