2026· International journal of research and innovation in social science· Vol 10, pp. 809-826· 0 citations
Abstract
This study qualitatively analyses recurrent patterns of linguistic errors and communicative writing tendencies of Malaysian ESL (English for Second Language) undergraduates by examining two functional composition tasks: an informal email and an opinion essay. While previous studies on ESL writing have often focused on grammatical mistakes, surface language deficiencies, or overall competence issues, the present study adopts an in-depth exploration of recurring errors in ESL writing by examining not only the errors but also the differing communicative approaches reflected in learners’ written responses. Ten sets of handwritten scripts containing twenty written responses were purposively selected from a larger pool of assessment scripts. The assessment was classroom-administered without allowance for digital access or AI-based writing aids, providing a more authentic reflection of learners’ freer and independent writing. This study drew on the theories of Error Analysis (Corder, 1967), the Surface Strategy Taxonomy (Dulay, Burt, & Krashen, 1982), and communicative competence (Canale & Swain, 1980; Hyland, 2007). The major error patterns identified at the surface level of the students’ written responses included sentence construction, verbs, lexis, organisation, and overall communicative effectiveness. Some persistent errors were identified but, more importantly, there was considerable variation as to how the students sought to write communicatively for different audiences using varying strategies for organising and elaborating their ideas and being socially aware in their writing. Students, even at the same level of proficiency, were found to write in different ways. An evaluation of ESL writing solely in terms of grammatical accuracy is, therefore, incomplete, as students of similar levels of proficiency may employ different strategies in their attempt to communicate meaningfully in writing. The study provides insights into how ESL writing cannot be comprehensively assessed based on linguistic fluency and grammatical precision alone. Hence, the study emphasises the multidimensional nature of ESL students’ writing development, highlighting the rationale for pedagogical approaches recognising both their linguistic competence and communicative potential.
Despite the expansion of French-language teaching in Bangladesh, error-analysis research on Bangladeshi learners remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study investigates this area by identifying common grammatical errors among 47 Bengali-speaking French beginners at the University of Dhaka. A written corpus of 53 essays, comprising 425 sentences, was analyzed using Corder’s (1974) Error Analysis framework and Dulay et al.’s (1982) Surface Strategy Taxonomy, with focus group discussions involving 25 participants. Results revealed 136 grammatical errors (averaging 32 errors per 100 sentences), with noun-related errors the most frequent (36.76%), closely followed by verb-related errors (33.82%). Misinformation and omissions dominated, and participants reported negative transfer from English (L2), overgeneralization, and simplification strategies as reasons for errors. The study showed how a cross-linguistic background shapes interlanguage, indicating that teaching should include contrastive, form-focused instruction to reduce errors.
Tanjina Najnin Tania, Md. Monir Hossain· International Journal of Lan...· 0 citations
Business correspondence is a foundational genre for ESL undergraduates, especially those preparing for professional roles that demand formal written communication. Despite its importance, research consistently points to a tendency toward informality in student writing, shaped by factors such as first language influence, instructional practices, and the growing role of digital communication. This study examines this issue within the Malaysian higher education context, drawing on 50 business emails produced by undergraduates at a public university. Guided by the informality framework proposed by Chang and Swales (1999) and operationalised by Hyland and Jiang (2017), the analysis focuses on nine informal features, including unattended anaphoric pronouns, second-person pronouns, contractions, sentence-initial conjunctions, direct questions, listing expressions, exclamations, sentence-final prepositions, and split infinitives. The findings indicate that although students possess a basic awareness of formal conventions, informal features persist due to L1 interference, limited exposure to authentic business discourse, and pedagogical priorities that emphasise grammatical precision over register-appropriateness. By shedding light on these patterns, the study contributes to ongoing discussions in ESL writing research and offers practical pedagogical strategies for developing students' professional writing competence.
Nasiha Nasrudin, Nurhafeza Mohd Akhir, Muhammad Nasiruddin Aziz· International journal of res...· 0 citations
This study examines the effectiveness of writing conferences as a supplementary instructional feedback approach for addressing first language (L1) negative transfer errors in English writing. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from second language acquisition and writing pedagogy, the study focuses on three categories of L1 transfer errors: semantic, syntactic, and capitalization. The study argues that written corrective feedback alone is insufficient to help students understand and self-correct systematic errors, positioning oral, face-to-face conferencing as a necessary complement. Using a mixed-methods design, the study investigates how writing conferences conducted by a shared-L1 instructor improve writing accuracy and support sustained metalinguistic awareness across new writing tasks. Participants were 40 female first-year Saudi undergraduates at a public university in Saudi Arabia who were learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) and whose first language was Arabic. Their writing was tracked across three writing tasks over one semester, using a convergent parallel design. An experimental group (n = 20) received written corrective feedback followed by individual writing conferences, whereas a control group (n = 20) received written corrective feedback only. Results showed statistically significant and sustained reductions in all three error categories for the experimental group across tasks of increasing unfamiliarity. Thematic analysis of interviews revealed three themes: enhanced metalinguistic understanding, reduced writing anxiety, and explicit L1 transfer awareness. These findings suggest that shared-L1 conferencing promotes qualitatively different learning from written feedback alone, and offers a pedagogically applicable model for L1-informed writing instruction in EFL contexts.
