Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 11. Number1 March 2020                                                    Pp.79 -90
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol11no1.7

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Analysis of Lexical and Cohesive Ties usage in Undergraduate Students’ Writing by
Applying Task-Based Language Learning Methodology
 

Mufleh Salem M. Alqahtani
Department of English Language and Literature
Faculty of English, College of Arts, King Saud University
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Kesavan Vadakalur Elumalai
Department of English Language and Literature
Faculty of English, College of Arts, King Saud University
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

 

 

Abstract:
The present scenario fact that the English is a language of modern technological and scientific developments, text is a primary tool for students to gain the knowledge in writing skills. However, most male Saudi students show minimum efficient in L2 writing skill and do not have sufficient competence for writing the authentic English passages. To enhance this various study were undergone to cope up the gap between the student’s use of lexical and cohesive ties by applying task-oriented teaching. However, the immediate need to fill the gap, the researchers made pioneer study on this filed. The present study investigates analysis of lexical and cohesive ties usage in undergraduate students’ writing by applying task-based language learning methodology. The study was performed by thirty-five students from an advanced ESL Reading class at King Saud University, Arts College in Riyadh for 15 weeks. This study has been investigated by Four English passages including behavioral psychology, scientific and two general passages throughout the semester respectively. The analysis of the obtained data proved that the students’ language abilities in grammar and vocabulary significantly improved especially in the discourse analysis passages. In addition, the results of the study evidenced that students are more engaged and motivated during group work activities, and learn more about structure, identifying, cause and effect, purpose and function and if clause of analyzing passages. Proficiency of grammatical category results concluded among the 35 students, average 60% of the students were prefect in tenses, passive structures, if clause, cause and effect, purpose and function, documented 37.14,57.14,54.28 and 77.14% respectively. Overall, the present study concludes with pedagogical implications that ESL teachers might consider a task in their ESL classrooms.
Keywords:  ESL learning, lexical and cohesive ties, task-based language learning, passage analysis, undergraduate students, vocabulary acquisition

Cite as:  Alqahtani, M. S., &  Elumalai, K. V. (2020).  Analysis of Lexical and Cohesive Ties usage in Undergraduate Students’ Writing by Applying Task-Based Language Learning Methodology. Arab World English Journal11 (1) 79 -90.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol11no1.7 

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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2546-4584
https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol11no1.7

Mufleh Salem M. Alqahtani, Ph.D. is an associate professor in Theoretical Linguistics
(Phonology) at King Saud University. He has obtained his MA in Applied Linguistics from the
University of Sussex in the UK and his PhD in Linguistics from the University of Newcastle
Upon Tyne in the UK. He has published articles peculiar to some phenomena in Somali, Malay,
Maltese and Persian languages. He is a member in one of researched groups endorsed by
Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University.

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2546-4584

Kesavan Vadakalur Elumalai, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of Applied Linguistics in the
department of English Language and Literature, College of Arts at King Saud University. He has

published a few articles in the field of language teaching and learning in reputed journals and he
is one of member in a research group approved by Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud
University.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5700-3294 (Corresponding author)