AN INVESTIGATION INTO ENGLISH-MAJORED UNDERGRADUATES’ DIFFICULTIES IN ENGLISH ESSAY WRITING

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the difficulties faced by second- and third-year EFL students when learning English essay writing at An Giang University. The researcher used a mixed-methods design by distributing a five-point Likert scale questionnaire to 258 students majoring in English Linguistics and Literature and conducting semi-structured interviews with 13 students. According to the findings, students encountered many writing problems, most of which were related to vocabulary, grammar, lack of ideas, and motivation. When writing essays, most students lacked vocabulary and made errors in word choice. In addition, they struggled with complex grammatical structures or sentences. Some students were unmotivated to produce essays, while others were at a loss for ideas and stuck on a strange topic. The study is significant for teachers since it allows them to readily identify learners’ writing difficulties and come up with alternative ways for improving their writing skills. The study also suggests some recommendations for future research on EFL students' challenges with learning English essay writing.