Raw Data File and Processed Data File

Sentence comprehension involves both semantic and syntactic processing. Previous evidence has demonstrated the relatively weaker neural response of syntax compared to semantics in sentence comprehension. This study further identifies syntax’s weaker role: its underutilization by Chinese learners of English in understanding English sentences. This current study conducts an empirical experiment comprising six sentences that are semantically ambiguous but syntactically unambiguous and six syntactically paired sentences that are both semantically and syntactically unambiguous. All the twelve sentences can be readily comprehended solely through syntactic processing. However, the results of statistical analysis demonstrate that Chinese learners of English exhibit inferior comprehension performance on sentences that are semantically ambiguous but syntactically unambiguous compared to their paired counterparts. This revelation indicates that Chinese learners of English have a preference for semantic processing and a bias against syntactic processing in understanding English sentences, suggesting an underutilization of syntactic processing. This current study subsequently identifies two categories of parsing underutilization: partial underutilization and complete underutilization. Further exploration of the reasons behind partial and complete underutilization led to the identification of trial and error leveraged in syntactic processing as a contributing factor. Consequently, this study lays a foundation for the development of a novel parsing method designed to fully integrate syntactic processing into sentence comprehension, thereby enhancing the level of English sentence comprehension for Chinese learners of English.