Abstract

EFL students confront a host of obstacles and challenges when it comes to academic writing, most notably those generated by the distinction between spoken and written English. In this regard, it is worth noting that Arabic differs significantly from English when it comes to both spoken and written versions. A number of variables drive these differences, including: 1) differences in the letters; and 2) differences in writing methods, with Arabic featuring more figurative phrases and longer sentences than English. There are various ways of teaching writing in academia; some are beneficial, like computerized writing instruction, whereas others, such as the usage of distinctive writing styles, are detrimental. Native speakers can help ESL students recognize the skills required for academic writing, enabling them to improve their academic writing. The study's goal was to determine the obstacles that students at a specific Saudi university encounter when studying written academic English, as well as to differentiate across their educational needs and aims. During the academic year 2020-2021, the research's group comprised 50 postgraduate students from one Saudi university. The data analysis showed that English as an additional language (EFL) students face many obstacles and underscores in their academic work, such as difficulties distinguishing between written and spoken English, generating a framework before writing a first draft, determining the abilities necessary to succeed in writing, and preventing plague words and phrases.

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