Inferring logical relations by male and female EFL learners

Abstract

This study examines the comprehension of the logical relations denoted by different conjunctive adverbials by undergraduate EFL learners. More specifically, it tries to discover if the sex of the participants and type of the text affects inferring logical relations. 254 undergraduate EFL students took language proficiency and a logical relations test (LRT). The results demonstrated a consistent pattern of performance on conjunctive relations across learners with different language proficiency levels. No significant differences were found between males and females in their performance on the LRT. Further, significant differences and interactions were found in inferring conjunctive relations across text and conjunction types. The results can have both theoretical and practical applications for text comprehension theories and reading-writing instruction.