The acquisition of tense morphological features in Azerbaijani and English: the case of typological difference

Issa Mellati Heravi¹ Ghader jeddi² Saleh Ashrafi³

1) Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Ilam University- Email:
2) Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Azerbaijan Shahid Madani University- Email:
3) Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Azerbaijan Shahid Madani University- Email:

Publication : 2nd International Conference on Behavioral Science and Social Studies(2ibsconf.com)
Abstract :
The present study was an attempt to investigate the acquisition of past perfect morphological features by Azerbaijanian learners of English across three different levels of language proficiency and within a generative framework. Hence, an attempt was made to test the claims and predictions made by a number of generative theories specifically including Representational Deficit Hypothesis (RDH), Full access/Full transfer (FAFT), Missing Surface Inflection Hypothesis (MSIH) and Modulated Structure Building Hypothesis (MSBH). To do so, Thirty-six Azerbaijanian learners of EFL at three levels of proficiency were randomly chosen from Voice of Tabriz Institute. To see whether Iranian Azerbaijanian learners of English were able to reset past perfect morphology in English language and whether language proficiency affects Iranian Azerbaijanian learners’ acquisition of past perfect morphology three tests, Translation Test; Functional Test and Grammatical Judgment Test respectively administered. The results indicated that there were significant differences among proficiency levels of language learners in Translation Test, Functional Test and Grammatical Judgment Test.
Keywords : transfer Azerbaijanian learners EFL reset past perfect morphology (RDH) (FAFT) (MSIH) (MSBH)