Use of ���Have��� in Written English in an Interlanguage Perspective - ESL

The grammatical structures and meanings in English writing of second language (L2) learners are often viewed as “errors” in a negative light when they are not compatible with the rules of the target language (TL). However the interlanguage(IL) (Selinker1972) norm takes an alternative approach towards interpreting learner errors viewing them as essential proof of active participation of learners in the learning process(Frith1978).Further according to the IL theory learner errors can be used as a diagnostic tool to understand the learner psychology behind the ungrammatical uses. The study aims to analyze idiosyncratic uses of language in English writing of Sri Lankan second language learners with regard to the main/auxiliary verb “have” in an interlanguage perspective with special reference to learner pragmatics.