On the Effects of Error Correction Strategies on the Grammatical Accuracy of the Iranian English Learners

Writing, as a productive skill, requires an accurate in-depth knowledge of the grammar system, language form and sentence structure. The emphasis on accuracy is justified in the sense that it can lead to the production of structurally correct instances of second language, and to prevent inaccuracy that may result in the production of structurally erroneous sentences. The present research intended to investigate the extent to which different types of error correction and feedback to students’ grammar would influence their grammatical accuracy. The study was conducted with 60 upper intermediate English students in an EFL context. In conducting a quasi-experimental design, the present study aimed at investigation of the effectiveness of three error correction strategies. The findings of the study indicated that the participants who received ‘indirect coded correction’ feedback showed better performance compared to those who received ‘indirect uncoded error correction’ or ‘direct correction’ feedback. Additionally, the results made it clear that there was no significant difference between the performance of the participants who were subject to indirect uncoded and direct error correction strategies.