Revisiting Blocking Effects in Second Language Learning: A Close Replication of Ellis and Sagarra (2010b)

We closely replicated Ellis and Sagarra (2010b), a seminal study that demonstrated clear effects of blocking in second language (L2) learning. In that study, English‐speaking learners completed different types of pretraining about Latin temporal expressions (adverbs, verbs, none) to investigate how knowledge about specific cues influenced L2 outcomes. Results showed that the type of pretraining strongly influenced interpretation and production. To date, however, no replication has fully confirmed these findings, resulting in open questions about the nature and role of blocking in L2 learning. Unlike prior studies, we addressed these concerns without modifying the initial study's materials and procedures. Our close replication did not confirm the initial study's findings due to performance following verb pretraining: Pretraining on verbs did not bias attention to verbs in subsequent use. Theoretical refinements and methodological implications of this replication study are discussed, especially roles for prior experience, competition, and the linguistic properties of cues.