This study contrasts the request strategies and modifiers used by Saudi EFL and Malaysian ESL undergraduate students, examining how social power and distance influence these choices. Fifty Saudi students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and fifty Malaysian students learning English as a Second Language (ESL) participated. Data collected via a discourse completion task were analyzed using Blum-Kulka et al.’s (1989) taxonomy for request strategies and Martinez-Flor and Uso-Juan’s (2006) taxonomy for request modifiers.
Findings reveal that Malaysian students favored Conventionally Indirect request strategies more frequently than Saudi students, with Non-Conventionally Indirect strategies rarely used by Saudis and not at all by Malaysians. Social power and distance showed limited impact on strategy selection for both groups. Both groups preferred indirect forms to mitigate face-threatening risks, with a higher incidence of Direct strategies among Saudis when addressing equal-status peers or those of lower status. Malaysian students, however, demonstrated a slight preference for modifiers, suggesting that exposure to English beyond the classroom fosters greater pragmatic flexibility. The study recommends that EFL educators emphasize pragmatic competence to enhance effective cross-cultural communication.