i MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING BA RIA VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY --- THESIS LEXICAL DENSITY AND READABILITY OF ENGLISH ESSAYS WRITTEN BY IELTS LEARNERS AT KY NGUYEN INTERNATIONAL LAN
INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a globally recognized English proficiency test jointly managed by the British Council, IELTS Australia (IDP), and Cambridge Assessment English It is accepted by over 9,000 organizations across approximately 140 countries for immigration and academic purposes, serving as a reliable measure of English language skills IELTS is especially important for individuals aiming to study or work in English-speaking environments, providing opportunities to gain admission to international schools and meet immigration requirements Its comprehensive four-skill format—listening, reading, writing, and speaking—allows candidates to demonstrate their English proficiency in real-life contexts, such as conversations about daily activities, hobbies, or experiences There are two types of IELTS: Academic IELTS, designed for those pursuing higher education or professional careers abroad, and General Training IELTS, preferred by applicants seeking Visa or immigration opportunities The increasing popularity of IELTS is driven by its reputation for accuracy and the numerous advantages it offers to test-takers worldwide.
2 suitable for people who desire to be admitted for training courses or would rather acquire jobs in English- speaking nations which ask for IELTS
Mastering the IELTS writing skills is essential due to its crucial role in higher education and the workplace, where effective written communication is necessary for sharing ideas with professors, colleagues, and friends Writing is a vital component of professional communication, including reports, applications, emails, and contracts, making it an indispensable skill in English learning To excel in writing, learners must set clear objectives, create thoughtful plans with outlines, and organize ideas logically, while also integrating their listening, reading, and speaking abilities Developing strong writing skills requires utilizing cognitive skills and strategic planning, as highlighted by experts like Zajicova (2011) and Rico.
(1984), writing can have an important role to enhance learners’ language skills
Lexical density is a crucial factor in academic writing, particularly in IELTS essays, as it reflects the complexity of word forms and sentence structures Learners should carefully select and logically arrange words to enhance clarity and coherence According to Stubbs (2002), essays with low lexical density are generally easier to understand Research indicates that spoken texts tend to have lower lexical density than written texts due to a higher ratio of content words Studies by Chaudron (2003) and To (2013) reveal that EFL learners often produce essays with low lexical density, partly due to limited use of content words and nominalization, which significantly impact lexical richness Refnaldi (2015) further concludes that EFL learners’ academic essays exhibit low lexical density, highlighting a restricted use of grammatical metaphors and complex vocabulary.
3 nominalization in learners’ essays, which led their essays to be more similar to spoken language converted into written form
Readability refers to how easily a reader can understand written content, influenced by factors such as lexical and syntactic complexity It is a crucial factor when assessing learners’ essays, as it determines the ease with which the audience can comprehend the text According to Woods (1989), readability is used to evaluate the complexity of writing and to estimate the appropriate reading level of a given text.
Lexical density is a crucial factor in the quality of academic writing, especially in IELTS essays, as it influences clarity and expression At KNILC, students often struggle with making their essays lexically rich, resulting in writing that contains too few content words and is overly complicated This hampers their ability to produce qualified academic texts and effectively convey their opinions Additionally, learners tend to overuse words, leading to incomprehensible writing, which underscores the importance of selecting appropriate vocabulary Therefore, analyzing lexical density and readability is essential to develop effective strategies that help students craft high-quality essays and achieve better scores in the IELTS writing task.
Statement of the problem
Many IELTS learners at KNILC face common challenges that hinder their success Firstly, they often rely on general vocabulary instead of academic words, making it difficult to express ideas clearly; their limited vocabulary leads to repetitive language and a lack of paraphrasing using synonyms Secondly, learners struggle with organizing their ideas coherently, regardless of how many ideas they generate Additionally, they often misuse connectives due to a misunderstanding of their proper meanings, which affects the overall coherence and flow of their essays Improving vocabulary skills and understanding the correct use of connectives are key to enhancing IELTS writing performance.
Many learners struggle with grammatical mistakes, such as forgetting to add "s" after nouns and verbs when necessary While they often perform well on multiple-choice grammar exercises, they tend to make more errors in their essays During the IELTS writing test, the pressure to write quickly and meet the word count within the limited time increases the likelihood of mistakes.
Effective IELTS writing requires learners to focus on language accuracy and clarity, as language choices directly impact the clarity of their ideas Proper sentence structure, precise vocabulary, and logical word order are essential for producing a well-organized essay At KNILC, students struggle to create clear and concise essays, often resulting in lower scores They tend to present ideas indirectly, use unnecessary words, and lack the ability to select accurate vocabulary, which diminishes the lexical density essential for clarity Additionally, their difficulty in arranging words precisely and reducing function words hampers the sharpness of their ideas Careless word choice and poor sentence structure prevent learners from delivering high-quality, compelling IELTS essays.
Learners at KNILC may struggle to produce readable essays with appropriate lexical density due to various challenges Identifying these issues is crucial for developing effective solutions that enhance their writing skills Addressing these problems can significantly improve learners' ability to achieve higher scores in the IELTS writing test, ultimately boosting their overall English proficiency.
Aims and objectives of the study
This study investigates the lexical density and readability of English essays (Writing Task 2) authored by IELTS learners at KNILC The research aims to determine the level of lexical complexity and ease of comprehension in students’ essays, providing insights into language proficiency By analyzing these aspects, the study seeks to identify factors that influence essay quality and suggest strategies for improving writing skills The findings will contribute to understanding how lexical choices and readability impact IELTS writing performance, ultimately helping learners enhance their essay quality.
• To determine the level of lexical density and readability of English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC;
• To find out the language use in terms of grammar and vocabulary in English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC.
