What is the term for the process by which a learner notices a language feature and forms a mental note about it?

• A. Noticing
• B. Interlanguage
• C. Input hypothesis
• D. Output hypothesis

Answer: (A)

Noticing is the term for when a learner’s attention is drawn to a language feature in the input and they form a mental note about it. This conscious recognition is what can move a feature from simply seeing language to beginning to process it for learning. For example, if you notice that English uses -ed to mark the past tense, you gain awareness of a pattern you can apply in future sentences. This awareness helps the feature enter your intake and, over time, your interlanguage can incorporate it more reliably. Other theories talk about broader ideas—the evolving learner grammar (interlanguage), exposure to understandable input (Input Hypothesis), or using language to trigger learning through output (Output Hypothesis)—but the specific act described here is noticing: paying attention and forming that mental note.