Which term describes extending a pattern learned in one context to another?

Which term describes extending a pattern learned in one context to another?

• A. Generalization
• B. Overgeneralization
• C. Interference
• D. Code-switching

Answer: (A)

Generalization is the ability to take a pattern you’ve learned in one situation and use it in new, different situations. In language learning, this means applying a rule to new words or contexts, like learning that regular verbs form the past tense with -ed and then saying “jumped” for a verb you just learned, not just the ones you studied. This shows the pattern extending beyond the exact example you practiced. If a learner starts applying the rule too broadly and makes an error like “goed” instead of “went,” that’s overgeneralization, a related but distinct idea. Interference would involve your first language getting in the way of learning the second, and code-switching is mixing languages in one utterance, neither of which describes extending a pattern to a new context.

Generalization is the ability to take a pattern you’ve learned in one situation and use it in new, different situations. In language learning, this means applying a rule to new words or contexts, like learning that regular verbs form the past tense with -ed and then saying “jumped” for a verb you just learned, not just the ones you studied. This shows the pattern extending beyond the exact example you practiced. If a learner starts applying the rule too broadly and makes an error like “goed” instead of “went,” that’s overgeneralization, a related but distinct idea. Interference would involve your first language getting in the way of learning the second, and code-switching is mixing languages in one utterance, neither of which describes extending a pattern to a new context.