Language Transfer in EFL Academic Writing: A Critical Review of Linguistic, Rhetorical, and Pedagogical Aspects

Abstract

The present study examines the impact of language transfer (LT) on academic writing in English as a Foreign Language (EFL), with specific reference to linguistic, rhetorical, and pedagogical dimensions. Although a first-language interference perspective has long prevailed, recent studies of transfer in foreign-language writing show that the phenomenon is more complex, variable, and context-dependent in academic settings. EFL learners draw on prior linguistic resources, literacy practices, rhetorical habits, genre knowledge, and multilingual repertoires when writing in English. These resources may facilitate or constrain performance depending on task requirements, proficiency, metacognitive awareness, discipline, and instructional context. This study synthesises research on lexical and syntactic transfer, phraseology, rhetorical organisation, argumentation and stance, source use, genre knowledge, and writing pedagogy. A critical narrative review was used to achieve the study objectives. The study concludes that effective pedagogy should not merely seek to avoid transfer; rather, it should help learners manage transfer strategically through genre-based teaching, contrastive awareness, multilingual facilitation, and the critical use of translation and AI-assisted writing tools.