Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency
This study examines whether and how adult L2 learners' awareness of intermediate-level language difference (ILLD) affects their writing competence. Quantitative data were collected from 75 English-major university students using an explanatory sequential design, through questionnaires and IELTS...
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| Language: | en |
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Academy Publication
2025
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| Online Access: | http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/44507/1/Unveiling%20the%20Middle%20Ground.pdf http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/44507/ https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1505.22 |
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| author | Guo, Lichao Nik Aloesnita, Nik Mohd Alwi Abdullah Adnan, Mohamed Nguyen, Truong Sa |
| author_facet | Guo, Lichao Nik Aloesnita, Nik Mohd Alwi Abdullah Adnan, Mohamed Nguyen, Truong Sa |
| author_sort | Guo, Lichao |
| building | UMPSA Library |
| collection | Institutional Repository |
| content_provider | Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah |
| content_source | UMPSA Institutional Repository |
| continent | Asia |
| country | Malaysia |
| description | This study examines whether and how adult L2 learners' awareness of intermediate-level language difference (ILLD) affects their writing competence. Quantitative data were collected from 75 English-major university students using an explanatory sequential design, through questionnaires and IELTS Writing Task 2 tests. Correlation and error analyses revealed that understanding distinctions like the use of cohesive devices and substitution of words was linked to higher writing quality. Focus group interviews show that participants recognized the importance of these differences but often struggled to apply them in writing. Error analysis identified common issues, such as the lack of conjunctions and repetitive expressions. 3 of the 8 linguistic differences, including hypotactic versus hypotactic, impersonal versus personal and substitutive versus repetitive, had moderate correlations with writing competence, leading to frequent errors despite learners' theoretical knowledge. Less prominent differences, like indirect versus direct expression, showed weaker correlations and fewer errors. The study contributes both quantitative and qualitative evidence to a field previously dominated by surface-level analyses of CLI. Findings emphasize the need for guided practice in teaching ILLD. Targeted pedagogical interventions can enhance second language writing instruction, improving learners' accuracy, fluency, and overall communicative competence. |
| format | Article |
| id | my.ump.umpir.44507 |
| institution | Universiti Malaysia Pahang |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Academy Publication |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | my.ump.umpir.445072025-05-07T01:25:21Z http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/44507/ Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency Guo, Lichao Nik Aloesnita, Nik Mohd Alwi Abdullah Adnan, Mohamed Nguyen, Truong Sa L Education (General) LB2300 Higher Education This study examines whether and how adult L2 learners' awareness of intermediate-level language difference (ILLD) affects their writing competence. Quantitative data were collected from 75 English-major university students using an explanatory sequential design, through questionnaires and IELTS Writing Task 2 tests. Correlation and error analyses revealed that understanding distinctions like the use of cohesive devices and substitution of words was linked to higher writing quality. Focus group interviews show that participants recognized the importance of these differences but often struggled to apply them in writing. Error analysis identified common issues, such as the lack of conjunctions and repetitive expressions. 3 of the 8 linguistic differences, including hypotactic versus hypotactic, impersonal versus personal and substitutive versus repetitive, had moderate correlations with writing competence, leading to frequent errors despite learners' theoretical knowledge. Less prominent differences, like indirect versus direct expression, showed weaker correlations and fewer errors. The study contributes both quantitative and qualitative evidence to a field previously dominated by surface-level analyses of CLI. Findings emphasize the need for guided practice in teaching ILLD. Targeted pedagogical interventions can enhance second language writing instruction, improving learners' accuracy, fluency, and overall communicative competence. Academy Publication 2025 Article PeerReviewed pdf en http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/44507/1/Unveiling%20the%20Middle%20Ground.pdf Guo, Lichao and Nik Aloesnita, Nik Mohd Alwi and Abdullah Adnan, Mohamed and Nguyen, Truong Sa (2025) Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 15 (5). pp. 1567-1578. ISSN 1799-2591. (Published) https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1505.22 10.17507/tpls.1505.22 |
| spellingShingle | L Education (General) LB2300 Higher Education Guo, Lichao Nik Aloesnita, Nik Mohd Alwi Abdullah Adnan, Mohamed Nguyen, Truong Sa Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency |
| title | Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency |
| title_full | Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency |
| title_fullStr | Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency |
| title_short | Unveiling the middle ground: Intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on L2 writing proficiency |
| title_sort | unveiling the middle ground: intermediate-level linguistic differences and their influence on l2 writing proficiency |
| topic | L Education (General) LB2300 Higher Education |
| url | http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/44507/1/Unveiling%20the%20Middle%20Ground.pdf http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/44507/ https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1505.22 |
| url_provider | http://umpir.ump.edu.my/ |