Combining clauses by native and non-native speakers of Japanese

This study explores how native and non-native speakers (L1 English intermediate) of Japanese combine clauses in spoken language, examines how clause-combining is presented in Japanese textbooks, and makes suggestions to teaching.;Most of the forms used by the non-native speakers were used by the native speakers and covered in the textbooks. The forms frequently used by the non-native speakers were used by the native speakers frequently, and were taught early. However, some of the forms which the native speakers used were not presented in the textbooks at all.;Introducing clause-combining forms from the beginning and teaching important forms in the textbooks is suggested.;It was found that native speakers tend to combine clauses but non-native speakers tend not to. Of the three ways to combine clauses, the native speakers used conjunctive suffixes the most, followed by conjunctive particles. Conjunctions were used least. The non-native speakers showed a preference for conjunctions.