Research questions
In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the following research questions must be addressed:
1 To what extent is the level of lexical density of English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC?
2 To what extent is the level of readability of English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC?
3 How is the language used in terms of grammar and vocabulary in English essays by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC?
Scope of the study
This study was conducted at KNILC in Vung Tau city, where there have been over
A total of 1,000 students aged 15 to 18 enrolled in IELTS preparation courses at KNILC These learners had IELTS proficiency levels ranging from 5.0 to 6.5, aiming to improve their English skills for academic and career opportunities To analyze the effectiveness of the program, a mixed-methods research design was utilized, combining quantitative and qualitative data to provide comprehensive insights into learner progress and experiences.
100 IELTS learners in 5 IELTS classes asked to submit their task 2 essays Each learner of
A total of 100 IELTS learners submitted two midterm IWT2 writing tests, resulting in 200 IELTS writing papers Each essay averaged approximately 250 words and was analyzed using online software (Text Analyzer) and Microsoft Word (Flesch readability score)/Excel through a document analysis method This comprehensive evaluation provided valuable insights into the writing performance of these students.
Significance of the study
The 21 st century have experienced the significant development of IELTS in Vietnam and all over the world IELTS has become a global topic which attracts people’s attention considerably However, there are only few learners who can achieve the high score in IELTS writing tests Thus, it is necessary that lexical density and readability be studied and
To help learners achieve their target scores in IELTS writing tests, it is essential to implement effective solutions Although extensive research has explored lexical density and readability, findings indicate that learners’ understanding of these concepts remains inadequate Consequently, conducting a comprehensive study is crucial to provide valuable insights, with results shared with both teachers and students This will facilitate the development of more effective teaching and learning strategies tailored to IELTS writing success.
This study is conducted to investigate lexical density and readability of learners’ writing and explain how lexical density reflects the learners’ ability in IELTS writing test
Understanding lexical density and readability in learners’ essays is essential for enhancing research and teaching effectiveness In the context of KNILC, teachers can apply insights from this study to improve IELTS writing instruction, helping students produce clearer, more coherent essays Additionally, this research provides valuable tools for educators to assess learners’ essays more accurately, leading to better targeted feedback and improved writing skills.
This thesis offers valuable insights into selecting appropriate texts and essays for readers by introducing a readability formula This tool helps writers choose suitable content based on objective criteria, ensuring the creation of clear, understandable texts By applying this formula, writers can save time and produce content tailored to the readers' comprehension levels, enhancing overall readability and engagement.
Definitions of the terms
For the purpose of this study, many terms must be defined to provide a specific perspective on the issues discussed
• Essay refers to the written texts (Task 2) produced by IELTS learners at Ky Nguyen
• Language use refers to how language in terms of grammar and vocabulary is used in the written texts (Task 2) produced by IELTS learners at Ky Nguyen International Language Center
Lexical density measures the proportion of content words relative to the total words in a text, serving as an indicator of information-carrying richness According to Daller and Treffers (2003), terms like lexical density, lexical diversity, and lexical richness are used to describe statistical methods that analyze the complexity and variability of vocabulary within a corpus or text These metrics are essential for assessing language development, readability, and the overall informational value of written content.
7 measure the lexical diversity of texts and it can also be employed to assess learners’ progress
• Readability is a measure of the ease of a text when it is read It may consist of various elements namely complexity, familiarity, legibility and typography Soyibo
(1996) proposes that readability level depends on how long are the sentences and how complex the language utilized in the book is.
Organization of the thesis
This thesis comprises five chapters, starting with Chapter 1, which introduces the study's background, aims, subject and scope, significance, and organization Chapter 2 presents a comprehensive literature review covering definitions of writing, the importance of the IELTS writing test, its characteristics, lexical density—including its definitions, significance, and levels in learners' writing—and readability, including its definitions, importance, and application in learners' writing, along with previous research and the conceptual framework Chapter 3 describes the research methodology employed in the study, followed by Chapters 4 and 5, which discuss the results, findings, and conclusions drawn from the research.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This chapter provides an overview of IWT2 and reviews the relevant literature foundational to the study's theoretical framework It also highlights previous research on lexical density and readability, emphasizing their significance in language analysis By examining these key studies, the chapter underscores the importance of lexical density in assessing text complexity and readability, supporting the research aims and questions outlined earlier.
Writing
Writing is a vital form of communication that enables students to express their feelings and ideas clearly on paper, organize their knowledge into convincing arguments, and convey complex meanings through well-structured texts Mastering spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and organization enhances students' ability to produce increasingly sophisticated written work, akin to art IELTS writing, a key aspect of academic writing, requires test takers to develop effective writing skills to craft high-quality essays that demonstrate clarity, coherence, and strong argumentation.
Writing is one of the four essential English language skills and is often regarded as the most challenging to master, yet it remains a crucial measure of a learner's language proficiency (Nguyen, 2019) Experts like Richards (1990), Cohen and Miller (2003), and Bailey (2011) describe writing as a demanding task for both native and non-native speakers For Vietnamese learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), writing poses particular difficulties, as noted by Vu (2011) and Nguyen and Le (2012) Despite its challenges, having strong writing skills is associated with academic success and is a requirement for advanced educational programs and professional opportunities (Zemach and Rumisek, 2005).
2.2.2 The importance of writing in IELTS test
Most test takers find IELTS Writing Task 2 challenging due to its emphasis on communicative and contextualized responses tailored to specific audiences IELTS encompasses two modules—Academic and General Training—each consisting of Task 1 and Task 2, with Task 2 carrying a greater weight in scoring The Academic module is designed for university admissions abroad, while the General Training module caters to secondary education, work experience, training, or immigration requirements in English-speaking countries IELTS examiners, who are trained and qualified, evaluate each task independently, with Task 1 typically having a lower mark weight than Task 2 According to Moore and Morton (2005), “Task 2 has a major influence on students’ emerging understandings of what academic writing in Anglophone universities fundamentally entails” (p.46).
