Idiomatic Expression Errors in EFL Student Writing: A Corpus-Based Study
(1) UIN SIBER SYEKH NURJATI CIREBON
(2) UIN SIBER SYEKH NURJATI CIREBON
(3) UIN SIBER SYEKH NURJATI
(*) Corresponding Author
Abstract
This study investigates EFL learners’ proficiency in using idiomatic expressions within academic writing by employing a corpus-based qualitative approach. Writing journals produced by second-semester students of the English Language Teaching Department (ELTD) at UIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon were analyzed to identify the types, frequency, and accuracy of idiom usage. Semi-structured interviews further explored students’ experiences and sources of idiomatic knowledge. Findings show that idiom acquisition occurs mostly through informal exposure such as social media, while formal instruction remains limited. Seven categories of idiomatic errors were identified: literal translation, lexical substitution, contextual misuse, structural deformation, overgeneralization, incomplete idioms, and collocational clashes. These errors indicate partial comprehension but lack of contextual and structural mastery. The study emphasizes the need for explicit idiom instruction through corpus-guided and genre-based pedagogical practices to improve academic writing fluency.
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