Abstract
The acquisition of English denominal verbs poses a significant challenge for Chinese learners of English. This conversion of nouns to verbs, a creative linguistic process that frequently happens in informal conversations, aims to improve cognitive efficiency. Prior research has primarily focused on the definition, categorization, and the metaphorical or metonymic mechanisms underlying denominal verbs. While some attention has been paid to the acquisition of denominal verbs, empirical studies exploring instructional practices based on usage-based approaches remain scarce. To enhance our comprehension of denominal verb acquisition within the context of usage-based frameworks, this paper conducts an empirical investigation into Chinese EFL learners' proficiency in these verbs, using SPSS 28.0 for data analysis. The findings reveal that the usage-based teaching model is more effective in promoting the acquisition of denominal verbs among English learners compared to the traditional PPP teaching model. (2) The acquisition of denominal verbs is a dynamic and interactive process, influenced by both teaching models and the learners' proficiency in English. This paper contributes to enriching the research on denominal verbs from a usage-based perspective, offering new insights and inspirations for studying the acquisition of denominal verbs.
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