2.2.3 Characteristics of writing in IELTS test
IELTS Writing Task 2 is generally more challenging for many EFL learners compared to Task 1 due to several reasons Test takers experience increased stress because they have only 40 minutes to complete an essay in Task 2, whereas Task 1 requires just 20 minutes Additionally, the assessment criteria—including task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy—contribute to the pressure felt by candidates Moreover, candidates must adhere to a formal and impersonal academic writing style, focusing on delivering relevant facts and arguments rather than personal opinions This combination of time constraints, evaluation standards, and stylistic requirements makes IELTS Writing Task 2 particularly demanding.
IELTS test takers in both general and academic modules are required to write a minimum of 250 words to complete various writing tasks These tasks include responding to opinions, addressing problems or issues, providing solutions, and evaluating situations, making it essential to develop strong essay-writing skills to score well.
10 a problem and comparing/contrasting different ideas (Cullen et al., 2014) These writing requirements are frequently asked questions in IELTS writing task 2
Below is the summary of five types of IELTS WRITING TASK 2 questions normally seen in the writing test that IELTS test takers need to distinguish to write effective essays
Table 2.1: Question types of IELTS writing task 2 (Pell, 2017)
Questions types of IELTS writing task 2
- Do you agree or disagree?
- To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of this issue?
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion
Lexical resource is a crucial criterion in IELTS Writing Task 2, as it significantly contributes to crafting an informative and well-structured essay Using accurate and appropriate vocabulary enhances the clarity and coherence of your writing, demonstrating language proficiency Therefore, developing a strong lexical resource is essential for achieving a high score in IELTS writing.
Lexical density
Lexical density in discourse analysis measures the amount of information in a text by analyzing the ratio of lexical (content) words to function (grammatical) words Texts with a high proportion of lexical words typically achieve a higher lexical density, indicating more informational content Spoken texts generally exhibit lower lexical density compared to written texts, which tend to contain more content-rich words Scientific writing is often characterized by high lexical density due to its emphasis on conveying detailed information According to Halliday (1985), lexical density assesses a text’s informational load, particularly focusing on how content words are integrated into grammatical structures.
The definition of density is a category of complexity that comes from words’s development (To, 2013) This means that density has a relationship with the notion of
“lexico-grammar” regarding the level of wording in language (Halliday, 1985) Halliday
In 1985, a brief illustration of lexical density was provided, highlighting its significance in language analysis Lexical density is calculated by dividing the number of lexical (content) words by the total number of words in a text, offering insight into its informational richness (Johansson, 2008; To, 2013; Ure, 1971) This measure is essential for understanding the complexity and clarity of written language, making it a valuable tool in linguistic and educational research.
“The Trust has offered advice to local government authorities on cemetery conservation” (Halliday, 1985, p.61)
In the above example, there are eight bold lexical items in the sentence and 4 grammatical words, giving a ratio of eight out of twelve lexical items totally
According to (2013), calculating lexical density requires distinguishing between grammatical words and lexical words Cindy and James (2007), along with Halliday (1985), explain that grammatical items, also known as "function words," include determiners, prepositions, conjunctions, and pronouns In contrast, content words carry the main meaning within a text and are essential for assessing lexical density.
Lexical sets, as discussed by Halliday (1985), refer to groups of words that share related meanings The four main classes of content words—verbs, nouns, adverbs, and adjectives—each carry distinct meanings and can stand alone, contributing to the clarity of communication (Yuey & Le, 2011) Halliday (1985) also considers phrasal verbs like "stand up," "take over," and "call off" as lexical items, emphasizing their importance in understanding language structure and meaning.
Lexical density is measured using various formulas, primarily by calculating the ratio of content or lexical words to the total words in a text (Ure, 1971; Halliday, 1985) Research indicates that spoken language generally has lower lexical density compared to written text (Belinda, 2007; Halliday, 1985b; Yu, 2007) One common formula for calculating lexical density was proposed by Ure (1985), providing a standardized approach for linguistic analysis.
Table 2.2: Formula of lexical density (Ure, 1971) Lexical density (%) = (Number of lexical words/ Total number of words) x 100
2.3.2 The importance of lexical density in writing
Lexical words are essential for conveying meaning in a text, as they provide crucial information about the topic These words include nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, each serving a specific function—nouns identify subjects or objects, adjectives describe qualities, verbs denote actions, and adverbs indicate the manner of those actions Incorporating a variety of lexical words enhances the clarity and richness of your writing, making it more engaging and informative for readers.
Lexical density measures the number of content words in a text that convey essential information, making it a key indicator of how informative a written or spoken piece is Higher lexical density indicates a greater concentration of meaningful words, which enhances the text’s clarity and precision Understanding lexical density is crucial for optimizing content for SEO, as it helps create informative and engaging text that effectively communicates your message By analyzing lexical density, content creators can ensure their writing is both rich in information and easily understandable for their audience.
This article illustrates how a vague, less descriptive sentence evolves into a more detailed and informative statement through incremental modifications Initially, it demonstrates how replacing personal pronouns with specific nouns enhances clarity and lexical density Gradually, adding or changing words throughout the sentence further increases descriptiveness and information content The overall trend highlights that increasing lexical density improves the sentence's informativeness and effectiveness for SEO purposes, emphasizing the importance of precise language in content creation.
