Examining EFL Textbooks from a Phraseological Perspective: A Corpus Analysis of Lexical Bundle Features

Abstract

English language (EL) textbooks are the main or sole source of formal English input in non-native contexts. Their quality significantly influences teaching and learning. As recurrent continuous sequences, lexical bundles (LBs) are important phraseological units in the English language. They support language fluency and accuracy by reducing memory load and enhancing processing, particularly for non-native learners. Despite growing interest in LBs within English language education, research on their use in foundational-level English for General Purposes (EGP) textbooks has remained insufficient. Given the importance of EL textbooks in non-native contexts and China’s large EFL learner population, investigating LBs in Chinese EFL textbooks holds significant national and global value. Accordingly, this study examines the most frequent three- and four-word LBs in widely used Chinese secondary school EFL textbooks. Guided by corpus linguistics, two textbook corpora were compiled. Bundle data were extracted using WordSmith Tools and Collocate, and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively for frequency, structure, and function. Findings show that three-word bundles are more frequent, with stable distribution across grade levels, while bundle diversity increases in advanced-level textbooks. Structurally, verb phrase fragments dominate, reflecting a phrasal style that lags behind professional native academic texts. Functionally, LBs with a limited functional range and pedagogical instruction bundles are most frequent, highlighting the teacher-centered nature of Chinese education. This study enriches the understanding of bundle features in Chinese EFL textbooks, offering insights for enhancing bundle instruction and optimizing textbook bundle presentation as well as contributing to EL textbook bundle research in non-native contexts.