Study of accuracy and grammatical complexity in EFL writing

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to compare the writing products of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university students using accuracy and grammatical complexity as measures. It also aims at examining the development of the morphological, syntactic, lexical, spelling, and punctuation errors committed by these learners when writing in English. Students enrolled in a University Degree in Modern Languages and their Literatures participated in the study. They were divided into advanced and upper intermediate according to their Oxford Placement Test score. Compositions were collected as the basis of this study. Results show that upper intermediate students exhibited a higher error mean in each of the error categories, namely, grammatical morphemes, lexical choice and syntax, as well as punctuation and spelling. However, an analysis of variance shows the differences between groups to be significant only in spelling and punctuation errors.