Sentence complexity in Arab EFL learners’ academic writing: a qualitative case study

This study investigates the syntactic challenges faced by B1–B2 level EFL learners in the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) at a public university in Muscat, Oman. Using a qualitative case study within the process approach to writing, this research examines how students use sentence complexity, clause subordination, clause integration, and text cohesion across multiple drafts of academic essays. The students’ perceptions of their syntactic difficulties were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, while a syntactic framework was applied to manually code sentence types, clause integration, and cohesive devices across multiple drafts. Findings indicate that EFL learners primarily rely on simple sentence structures, as complex clauses are challenging to implement, and they often feel anxious and unprepared to respond to feedback from their peers and teachers. The findings also suggest the importance of explicit grammar instruction and metalinguistic awareness in the EFL context. The pedagogical implications are particularly useful in enhancing writing instruction in similar educational settings in the Gulf region.