Which of the following is a factor affecting second language acquisition?

• A. Motivation
• B. Language Transfer
• C. Overgeneralization
• D. Cognates

Answer: (C)

Second language acquisition unfolds as learners form and test grammatical generalizations in real time. Overgeneralization is when a learner applies a known rule too broadly, leading to errors like using a regular past tense form with irregular verbs (goed) or adding -s to all third-person verbs (she walk to the store). These errors reveal the learner’s current hypotheses about how the language works and show that rule formation is actively shaping progress. Because it reflects the learner’s ongoing internal grammar and how they use feedback to adjust, this phenomenon can significantly affect the path and rate of learning. It signals the cognitive process behind grammar development, which is a fundamental factor in SLA. Motivation, language transfer, and cognates are also influential in different ways—motivation drives effort, transfer shows initial influence from the native language, and cognates can ease vocabulary learning—but overgeneralization specifically highlights how learners build and revise linguistic rules during acquisition.