Analysis of Errors in Written English EFL Learners: Evidence from Mixed Method

Writing in English is a more conscious and less spontaneous phenomenon than speaking. However, the study examines the errors using a mixed method approach in written English as a foreign language (EFL) of Arabic speakers. Rare studies have investigated the errors committed by Arabic speakers in written English in the context of inflectional morpheme categories. The main aim of the study is to qualitatively analyze the variations in morphological features related to inflectional morphemes and quantitatively assess the associated errors in written English as a foreign language (EFL) made by Arabic speakers.This kind of study is important because it highlights which morphemes are most problematic, and how frequently these errors occur. By doing so, it equips educators with concrete, evidence-based targets for instruction, ultimately enabling them to tailor error correction leading to profeciency. To perform the study, data were collected from 430 undergraduate participants using purposive sampling based on the natural way of writing tasks. The data were analysed by examining the frequency of errors in written English. Additionally, the analyses employed Corder’s (1972) inter-language and intra-language influence error framework and Dulay’s (1982) surface strategy taxonomy. The qualitative analysis highlighted significant morphological differences between Arabic and English in the context of inflectional morphemes. Quantitatively, the results revealed that the most frequent errors occurred with the third-person singular present tense (-s) marker followed in descending order by errors related to the past tense (-ed), plural (-s), progressive (-ing), comparative (-er), superlative (-est), past participle (-en), and possessive (-‘s’) due to interlanguage influence errors in written English. The study underscores the necessity for instructional interventions tailored to address morphological differences, aiming to reduce error rates among Arabic-speaking EFL learners and enhance their proficiency in written English.