Use of Grammar Learning Strategies in University EFL Learners: A Systematic Review

Foreign language learning is a very systematic and planned process, and the different activities which take place during this process are designed to achieve some predefined objectives. The study of a foreign language represents a progressive experience and the acquisition of a skill that helps expand learners' intellectual perspective. One of the areas in foreign language pedagogy and learning that has emerged over the last few decades is learning strategies. Within this field, the acquisition of grammar through various Grammar learning strategies (GLS) has received greater attention from researchers in recent years. The objective of this systematic review is to analyse the use of grammar learning strategies among EFL university students according to the specialized literature. For this purpose, 11 empirical studies were selected from the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases, published between 2014 and 2024, following the eligibility criteria. This study followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and a specific categorisation of GLS, complemented by additional literature to analyse the information thematically. In this regard, the results highlight university students' preference for cognitive GLS, particularly in the corrective feedback (CF) subcategory. Metacognitive and social GLS ranked second, followed by affective GLS. In the conclusion, it has been emphasized that the learners favour direct strategies but support them with the use of indirect strategies. Finally, the use of GLS supports the language learning process; therefore, study and constant practice must accompany its use to acquire second-language grammar.