ABSTRACT
An FL learner’s language is perhaps never more interesting than when they get things wrong. When they produce correct, error-free utterances, these may tell us little about what is going on in the learner’s mind. But as soon as an error is made, we can look at its nature and try to work out why it was made. Errors can hold vital clues about the processes of FL learning. It is rather like the pain that tells the doctor more about what’s wrong with you than all the parts that don’t hurt. Box 4.1 gives a simple illustration:
4.1 Being hungry or having hunger?
