Noun Phrase Constructions in Abstracts Written by EFL Academic Writers

Academic writing favors lexical and phrasal nominal premodifications and postmodifications over the clausal type. However, for novice writers, whether the constructed complex noun phrases (NPs) maintain conciseness and grammatical accuracy is questionable. The present study analyzed the types of NPs and the grammatical devices used to construct complex NPs in abstracts authored by twenty-five English-majoring English as a foreign language undergraduates. Additionally, the extent to which the NPs maintained conciseness and grammatical accuracy was also examined. Following the content analysis procedures, the study revealed the frequent use of complex NPs over simple NPs. Regarding complex NP constructions, extensive use of multiple and mixed grammatical devices in the same complex NPs was observed. While this reflects an attempt to construct condensed academic discourse, excessive layered modifications and the unnecessary use of such modifications led to verbosity, grammatical inaccuracy, semantic errors, and reduced clarity. The findings highlight the need for targeted academic writing instruction that balances complexity, clarity, and grammatical accuracy.