BRIDGING PROFICIENCY AND PRACTICE: ALIGNING LEXICAL BUNDLES IN PAKISTANI L2 LEARNER WRITING WITH CEFR DESCRIPTORS

Abstract

The purpose of this corpus-based research is to explore the alignment between the lexical bundles (LBs) in the academic writing of Pakistani undergraduate L2 learners and the proficiency descriptors as provided by the CEFR. It aims to find out the relationships between the form, frequency, and the role of learner LBs to anticipated competencies at the various levels of the CEFR. The achievement of fluency and academic coherence in second language (L2) writing relies on the lexical bundles (LBs), involving the repetition of multiple-word phrases. The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is presenting a standardized measure of linguistic knowledge of any language, however, there is a paucity of empirical studies which correlate the particular linguistic characteristics of writing by the learners, particularly LBs with the parameters. The compilation of a set of specific corpus of argumentative essays (timed) and assignments (untimed) have been compiled among Pakistani undergraduate students in various disciplines. LBs have been detected and measured using Text Inspector Tool. These bundles have been classified in terms of a qualitative functional analysis that were informed by Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). It has also employed Weir’s Socio-Cognitive Framework. After that, their structural and functioning profiles were systematically mapped to the more detailed writing skills description of the CEFR (A2-C1). The research has established some important trends in the occurrence of patterns in the way LBs are expressed at varying levels of proficiency. The results give practical suggestions to curriculum developers, content creators, and evaluators in Pakistan and similar EFL settings so that more focused teaching can be given that allows bridging the divide between the lexical bundle use of the learners and the communicative objectives of the CEFR.