Analyzing Grammatical Errors Among Non-Native English Speakers in Higher Education

Abstract

Accurate grammar mastery is a crucial foundation for non-native English-speaking students, directly influencing the clarity of academic writing and serving as a key indicator of proficiency. This study employs a Systematic Literature Review to comprehensively analyze EFL students’ grammatical errors by identifying dominant error frequencies, examining native language interference through contrastive analysis, classifying patterns using the Surface Strategy Taxonomy, and formulating evidence-based pedagogical recommendations. Findings reveal that prepositions (95.7%), articles, and subject-verb agreement are the most dominant errors, primarily due to the lack of logical transparency. Negative L1 transfer from Spanish, Arabic, and Thai systematically distorts sentence structures, highlighting the need for contrastive instruction and enhanced metalinguistic awareness. Based on the Surface Strategy Taxonomy, omissions (74%) emerge as the most prevalent pattern, reflecting students’ tendency toward structural simplification. These errors remain consistent across academic genres despite differing linguistic demands, underscoring the need for targeted feedback. The study concludes that prepositions, articles, and subject-verb agreement are critical areas requiring focused pedagogy, while systematic L1 transfer must be addressed through contrastive approaches. Dominant omissions provide a clear roadmap for material development, confirming that basic grammatical competence remains foundational to all academic tasks.