Lexical Thresholds in Medical English - Vocabulary Recognition and Reading Comprehension

DescriptionThis study examines the relationship between domain-specific vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension in English for Medical Purposes (EMP). Based on data from 115 second-year medical students, the findings show high levels of vocabulary recognition (93%) and reading comprehension (88%), with a moderate correlation between the two (r = .56). The results suggest that lexical coverage functions as a continuum rather than a fixed threshold, with approximately 90–93% recognition of specialized vocabulary sufficient for effective comprehension when prior subject knowledge is established. The study also introduces a transfer-efficiency measure, highlighting how effectively learners apply vocabulary knowledge in reading tasks. These findings contribute to research on specialized L2 reading and medical ESP pedagogy. Note: this is a pre-print. The information will be updated when published.