抄録
Acquiring noun phrases (NPs) is essential for developing overall English proficiency. While previous studies have explored the developmental process of NP acquisition, these analyses are based on learner group data, and the existing research investigating the relationship with English proficiency is limited. To address these gaps, the present study investigated the implicational relationship in NP acquisition and its correlation with vocabulary size test scores. A total of 56 Japanese first-year senior high school students participated in this study. An implicational scale was generated based on their response data from the KB test, which diagnoses the ability to comprehend NP structures in the sentential subject position. The results revealed the following developmental stage in NP acquisition: NPs with premodification → NPs with prepositional phrases → NPs with participles → NPs with relative clauses. Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was identified between NP knowledge and vocabulary size. These findings suggest implications for instruction and future research on NP acquisition.
https://ror.org/059x21724 
