DUTIES: Education and Humanities International Journal

Pragmatic Failure in EFL Learners’ Emails and AI Grammar Tools Feedback

Nur Ifadloh — 2025-09-01

This study investigates the pragmatic failures found in EFL learners’ academic email communication and evaluates the extent to which AI grammar tools can detect and address such failures. Drawing on theories of interlanguage pragmatics and politeness, the research identifies recurring issues in the realization of requests, apologies, and formal politeness—where learners often produce grammatically correct yet pragmatically inappropriate messages. These failures commonly stem from first-language pragmatic transfer and a lack of explicit instruction in target language norms. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study analyzed a corpus of 640 elicited emails from 80 EFL university students and assessed feedback from Grammarly, Quillbot, and ChatGPT using comparative qualitative and quantitative analysis. While the tools effectively corrected surface-level errors, they fell short in addressing context-sensitive pragmatic nuances such as indirectness, tone, and formality. The findings underscore the distinction between linguistic and pragmatic competence, highlight the limitations of current AI tools in fostering pragmatic awareness, and emphasize the need for explicit, context-rich instruction. This study contributes to a more integrated understanding of how human expertise and AI technologies can collaboratively support pragmatic development in digital language learning environments.

ChatGPT's Handling of L2 Learners’ Fossilized Errors: A Linguistic Evaluation

Zahratun Nufus — 2025-09-01

This study investigates ChatGPT’s capacity to address fossilized grammatical errors in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ academic writing. Through a mixed-methods design, a controlled corpus of 500 hypothetical sentences containing persistent error types, such as verb tenses, articles, prepositions, and non-idiomatic expressions, was submitted to ChatGPT-4. Quantitative analysis evaluated correction accuracy using standard metrics (precision, recall, F-score), while qualitative content analysis assessed the pedagogical appropriateness and consistency of ChatGPT’s feedback. Results showed high accuracy in correcting rule-based structures (e.g., subject-verb agreement), but significantly lower performance for context-sensitive and fossilized errors. While ChatGPT often provided clear corrections, its feedback frequently lacked explanatory depth, contextual sensitivity, and scaffolding necessary for promoting learner noticing and long-term acquisition. These findings suggest that although ChatGPT can effectively support surface-level proofreading, it cannot fully substitute the role of human instructors in addressing deeply ingrained L2 errors. The study emphasizes the importance of explainable AI, AI literacy, and hybrid instructional models that combine technological efficiency with pedagogical intentionality. It offers implications for educators, curriculum developers, and AI tool designers seeking to integrate language models into second language acquisition contexts.

Narrative Explorations of EFL Learners’ Engagement with AI Tools in Developing Writing Proficiency

Lailatun Najmiah — 2025-09-01

This study explores the lived experiences of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners engaging with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support their academic writing development. Using a narrative inquiry approach, the research investigates how learners describe their interactions with AI technologies such as ChatGPT and Grammarly, and what challenges and opportunities they perceive. Eighteen university-level EFL students participated in in-depth interviews, revealing that AI tools are widely appreciated for enhancing linguistic accuracy, improving efficiency, boosting writing confidence, and supporting idea generation. These benefits align with the Technology Acceptance Model and Sociocultural Theory, suggesting that AI acts as both a facilitator of ease and a scaffold within learners’ Zones of Proximal Development. However, the findings also highlight substantial concerns related to academic integrity, over-reliance, and AI’s limitations in generating culturally nuanced or critically engaging content. This duality reflects the "Paradox of Assistance," where the same features that make AI valuable can also inhibit deeper learning if uncritically used. The study emphasizes the need for intentional, pedagogically guided integration of AI in EFL writing instruction, promoting a balanced Human-AI collaboration that empowers learners as autonomous and reflective writers.

Discourse Markers in Learners’ YouTube Comments: A Study of Informal Academic English

Raudhatul Haura — 2025-09-01

This study investigates the use of discourse markers (DMs) by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in YouTube comments on academic-related videos. Drawing on Fraser’s typology, the research explores the types of DMs most frequently used and how learners employ them to structure arguments, express stance, and maintain coherence in informal academic English. A total of 300 learner comments, some from the same users, were collected from ten academic YouTube videos and analysed through qualitative content analysis. The findings reveal that learners primarily used contrastive, elaborative, and inferential discourse markers such as but, also, and therefore to organize ideas and express reasoning. Stance-related markers like I think and actually were also prevalent, signaling learners' personal evaluations. Additionally, elaborative markers contributed to textual flow and coherence. These patterns indicate that EFL learners are able to apply academic discourse strategies within informal digital contexts, demonstrating emerging discourse competence and pragmatic awareness. The study highlights the pedagogical potential of digital platforms like YouTube as spaces for meaningful language use and suggests incorporating informal online texts into language teaching practices.

Comparing Learners’ Perceptions of Learning English via Duolingo and BBC Learning English Platforms

Ratna Widya Iswara — 2025-09-01

This study explores EFL learners’ perceptions of two widely used digital language learning platforms: Duolingo and BBC Learning English. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research investigates how learners evaluate the platforms in terms of effectiveness, engagement, and usability, as well as their perceived strengths and limitations in developing specific English language skills. Using a qualitative descriptive design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten EFL learners who had experience using both platforms. Thematic analysis revealed that Duolingo was favored for vocabulary and grammar practice due to its gamified and user-friendly design, while BBC Learning English was perceived as more effective for listening comprehension and exposure to authentic language. Learners reported using both platforms strategically, depending on their individual learning goals. The findings highlight the complementary nature of these tools and the importance of aligning digital resources with learners’ preferences and skill development needs. This study contributes to the growing body of research on educational technology in language learning and offers practical implications for educators and developers.