A. Saaty· Journal of Education and Lea...· 0 citations
Writing grammatical accuracy remains a persistent challenge for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, particularly in recount texts that require consistent use of past-tense forms. This study investigated the types of grammatical errors produced by eleventh-grade EFL students and the factors contributing to those errors in an Islamic Senior High School. A descriptive qualitative design supported by simple quantitative analysis was employed with 36 students from one purposively selected class. Data were collected through two recount-writing tasks, a 30-item questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews with five students and one English teacher. Students’ errors were classified using Dulay, Burt, and Krashen’s Surface Strategy Taxonomy, while questionnaire responses were summarized descriptively and interview data were analyzed thematically. The analysis identified 634 grammatical errors across the two writing tasks. Misinformation was the most frequent category (53.63%), followed by omission (26.03%), addition (10.25%), and misordering (10.09%). Questionnaire and interview findings indicated that first-language influence was the strongest perceived contributing factor (77.80%), followed by difficulties in writing recount texts (70.15%), while learning context, students’ uncertainty during writing, and limited grammatical understanding also contributed. The findings suggest that EFL writing instruction should combine explicit grammar teaching with genre-based writing practice, noticing activities, guided revision, and constructive corrective feedback to help learners improve grammatical accuracy in meaningful writing contexts.
Carrisa Rahma, Imroatul Ma'fiyah, Luqman Al Hakim· Teaching English as a Foreig...· 0 citations
Errors in academic writing are not simply mistakes but indicators of students' writing difficulties and language development. This study examined the grammatical, linguistic, and mechanical errors in 24 handwritten academic essays produced by first-year Bachelor of Science in Accountancy students at a private higher education institution in Southern Leyte, Philippines. Using a quantitative descriptive design anchored in Corder's (1967) Error Analysis Theory, the essays were coded through a framework adapted from the Linguistic Category Classification of Dulay et al. (1982) and James' (1998) Extended Error Taxonomy. After evaluator discrepancies were resolved through consensus, each unique error was counted once in the final dataset. Reconciled frequency, percentage, mean errors per essay, and rank were computed. Verb form/verb tense, sentence structure, preposition, article usage, and pluralization/noun form were the most frequent grammatical errors, while word choice and punctuation were the dominant linguistic and mechanical errors, respectively. Recurring grammatical subpatterns included incorrect verb forms, run-on sentences, incorrect preposition selection, unnecessary article use, and singular nouns used in place of plural nouns. The dominant linguistic and mechanical manifestations involved imprecise lexical selection and inaccurate punctuation. The findings provide a localized diagnostic profile that can guide contextualized grammar instruction, guided writing practice, and focused corrective feedback.
Beverly Ravago, Emelle Justin Adcor, Judith Paican et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Writing in English is a crucial ability in the modern, globalized society. English, one of the most popular languages in the world, is essential for communication, commerce, education, and technology. Writing well in English enables people to communicate with people from another country, share information, and clearly convey ideas. For EFL (English Foreign Language) learners, mastering English grammar is still a major issue, especially in settings where English is not used for daily communication. This study looks at grammatical error and most common grammatical errors in the recount texts written by SMP VIP Asy-Syafi’iyyah Purworejo students. This study differs from previous studies by focusing on a pesantren-based school context. The research employed a descriptive qualitative method in analyzing the errors based on Burt, Dulay, and Krashen on Surface Strategy Taxonomy. The data sources of this research are the recount texts created by 18 seventh-grade students of SMP VIP Asy-Syafi’iyyah Purworejo. The results of this research found 242 grammatical errors: omission (19%), addition (9%), misformation (69%), and misordering (3%) Misformation was the most dominant error. The finding suggests that English teachers in pesantren-based schools should focus more on verb tense instruction to mitigate misunderstanding in written English communication.
Nelu Sahidah, A. Johan, Juita Triana· Ranah Research· 0 citations
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