Sentence 1 “He loves going to the cinema” contains a vague personal pronoun but sentence 2 “John loves going to the cinema” contains an actual noun instead of the pronoun This results in a more informative second sentence The lexical density increases
13 as in the latter If ones does the same in this way, adding or changing each content word with another better word helps makes more informative sentences
Lexical words are essential for conveying meaning in any language, as they carry the core content of a text Readers primarily focus on these words to quickly grasp the main ideas or the "gist" of the message Understanding the importance of lexical words enhances reading comprehension and helps in effective communication.
2.3.3 The level of lexical density in learners’ writing
Spoken language has lower lexical density than written language (Johansson, 2008;
Written texts tend to contain more lexical words, such as descriptive and expository terms, making them more informative, whereas spoken language relies heavily on non-verbal cues within specific situational contexts and contains fewer content words According to Ure (1971), lexical density measures the ratio of lexical words to the total number of words in both written and spoken texts, highlighting that lexical words convey core meaning, while function words primarily serve grammatical purposes.
Identifying lexical and function words helps writers eliminate unnecessary grammatical elements, leading to clearer and more concise writing Incorporating diverse grammatical structures allows writers to effectively utilize content-bearing words, enhancing the overall clarity and impact of the text As a result, students’ essays become more precise and meaningful, improving their writing quality and coherence (Didau, 2013).
Lexical words play a key role in conveying information, with specialized academic texts typically containing a high density of these words and being understandable primarily to a specific community Conversely, texts with fewer lexical words are easier to comprehend, but too few can lead to ambiguity and a lack of clarity, making the message unclear to readers.
Teaching nominalization is essential for students engaged in academic writing, as it involves transforming verbs into nouns to achieve more concise and formal language Nominalization enhances the lexical density of academic texts by packing multiple meanings into single words, making writing more precise and sophisticated Incorporating nominalization into academic writing instruction helps students develop clearer, more impactful compositions aligned with scholarly standards.
Using stock phrases like "the fact that" or "the first point I am making is" can make academic writing feel repetitive and overly formal Teachers often provide students with these generic expressions to structure their essays, but overusing them can weaken the clarity and flow of the text To improve readability and SEO, it's important to vary phrasing and focus on clear, concise language that effectively conveys your ideas Incorporating diverse transition words and specific vocabulary enhances the overall quality and engagement of your academic essays.
Readability
Readability, as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary, is "the quality of being easy and enjoyable to read," emphasizing the importance of crafting texts that are accessible and engaging for readers It refers to the ease with which a reader can understand a text, which depends on factors like vocabulary, syntax, and typographic presentation Pikulski (2002) describes readability as "the level of ease or difficulty with which text material can be understood by a particular reader reading for a specific purpose." Importantly, readability should not be confused with legibility, which pertains to how easily individual letters or characters can be distinguished.
Readability is a crucial factor in effective writing, as high readability ensures that readers can easily understand the text Complex words and sentence structures can hinder comprehension, making it difficult for learners to grasp the content Therefore, it's important to avoid overly complicated language to maintain clarity and keep readers engaged Prioritizing simple, clear sentences enhances the overall readability of your writing.
This study evaluates text readability on a 100-point scale, with higher scores indicating easier-to-understand content The readability score is calculated using a specific formula that considers two key factors: average sentence length (ASL) and average syllables per word (ASW) Shorter sentences and words with fewer syllables typically result in higher readability scores Understanding this scoring system helps content creators optimize their writing for better comprehension and improved SEO performance Analyzing ASL and ASW allows writers to make precise adjustments, enhancing clarity and engaging a broader audience effectively.
2.4.2 The significance of readability in writing
Lexical density is a measurement of the amount of information conveyed in a text, rather than its complexity or readability A higher lexical density, typically around 56% or above, indicates a dense use of meaningful words This level of lexical density is commonly found in expository and descriptive texts, making them rich in information It is important to understand that lexical density is a tool for assessing informational content, not a criterion for evaluating readability or difficulty.
Enhancing readability makes texts easier to read, thereby reducing reading effort and increasing reading speed This benefit is especially significant for those passionate about reading comprehension Improving a text's readability directly positively impacts the reader's understanding, whereas low readability can lead to increased incomprehension.
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Language use in academic writing
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Although the IELTS exam does not include a dedicated grammar test, examiners evaluate writing based on specific criteria These include task achievement or response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resources, and grammatical range and accuracy Mastering these areas is essential for achieving a high score in the writing section.
For IELTS writing success, developing a strong lexical resource is crucial, encompassing diverse vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and collocations Using a wide range of vocabulary can impress examiners, while repetition of the same words across sentences creates a negative impression To enhance lexical resources, IELTS learners should regularly update their vocabulary list with new words, academic idioms, and collocations relevant to Writing Task 2.
To excel in IELTS writing, learners must prioritize correct grammar and vocabulary usage, particularly in applying the appropriate word forms, such as using noun forms instead of verb forms Mastering complex sentences, a variety of grammatical structures, and accurate grammar minimizes errors and demonstrates language proficiency Incorporating cohesive devices, correct article and determiner placement, proper punctuation, and accurate tense and part-of-speech usage are essential for clear and cohesive writing By utilizing a diverse range of grammatical structures effectively, IELTS candidates can leave a positive impression on examiners, showcasing their strong English writing skills.
