Abstract:

This study investigated lexical bundle overuse-underuse patterns of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The functional analysis identified the frequencies, overuse-underuse patterns of the lexical bundles from L2 English expository argumentative and academic essays. The analysis was done with the first most frequent 100 lexical bundles. The cut-off point of frequency was ten times per million. The normalized frequencies of each bundle were tabled, and their log-likelihood scores were calculated and given in the subsequent tables. Functional analysis was done in all categories. Findings indicated not only homogeneous use in academic and expository texts, but also non-native learners used a restricted number of bundles, and finally, underuse and overuse patterns were noted. In other words, EFL learners avoided using common bundles and their usage patterns were limited to a few but repeated patterns. Explicit teaching of the most common lexical bundles should be integrated into the curriculum and writing instructors and material writers (developers) should emphasize these word groups in courses and coursebooks.

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