Gedik T (2026)
Publication Language: English
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2026
DOI: 10.1007/s42321-026-00247-1
This study investigates the morphological complexity of high school English textbooks and English university entrance exams in Turkey, focusing on indices of inflectional and derivational morphology, morpheme family size, frequency, and morphological density. Using automated corpus-based analyses, the study compares eight textbooks and ten exams across multiple morphological measures. The results indicate systematic differences between the two corpora, with the most robust effects emerging in derivational and prefix-related indices. Exam materials consistently exhibited higher derivational complexity, greater prefix use, and larger prefix family sizes, whereas many inflectional and suffix-related differences did not remain robust after correction for multiple comparisons. These findings suggest that university entrance exams rely more heavily on morphologically productive word-formation processes than those emphasized in official high school textbooks. The results point to a structural misalignment between instructional materials and assessment demands. The study highlights the importance of incorporating morphologically rich input and explicit attention to word-formation processes in English curricula to better support students’ preparation for high-stakes examinations and the transition to tertiary education.
APA:
Gedik, T. (2026). A Morphological mismatch? Comparing Turkish high school English textbooks and university entrance exams. English Teaching & Learning. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-026-00247-1
MLA:
Gedik, Tan. "A Morphological mismatch? Comparing Turkish high school English textbooks and university entrance exams." English Teaching & Learning (2026).
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