International Journal of Language & Linguistics

An Examination of the Effects of Explicit Language Knowledge on Second Language Online Processing: A Case of Saudi English Language Learners
Faten Ahmed Alarjani

Abstract
The study examined the extent to which Saudi second language learners (L2) demonstrate explicit knowledge (EK) of English passive as a result of years of explicit instruction. It further explored the effect of EK on the online processing English passive sentences especially that L2 learners face difficulty in integrating grammatical knowledge in online processing of L2. Participants wereL2of English (n = 127) and native speakers of English (n=50). The participants were tested by using the untimed grammar judgment test and a metalinguistic knowledge test to measure EK and processing of English passives. The results indicated that the L2had a high level of EK of the passive structures. Triangulation of the UGJT and MKT accuracy scores as a measure of EK and the UGJT reading times as a measure of online processing exhibited a significant effect of EK on online processing.

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