Maintaining Unity in the Descriptive Paragraph Writing of Saudi EFL University Students: Challenges and Remedies

Abstract

The study analyzes unity in descriptive paragraphs written by Saudi EFL learners at King Khalid University to find out the causes of unity errors in descriptive paragraphs. Paragraph writing is one of the most essential aspects of second language learning writing because it allows students to put their knowledge into practice and systematically convey their ideas. A random sample of fourteen English language teachers and ten EFL students is selected. The study employs testing and structured interviews for data collection. Sample paragraph analysis shows that 70 % of the learners do not compose unified descriptive paragraphs, whereas 30 % of the students write unified paragraphs that discuss only one topic. The interview analysis demonstrates that the lack of unity in the student’s writing is a result of various factors, including the impact of the EFL university learners’ mother tongue on target language writing, as well as a lack of activities and practice of basic writing techniques. Most EFL instructors believe that the challenges significantly impede students writing proficiency and influence their ability to construct unified descriptive paragraphs. The study concludes with several recommendations for both EFL teachers and students, hoping that they address the students’ challenges in the descriptive paragraph unity.