Table 2.4: Band descriptions for IELTS writing task 2
Band descriptions for IELTS writing task 2
Band Lexical resources Grammatical range and accuracy
9 - utilizes a variety of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical
- deploys a variety of structures with full flexibility and
18 features; rare minor errors occur only as
‘slips’ accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
8 - utilizes a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings
- skillfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation
- produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation
- most sentences are error-free
- makes only very occasional errors
7 - deploys a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision
- utilizes less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation
- may produce occasional errors in word choice, spelling and/or word formation
- uses a variety of complex structures
- produces frequent error-free sentences
- has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors
6 - deploys an adequate range of vocabulary for the task • attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy
- makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but they do not impede communication
- deploys a mix of simple and complex sentence forms
- makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication
5 - deploys a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task
- deploys only a limited range of structures
- can make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader
- attempts complicated sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences
- may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the reader
4 - deploys only basic vocabulary which may be used repetitively or which may be inappropriate for the task
- has limited control of word formation and/or spelling; errors can cause strain for the reader
- deploys only a very limited range of structures with only rare use of subordinate clauses
- some structures are accurate but errors predominate, and punctuation is often faulty
3 - utilizes only a very limited range of words and expressions with very limited control of word formation and/or spelling
- errors may severely distort the message
- attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and punctuation predominate and distort the meaning
2 - utilizes an extremely limited range of vocabulary; essentially no control of word formation and/or spelling
- may not use sentence forms except in memorized phrases
1 - may only deploy a few isolated words - may not utilize sentence forms
Previous research
Previous research on lexical density has investigated various texts to understand its impact Narelle et al (1994) analyzed examination papers of 186 Australian university students to examine whether linguistic difficulty influenced student performance The study calculated the lexical density of the texts and compared it between high scorers and those who scored no points Unexpectedly, the findings revealed no correlation between lexical density and student performance, suggesting that linguistic complexity may not directly impact exam outcomes.
Geisler (1995) examined the relationship between lexical proficiency and the quality of ESL compositions written by Indiana University students, focusing on lexical density, errors, and variations through lexical measurements The study found that essays on average had moderate lexical density, but there was no significant correlation between the ratio of content words and overall essay quality Additionally, analysis of sixty-six placement essays from students with diverse language backgrounds in an intensive English program revealed that lexical richness alone does not strongly predict writing proficiency.
Vidakovic and Barker (2009) conducted a comprehensive study analyzing a dataset of 36 million words from the Cambridge Learner Corpus, which confirmed similar findings regarding language proficiency Their research highlighted significant differences in language development across various proficiency levels Specifically, the study included a sample of 20 students from each of five levels—Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3, Level 1, and Level 2—providing valuable insights into learners' progress at different stages This extensive analysis underscores the importance of tailored language learning strategies to effectively support students across all proficiency levels.
2) were chosen to represent levels A1-C1 of the CEFR Reference The students wrote 2,300 – 14,000 words per level The results revealed that in spite of the average length of words and sentences, the number of various words or lexical variation went up with proficiency
Sholichatun (2011) states that texts with a lower density are more easily understood, but texts with a high lexical density are more difficult to understand Moreover, Khamahani
(2015) says that the higher lexical density is, the more complicated the text is Therefore, the readability of texts is also influenced by the lexical density
Recent research has explored lexical density and readability in English student writing, with Nguyen (2014) examining these aspects in non-English major first-year students in Vietnam To (2013) analyzed texts from the Active Skill for Reading to assess lexical density across different proficiency levels, including elementary to upper-intermediate Fadhillah (2018) focused on lexical density in English reading texts, while Hermawati and Rahmi (2018) investigated how lexical density reflects students’ academic writing abilities Ramadham (2017) discussed lexical density and grammatical complexity in both written and spoken texts However, existing studies have largely overlooked the lexical density and readability levels of IELTS students' English essays, as well as the specific language features they use in terms of lexical choices and syntax.
Nguyen and Nguyen (2016) studied the lexical density and readability of first-year non-English majors’ writings at a Vietnamese pedagogical university, finding no significant correlation between the two measures Their research revealed that lexical density varied across different readability score ranges, indicating that higher readability does not necessarily equate to higher lexical density Additionally, the total word count of an essay was not a reliable indicator of its lexical density or readability level The study utilized Microsoft Word and online text analysis tools to assess students' writing, providing insights into the relationship between lexical complexity and text comprehensibility among non-majored university students.
Luong, Nguyen, and Dinh (2017) highlighted the significant role of text length in evaluating the readability of Vietnamese literary texts, emphasizing its importance in text drafting and document selection They noted that research on Vietnamese text readability is limited, with most studies conducted on small corpora over two decades ago Their findings indicate that text length is a crucial feature in assessing the readability of literary texts, underscoring the need for updated research in this area.
22 related to the text length have a huge impact on Vietnamese text readability assessment for textbooks
Limited research has been conducted on the lexical density and readability of IELTS Writing Task 2 essays This study aims to examine the lexical density and readability levels of English essays written by IELTS learners at KNILC, providing valuable insights into their writing proficiency and overall language complexity.
Conceptual framework
The conceptual framework in this study was initiated thanks to the literature review in chapter 2
Many researchers agree that lexical density is primarily determined by the proportion of content words versus function words, such as articles, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, certain adverbs, and finite verbs (Cindy & James, 2007; Halliday, 1985) Content words, often referred to as lexical words, are classified as such because they carry semantic meaning and belong to an open system that allows for new words to be added This distinction between content and function words is essential for understanding lexical density and its role in language analysis.
Lexical items include four primary word classes: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, each possessing their own distinct meanings even when used alone According to Yue & Le (2011), these fundamental parts of speech form the core of language, and new members can be added to each classification to expand vocabulary.
This study utilized Microsoft Word and the online Text Analyzer to examine the lexical density and readability of 250 essays written by KNILC students Lexical density is influenced by factors such as the number of sentences per essay and the number of words per sentence, while readability depends on the presence of hard words, long words, and lexical density A significant correlation exists between lexical density and readability, highlighting the importance for IELTS learners to understand their relationship to produce high-quality IELTS Writing Task 2 essays Improving writing proficiency involves effectively balancing lexical density and readability levels to enhance overall essay quality.
