Common Writing Problems Among EFL Learners: A Structured Narrative Review of Grammar, Vocabulary and Punctuation Difficulties

Abstract

This structured narrative review examines grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation difficulties in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing. The evidence base contains 10 identifiable primary EFL studies published between 2016 and 2025, with one ESL intervention study and one systematic review used separately for context. Publisher records, abstracts, and accessible full texts were checked, and findings were organized by domain and evidence type. Explicit difficulty reports were confirmed in three core studies for grammar, five for lexical resources or their relationship with writing, and four for punctuation or mechanics; domains overlap. Specific reports include verb and tense errors, article and preposition errors, perceived difficulty with dependent clauses, inappropriate word choice, and misuse or omission of punctuation marks. Vocabulary research distinguishes productive knowledge from recognition and shows that lexical performance varies with genre. Intervention findings concern writing improvement rather than the frequency of individual errors. The synthesis identifies useful diagnostic priorities but does not establish a universal ranking of difficulties or causal relationships among the three domains. Integrated writing tasks, focused feedback, and revision are proposed as instructional implications requiring local evaluation.