Abstract: With China’s fast economic development and positive involvement in the international affairs, English has become an important communication tool for Chinese. Nowadays, people all over China are learning English and English has been an indispensable part in China’s compulsory education. But Chinese and English belong to different language system, so Chinese would inevitably exert some influence, positive and negative influence, in the English learning and acquiring processes. Positive influence would promote a learner’s learning. Negative influence, however, would hider a learner’s learning, especially for English beginners. This thesis focuses on the negative influence of mother tongue in English writing in Grade 7. By analyzing the errors and mistakes in the sample writings, the author summarizes the negative influence of mother tongue in 3 aspects: substance, vocabulary, and grammar. And valuable advice is given to promote a learner’s English learning.

Key words: mother tongue; negative influence; English writing; advice

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Ⅰ Introduction

Ⅱ Literature Review

2.1 Definition of Language Transfer

2.2 Positive Transfer and Negative Transfer 

2.3 Related Studies on Negative Transfer

Ⅲ The Negative Influence of Mother Tongue in English Writing 

3.1 The Negative Influence of Mother Tongue on Substance in English Writing

3.1.1 On Capitalization

3.1.2 On Punctuation 

3.2 The Negative Influence of Mother Tongue on Vocabulary in English Writing 

3.3 The Negative Influence of Mother Tongue on Grammar in English Writing 

Ⅳ Advice on Reducing the Negative Influence of Mother Tongue in English Writing

Ⅴ Conclusion

Bibliography

Acknowledgements