Exploring the use of modality in EFL learners’ writing (original) (raw)

English Text Construction

AI-generated Abstract

This study explores the use of modality in the writing of EFL learners, emphasizing the limitations of formal analysis in language education and advocating for a functional approach informed by Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG). Through analysis of 20 expository essays from undergraduate students at Shahrood University of Technology, the authors identify a predominant reliance on implicit and objective expressions of modality, indicating a lack of variation and mastery in conveying uncertainty and subjective viewpoints. The findings suggest that traditional grading systems and standardized tests may inhibit learners' engagement with the full range of modal expression, highlighting the need for a shift in teaching methodologies that better incorporate functional grammatical tools.