Abstract

Classroom language may prepare language students to communicate, but it often doesn't adequately prepare students to comprehend 'authentic' language (i.e., language used by native speakers in real life situations) since some characteristics of authentic language such as complex syntax and lexical variety are quite often not present in teaching materials. Consequently, language students who may be able to communicate successfully to native speakers outside the classroom can encounter difficulty when trying to comprehend language native speakers say to them. The aim of this study was to compare language produced by native speakers to the language presented in ESL materials and language predicted by ESL teachers in relation to giving directions and giving advice tasks. The results indicate that there is little match among the three groups. This study also shows that certain types of tasks, namely close-ended ones, produce certain amounts of predictable lexis and syntax which is often not included in teaching materials