The use and non-use of semantic information, word order, and case markings during comprehension by L2 learners of German

This article presents findings from a year-long study of how intermediate second language (L2) learners of German (English first language) used case markings, word order, and semantic information when comprehending individual German sentences. The results showed that the learners relied on word order and semantic information, but did not necessarily use case-marking information. The learners' performance, however, improved as the study progressed, which suggests that with repeated exposure to the target sentences, they became more adept at noticing and processing case-marking information. The findings have implications for grammar instruction, not only at intermediate levels, but also for beginning-level L2 instruction.