Figure 2.1: The conceptual framework of the thesis 2.7 Summary
This chapter provides an overview of IWT2 question types and assessment criteria, emphasizing the importance of understanding writing definitions and the role of IELTS in the writing test It discusses key characteristics of IELTS writing, highlights the concept of lexical density and its significance in evaluating writing quality, and analyzes the typical levels of lexical density among students Additionally, the chapter explores the definitions and importance of readability in writing, both generally and specifically for language learners It reviews previous research on IWT2, lexical density, and readability, and concludes with a depiction of the study’s conceptual framework to guide the research design.
Language use related to Vocabulary and Grammar
Lexical density (Ure, 1971) Readability (Flesch, 1948)
Content words Function words Words per sentence Sentences per essay
Hard words Long words IWT2 essays
Writing proficiency of IELTS learners
METHODOLOGY
Research design
This study aims to investigate the lexical and readability of IELTS essays written by the students at KNILC The three research questions are recognized as follows:
1 To what extent is the level of lexical density of English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC?
2 To what extent is the level of readability of English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC?
3 How is the language used in terms of grammar and vocabulary in English essays by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC?
The study employs the method proposed by Ure (1971) which is discussed above as key measurement to count lexical density levels in texts
Lexical density (%) Number of lexical items x 100 Total numbers of words
Regarding this measurement, if the number surpasses 40%, it accounts for higher lexical density
The collected statistics are compared with Flesh’s (1948) Reading Ease Scale, which assesses readability based on sentence length and the number of syllables per 100-word passage This method provides a quantitative measure of text simplicity, aiding in evaluating the accessibility of written content The formula used for calculating reading ease is detailed in the study, offering a standardized approach to determine how easily readers can comprehend the material By incorporating Flesh’s scale, researchers can objectively analyze text complexity and enhance content clarity for diverse audiences.
25 below, in which wl shows the total number of syllables of the words in the passage and sl shows the average number of words per sentence
(cited in Wimmer and Dominick, 2006, p.344)
The difficulty level 42.98 represents the median of difficulty types, as noted by Courtis and Hassan (2002) The accompanying data, detailed in the table, compares these difficulty scores with academic achievement levels within the American educational system, providing valuable insights into how difficulty correlates with student performance.
Table 3.1: Original Flesch Reading Ease (Courtis & Hassan, 2002, p.406)
Flesch Reading Ease Description of Style Educational Attainment
This thesis aims to explore the correlation between lexical density and readability in students’ IELTS essays The first method demonstrates that increasing lexical complexity correlates with higher difficulty levels, while the second method shows that higher ascending statistics indicate lower difficulty in text comprehension Understanding these relationships can help improve writing strategies and enhance essay clarity for IELTS candidates.
This study utilized online software "Text Analyzer" and Microsoft Word/Excel to perform statistical analyses Text Analyzer was employed to assess lexical density, providing valuable insights into the text's vocabulary usage Microsoft Word was used to count specific textual elements, supporting comprehensive data collection and analysis for the research.
This study analyzed 26-word segments to determine readability scores using Flesch’s (1948) formula, providing insights into student writing quality Microsoft Excel was employed to examine the correlation between lexical density and readability, offering a quantitative perspective on writing competence Additionally, online tools were used to validate the lexical density and readability of 200 essays, enhancing the reliability of the research findings.
Teaching IELTS writing at KNILC is generally manageable, with dedicated teachers responsible for different skills; however, instructors face challenges in effectively teaching IELTS Writing Task 2 Many teachers rely on general vocabulary instead of academic words, limiting students’ ability to express ideas clearly and leading to repeated words without proper paraphrasing Students often lack understanding of coherence, proper use of connectives, and organization of ideas, which affects the quality of their essays They also make frequent basic grammatical errors, such as forgetting to add “s” at the end of nouns and verbs During trial tests, students tend to write hastily to meet word count requirements, resulting in mistakes, and they often choose redundant vocabulary over precise, accurate words, which negatively impacts the lexical density and readability of their essays These issues collectively hinder learners’ progress in achieving higher band scores in IELTS writing.
Materials
The study involved 100 IELTS learners from five classes at KNILC in Vung Tau City, with English proficiency levels ranging from 5.0 to 6.5 These participants submitted their IELTS Task 2 essays as part of their midterm writing assessments Each essay contained at least 250 words to ensure compliance with IELTS writing requirements and to facilitate comprehensive analysis.
Table 3.2: Information about IELTS learners at KNILC
Information about IELTS learners at KNILC
IELTS score band Band 5.0 (32 learners, 0.32%)
Band 5.5 (34 learners, 0.34%) Band 6.0 (26 learners, 0.26%) Band 6.5 (8 learners, 0.08%)
Total of essay corpus 200 essays
Total of words in 200 essays 66928 words
Data collection procedures
This study analyzed a corpus of 200 IELTS essays written by 100 students at KNILC in Vung Tau City, with scores ranging from 5.0 to 6.5 The students completed two midterm writing tests for IELTS Writing Part 2 across a 12-week course, with the first test in week 6 and the second in week 11 During the course, learners were instructed on 24 possible topics, from which the teacher selected two for the assessments Students submitted their typed essays via email within a week of receiving each writing topic The collected essays were graded, stored, and analyzed based on lexical density and readability to evaluate writing development.
Data analysis procedures
Students’ written essays were analyzed using two key parameters: lexical density and readability While these metrics do not directly measure language proficiency, they effectively indicate text complexity related to students’ productive language ability The analysis followed a systematic data procedure to ensure accurate evaluation of the essays’ linguistic features and overall complexity.
