EXPLORING VIETNAMESE ESL LEARNERS’ SYNONYM USE IN IELTS WRITING: A SEMANTIC PROSODY PERSPECTIVE

Ha Tran Thu Huong, Tran Que Huong

Tóm tắt

This study aims to investigate how Vietnamese ESL students at intermediate and advanced levels perceive the use of synonyms in IELTS Writing Task 2. Drawing on the theoretical framework of semantic prosody, the research examines students’ awareness of and their perceived difficulties in using synonyms in their essays, through which further understanding of how synonym substitution affects meaning, tone, and appropriateness in academic writing can be explored. Data for the study were collected through surveys, semi-controlled interviews and writing samples from IELTS learners. Ninety IELTS students were invited to participate in the survey, and among them, twelve students were selected to submit their essays for analysis, and take part in semi-controlled interviews. As revealed by the findings, when it comes to lexical resources, there is a tendency among IELTS students to prioritize lexical variety over semantic accuracy and natural collocation. Additionally, although students are well aware of the role of synonyms in enhancing their lexical resource score, they hold the misconception that greater lexical diversity can lead to higher band scores. This misperception results in imprecise word choices and unnatural collocation. This study therefore highlights the importance of teaching vocabulary in context and emphasizes the role of ESL educators -particularly IELTS instructors- in guiding students towards an understanding of semantic prosody and nuanced word usage.

Citation this article (Hà & Trần, 2025)

Hà, T. T. H., & Trần, Q. H. (2025). EXPLORING VIETNAMESE ESL LEARNERS’ SYNONYM USE IN IELTS WRITING: A SEMANTIC PROSODY PERSPECTIVE. Hoa Sen University Journal of Science, 08, 80–100. https://vjol.info.vn/index.php/dhs/article/view/126704