A False Dichotomy: Contextual Factors and EFL Learners’ Syntax

This study employs a socio-materialistic theoretical framework to explore how the interaction of learner-related, institutional, and contextual factors shapes syntactic complexity in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing. The socio-materialistic perspective moves beyond traditional, language-focused models by recognizing the active role of materials, teaching practices, and environmental settings in the construction of language knowledge. A total of 444 eighth-grade EFL learners (aged 13–14) from Finland and Pakistan participated by composing argumentative essays in English. Syntactic complexity was extracted using an automated natural language processing (NLP) tool, which measured production unit length, sentence complexity, subordination, coordination, and selected structural indices. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to compare syntactic complexity across Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels A1, A2, and B1 between the two cohorts. The results revealed significant cross-national differences, indicating that first language influence, institutional teaching practices, and learning environments play a substantial role in shaping EFL writing development. The study contributes theoretically by applying a socio-materialistic lens to reveal how language learning emerges from dynamic interactions between human and non-human factors. Practically, the findings support the refinement of CEFR-based assessment criteria and inform teacher training, curriculum design, and language policy by emphasizing the importance of integrating contextual and material resources into pedagogy. This research advances understanding of how socio-material conditions influence syntactic development in foreign language acquisition and offers a foundation for more context-sensitive approaches to teaching and testing.