(1) 200 IWT2 written essays were collected from the two midterm tests,
(2) The essays were typed and mailed to the teacher by the learners
The teacher systematically saved and organized the essays on the computer, assigning unique codes to each one, such as E1, E2, E3 up to E200 These coded essays were then carefully arranged and stored in labeled boxes for efficient retrieval and review This organized approach facilitates easy access, enhances data management, and supports effective evaluation processes.
(4) The Microsoft Word app calculated and analyzed the lexical density and readability of 200 essays,
(5) Microsoft Excel was used to calculate the percentages and to draw charts
(6) Besides, the thesis used some online software named Text Analyzer to check the lexical density and readability to support the thesis’s findings and compare the results for validity
(7) Finally, the discussion was discussed based on the results found out from the data analysis.
Validity and reliability of the study
This study emphasizes the importance of validity, which pertains to the quality, rigor, and trustworthiness of research findings, achieved through multiple validation strategies The lexical density and readability of the text were analyzed using established formulas, such as Ure’s (1971) lexical density and Flesch’s reading ease, both widely utilized in previous international studies Additionally, the reliability of the assessment was ensured by intra-rater marking of 200 learners’ IWT2 tests, further supporting the study’s validity and reliability.
According to Nguyen (2016), rater consistency is crucial for ensuring reliable test scores She emphasized that inconsistent ratings among examiners can undermine the accuracy of assessments, especially if raters disagree on rating scale criteria, severity, or leniency To enhance assessment reliability, Nguyen recommends establishing high intra-rater and inter-rater reliability, ensuring that both individual raters and different raters provide consistent evaluations.
Nguyen (2016) added stated that intra-rater reliability refers to the degree of agreement among multiple repetitions performed by one rater Bachman (1990) stated that
When an examiner evaluates a language performance sample, whether written or spoken, the rating is based on a specific set of criteria Consistent application of these criteria across different test takers ensures reliable ratings Inter-rater reliability measures the degree of agreement between different raters scoring the same performance independently According to Bachman, variations in ratings among different raters can occur due to inconsistencies in the criteria used and the way these criteria are applied, affecting the overall reliability of the assessment.
Rater-mediated assessment was discouraged in the 1950s and 1960s due to concerns about subjectivity and inconsistency among raters Addressing the issue of subjectivity required managing and reducing rater bias, which could also be influenced by the scoring methods employed.
Nguyen (2016) explains that essays can be scored using either holistic or analytic criteria, with holistic scoring evaluating overall quality based on trained raters' judgments However, critics argue that holistic scoring may lack validity and reliability because raters can focus on different aspects and be influenced by superficial factors like length and appearance, making marks subjective To address these issues, analytic scoring is recommended, as it involves assigning separate scores for specific criteria such as task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical accuracy, leading to more reliable and objective assessments Incorporating analytic scoring enhances fairness and consistency in evaluating writing tasks like IELTS Writing Task 2.
To evaluate the reliability and validity of assessing L2 learners' essay writing at KNILC, the study employed intra-rater analysis by having the same rater score all students' IELTS Writing Task 2 essays The rater utilized the publicly available IELTS nine-band descriptors, which include four sub-criteria to ensure a comprehensive and standardized assessment This approach ensures consistency in scoring and enhances the validity of the evaluation process, providing reliable insights into students’ writing proficiency.
(Task response, Coherence and cohesion, lexical resource and Grammatical range and accuracy).
Summary
This chapter explains the rationale for selecting the case study approach in this research It provides an overview of the research questions, design, tools, and participants involved in the study Additionally, it offers a brief summary of the data collection methods and analysis procedures, ensuring clarity on how the research was conducted and analyzed.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Introduction
This chapter presents the results of the data analysis related to lexical density and readability in texts, specifically focusing on students’ IELTS Task 2 essays The findings are compared and contrasted with previous studies that examined similar aspects, providing insights into how lexical choices impact essay quality The discussion highlights key patterns and implications for enhancing writing skills and optimizing text clarity.
Results
4.2.1 The level of lexical density of English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC
The analysis of lexical density of 200 IELTS essays written by the students at KNILC was summarized in the following table 4.1 The average level of lexical density of
The analysis reveals that 200 essays account for 53.86%, surpassing the 40% threshold, highlighting the lexical density of students' IWT2 tests at KNILC This high percentage signifies that students predominantly utilize content words over function words in their IELTS writing, demonstrating a strong focus on meaningful vocabulary The significant lexical density suggests that students are effectively incorporating diverse and rich vocabulary in their writing, which is crucial for achieving higher IELTS scores Overall, the results underscore the importance of lexical richness in IELTS writing assessments and reflect students' proficiency in using content words to convey their ideas more effectively.
Table 4.1: Average level of lexical density of 200 essays
Average level of lexical density of 200 essays
Size of sample corpus of lexical density 62444 words
Average total words per essay 62444 312.22
Average length of sentence per essay 2743/200 13.72
Average length of words per sentence 4891/200 24.46
Average lexical density level per essay 10771.37/200 53.86
Table 4.1 illustrates the average lexical density across 200 essays, with a total sample size of 62,444 words The analysis reveals insights into the typical lexical complexity within the corpus Findings indicate the average sentence length in these essays, providing a nuanced understanding of linguistic variation and writing style This data is essential for assessing lexical richness and contributes to improving writing quality and language learning strategies.
Research indicates that the average IELTS essay length is approximately 13.72 sentences, aligning with the recommended writing practice of nearly 14 sentences per essay The average sentence length is 24.46 words, and the lexical density level is 53.86%, highlighting the importance of clarity and vocabulary richness in IELTS writing Many online IELTS instructors advocate for the 2-5-5-2 essay structure, which consists of two sentences in the introduction, five sentences in each body paragraph, and two sentences in the conclusion, totaling 14 sentences This structured approach facilitates organized and coherent essays, with clear divisions for introductions, reasons/explanations, and summaries Implementing the 2-5-5-2 format in IELTS writing test preparation and practice can improve essay quality and help test takers meet IELTS writing standards effectively.
