EFL Learners' Part-of-Speech Errors in ESP Essay Writing: A Pedagogical Grammar Reflection

Abstract

This study investigates part-of-speech errors in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) essay writing among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, with a focus on identifying prevalent error types and deriving pedagogical implications for grammar instruction. Grounded in error analysis theory, the research addresses persistent grammatical challenges faced by EFL learners, particularly in academic writing contexts influenced by L1 interference from Bahasa Indonesia. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed, analyzing 18 essays from fifth-semester intermediate ESP students in the Arabic Department at STAI Ali bin Abi Thalib Surabaya during the 2022/2023 academic year. Errors were classified using Dulay et al.'s (1982) surface strategy taxonomy (omission, addition, misformation, and misordering) and categorized by parts of speech (e.g., verbs, nouns). Findings reveal 134 total errors, with verbs dominating at 38.06% (n=51), followed by determiners (15.67%, n=21) and nouns (14.18%, n=19). Omission emerged as the most frequent error type (63.43%, n=85), primarily in verb inflections and articles, attributed to L1 transfer and incomplete grammatical rule acquisition. Misformation (19.40%, n=26) and addition (14.93%, n=20) were also common, while misordering was rare (2.24%, n=3). These patterns underscore the need for targeted pedagogical grammar interventions, such as mini-lessons and peer editing integrated into writing processes. The novelty lies in its context-specific application to ESP learners in an Islamic higher education setting, offering practical strategies like drilling exercises to mitigate verb-related errors and enhance writing proficiency. This contributes to applied linguistics by bridging error analysis with reflective grammar teaching in non-Western EFL environments.