Modal auxiliaries in learning and teaching Chinese as a second language

Chinese modal auxiliary is one of the most important language elements in the Chinese language. Therefore, to effectively and efficiently fulfil the communicative purpose, learning modal auxiliaries is necessary for second language learners. However, modal auxiliaries are still a) a comparatively weak point in Chinese research as well as b) a challenge for foreign students who learn Chinese as a foreign language. To lay a theoretical foundation for the later empirical study: this study constructs a new definition and categorisations of Chinese modal auxiliaries; 13 Chinese modal auxiliaries are thoroughly studied; a comparison between Chinese modal auxiliaries and English modal verbs is explored; errors that the students made in the application of Chinese modal auxiliaries are analysed, categorised and summarised; the deep reasons behind the errors are explored from a syntactic and pedagogical perspective.

The study proves that explicit instructions from the language instructors are a critical countermeasure against CMA application difficulties. Interaction with peers and language partners benefits L2 learners’ acquisition of the second language. After-class exercises and corrective feedback from language instructors are supplementary solutions. And the study points out that language instructors have attached great importance to the unique grammatical structures of the Chinese modal auxiliaries, suggesting that the semantics of different Chinese modal auxiliaries should be the instructional focus in future teaching practice.