Beyond Linguistic Errors: Communicative Variation in Malaysian ESL Undergraduate Writing

Abstract

This study qualitatively analyses recurrent patterns of linguistic errors and communicative writing tendencies of Malaysian ESL (English for Second Language) undergraduates by examining two functional composition tasks: an informal email and an opinion essay. While previous studies on ESL writing have often focused on grammatical mistakes, surface language deficiencies, or overall competence issues, the present study adopts an in-depth exploration of recurring errors in ESL writing by examining not only the errors but also the differing communicative approaches reflected in learners’ written responses. Ten sets of handwritten scripts containing twenty written responses were purposively selected from a larger pool of assessment scripts. The assessment was classroom-administered without allowance for digital access or AI-based writing aids, providing a more authentic reflection of learners’ freer and independent writing. This study drew on the theories of Error Analysis (Corder, 1967), the Surface Strategy Taxonomy (Dulay, Burt, & Krashen, 1982), and communicative competence (Canale & Swain, 1980; Hyland, 2007). The major error patterns identified at the surface level of the students’ written responses included sentence construction, verbs, lexis, organisation, and overall communicative effectiveness. Some persistent errors were identified but, more importantly, there was considerable variation as to how the students sought to write communicatively for different audiences using varying strategies for organising and elaborating their ideas and being socially aware in their writing. Students, even at the same level of proficiency, were found to write in different ways. An evaluation of ESL writing solely in terms of grammatical accuracy is, therefore, incomplete, as students of similar levels of proficiency may employ different strategies in their attempt to communicate meaningfully in writing. The study provides insights into how ESL writing cannot be comprehensively assessed based on linguistic fluency and grammatical precision alone. Hence, the study emphasises the multidimensional nature of ESL students’ writing development, highlighting the rationale for pedagogical approaches recognising both their linguistic competence and communicative potential.