A Study on the Meaning and Usage of Auditory Verbs in English by English Learners

This study explored how Japanese learners of English understand the verbs of perception in English with reference to auditory verbs. 61 Japanese college students, who participated in this study, were divided into three groups according to their TOEIC scores in a placement test. A set of three questionnaires were devised in order to examine 1) their ability to choose the right verb in context, 2) their awareness about the formulaic expressions using listen and hear, and 3) their sensitivity to the well-formedness of expressions using listen and hear. The overall results of the study showed that Japanese learners generally have trouble in handling even these basic verbs. It was also found that there are level-sensitive trouble areas.