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| The Journal of Asia TEFL |
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  Current Issue |
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Go List
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| Volume 22 Number 1, Spring 2025, Pages 1-202 |
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Assessing Syntactic Complexity Indices as Predictors of EFL Argumentative Essay Writing Quality: A Focus on First-Year University Students
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Elias Wondemagegne Moges, Dr. Birhanu Simegn Chine & Dr. Ebabu Tefera Adugna
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This research explores the relationship between syntactic complexity and the quality of written work among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at Mekdela Amba University in Ethiopia. Employing a comprehensive analytical framework, the study examines 30 argumentative essays composed by first-year undergraduate students. The framework integrates conventional absolute metrics, detailed clausal and phrasal indicators, and verb argument constructions (VACs), which are evaluated using the TAASSC tool (Tool for the Automatic Analysis of Syntactic Sophistication and Complexity). The results indicate that detailed clausal complexities, especially the strategic deployment of modal auxiliaries (r = .459, p = .030), play a significant role in enhancing the depth of argumentation. Conversely, traditional metrics like complex nominals per T-unit show only a minimal correlation with writing quality (r = .342, p = .065). A stepwise regression analysis underscores strong predictive validity (r = .762, Adj. R² = .532), highlighting that varied adverbial modifiers (β = -0.529, p < .001) and the use of high-frequency verbs (r = .227, p < .05) are linked to superior writing scores. These findings underscore the necessity of incorporating advanced syntactic training into EFL teaching programs to enhance students' proficiency in producing high-standard academic texts. By concentrating on nuanced syntactic elements, instructors can more effectively equip students to meet the challenges of sophisticated academic communication.
Keywords: Syntactic complexity, Syntactic sophistication, Verb argument constructions, EFL writing quality. |
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The Journal of Asia TEFL
https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2025.22.1.4.65
