Formulaic sequences difficulties in affecting communicative competence : the case of master one EFL learners in Biskra

Abstract EN

The present study aimed to pinpoint one of the encountered difficulties by Master one students at the Section of English, in the foreign languages Department in Biskra University wherein only one group was taken as a sample.

In addition, it sought to evaluate its effect on learners' communicative competence, mainly on the oral and written levels.

To conduct this study, a qualitative research approach was adopted, and a case study design was used.

With regard to the research tools, a semi-structured classroom observation and document analysis were employed respectively.

The findings revealed that semantic opaqueness stands as a major difficulty to EFL learners as they showed a poor level when dealing with formulaic sequences that hold a non-literal meaning even though they were directly and explicitly instructed in the assigned area.

Moreover, the effect of this difficulty was negatively reflected on EFL learners' communicative competence.