Explicit and Implicit Knowledge in Acquiring Grammatical Competence in the Process of Second Language Acquisition

This article discusses the role of explicit and implicit knowledge in acquiring gramatical competence in second language. A number of researchers claim that the term “explicit knowledge” implies a kind of knowledge which is conscious and possible to verbalise, while “implicit knowledge” is automatically and unconsciously applied by a second language learner. Finally, some conclusions are formulated on the functioning of explicit and implicit knowledge in the process of second language acquisition.