The paper titled "Pragmatic Analysis and Comprehension of Poorly Written EFL Text" by Oveesa Farooq and Rizwana Wahid focuses on examining the challenges in understanding and analyzing poorly written English as a Foreign Language (EFL) texts by undergraduate students in Saudi Arabia. The primary focus is on how pragmatic strategies, specifically the role of context, can aid in comprehending texts that are grammatically and syntactically deficient.
The purpose of the study is to explore the pragmatic aspects of language that assist in understanding poorly constructed texts, with a particular emphasis on the importance of context in interpreting meaning. The study seeks to provide insights into how teachers can improve their students' writing by helping them understand the significance of context and how it shapes meaning in written communication.
The methodology involves analyzing written data from Saudi undergraduate EFL students, focusing on their morpho-syntactic patterns and sentence structures. The study uses pragmatic analysis to comprehend these texts, despite their grammatical errors, by relying heavily on context. Examples of student writing, both from in-person and online classes, are presented to illustrate the types of errors and how context helps in making sense of the otherwise confusing texts.
Key findings of the research reveal that many EFL students in Saudi Arabia struggle with writing due to issues such as incorrect word order, missing function words, and inappropriate use of tenses. However, even when texts are poorly constructed, certain content words and the context in which they are used enable readers to comprehend the intended meaning. The study emphasizes that understanding context is crucial for both students and teachers in navigating these challenges.
The study concludes that context plays an indispensable role in understanding poorly written texts. It suggests that students should be taught not only the basics of grammar but also how to use context to make their writing more comprehensible. The paper recommends incorporating pragmatic strategies into the EFL curriculum to help students better grasp the relationship between context and meaning, ultimately improving their overall writing skills. The significance of this research lies in its potential to enhance the teaching and learning of English in contexts where students may struggle with basic language structures.