Appendix A provides key figures on the lexical density of 200 essays, highlighting essential metrics such as the total number of words, sentences, and words per sentence The table includes components like the number of essays analyzed, total words, sentence count, average words per sentence, and lexical density These data points offer valuable insights into the linguistic complexity and lexical richness of each essay, supporting a comprehensive understanding of their structural features.
Based on the "lexical density" column in Appendix A, the lexical density of 200 IELTS writing tests was categorized into three groups: Group 1 (41–50%), Group 2 (51–60%), and Group 3 (61–70%), as shown in Table 4.2 The classification was determined using Ure’s (1971) formula, which considers a lexical density above 40% as high, indicating that all students’ IWT2 tests exhibited high lexical density This classification aids IELTS examiners, teachers, and readers in better understanding students’ writing, enhancing the assessment process.
Table 4.2: Classification of lexical density level Classification Lexical density
Table 4.2 shows that 17% of essays scored between 41% and 50%, while the majority, 77%, scored between 51% and 60%, and only 6% ranged from 61% to 70%, as illustrated in Figure 4.1 These findings on lexical density are highly significant for enhancing teaching strategies and student performance in IWT2 essay writing To improve readability and overall scores, IELTS test takers are encouraged to incorporate more function words—including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs—into their essays.
4.2.2 The level of readability of English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC
The readability level of English essays written by IELTS learners at KNILC was assessed using the Flesh Reading Ease formula (1948) The analysis of 200 essays revealed an average readability score of 45.65, indicating that most essays are difficult for IELTS teachers and readers This finding underscores the need for KNILC educators and students to adapt their teaching and learning strategies to improve IELTS performance Improving essay readability can enhance IELTS test preparation and overall writing proficiency among learners.
The readability level of the current content is 45.65, which is below the acceptable standard range of 60 to 70, indicating a need for improvement IELTS teachers at KNILC should recognize this issue and focus on implementing more effective strategies to enhance learners' writing skills for IWT2 By addressing these readability concerns, educators can better support students in achieving their language proficiency goals.
Table 4.3: Level of readability of 200 essays Number of essays Average level of readability
From the Appendix C, the study classified the level of readability of 200 essays into
The article discusses five groups classified according to the Flesch Reading Ease Formula, as detailed in Table 4.4 This classification aims to categorize the different readability levels of 200 IWT2 essays at KNILC It serves as a tool for researchers to assess the writing proficiency of IELTS learners, identifying areas that need improvement Understanding these readability levels helps in developing targeted strategies to enhance students' writing skills effectively.
Table 4.4: The classification of readability level
According to the Flesch Reading Ease Formula, a score between 60 and 70 is generally considered acceptable for readability Lower scores indicate increased difficulty in comprehension for readers The data in Table 4.4 shows that out of 300 essays studied, 26 essays fall within this readability range, highlighting varying levels of accessibility in the written content.
35 from 0 to 29 are very difficult to understand, 96 of 200 essays whose readability vary from
Our analysis shows that essays with readability scores between 30 and 49 are particularly difficult for readers, while 60 out of 200 essays with readability scores from 50 to 59 are considered fairly difficult Only a small portion, 15 out of 200 essays with scores from 60 to 69, meet the standard difficulty level, indicating moderate comprehension Furthermore, just 3 out of 200 essays with readability scores from 70 to 79 are fairly easy for readers to understand, highlighting the challenge students face in producing easily understandable content A comparative figure illustrates the distribution of readability levels across 200 essays written by students at KNILC, emphasizing the overall difficulty range they encounter.
According to Figure 4.2, the 30-39 age group constitutes the highest percentage of 48.00%, followed by the 50-59 age group with 30.00% The 0-29 age group ranks third, while the 60-69 and 70+ age groups have the lowest percentages at 7.50% and 1.50%, respectively Notably, 91% of students at KNILC, whose English readability levels range from 30 to 69, meet the requirements of the actual IELTS writing test, especially Task 2 These statistics are crucial for assessing the readability levels of English essays written by IELTS learners at KNILC.
The study of Vu (2011) finds out the equivalence of readability level among CEFR (Common European Framework) and IELTS scores, which is shown in the following table 4.5
Table 4.5: Comparison of readability level and standardized tests
IELTS score Level of learners 0-20 Proficiency C2 IELTS 8.0 above Postgraduate
36-50 Upper-intermediate B2 IELTS 6.0 above Grade 10-12
81-100 Pre-elementary A1 IELTS 3.0 below Grade 4-6
The comparison between Appendix B and Table 4.5 demonstrates that the readability scores of 200 essays written by KNILC students accurately reflect their achieved IELTS band scores ranging from 5.0 to 6.5 This analysis, presented in Table 4.6, highlights the correlation between essay readability levels, IELTS band scores, and learner proficiency, providing valuable insights into the relationship between writing complexity and English language proficiency.
Table 4.6: The correlation of readability level, IELTS score band and level of learners
Percentage IELTS score Level of learners
The findings and discussion from the research question 1 and 2 contribute to the answer and discussion of the research question 3 below
4.2.3 The language used in terms of grammar and vocabulary in English essays written by IELTS learners at the context of KNILC
4.2.3.1 Grammar used in English essays written by IELTS learners KNILC
According to Appendix A, the average number of sentences per essay is approximately 13.72, or nearly 14 sentences The data was categorized into three groups: Group 1 includes essays with fewer than 14 sentences, Group 2 consists of essays with an average of exactly 14 sentences, and Group 3 comprises essays with more than 14 sentences This classification provides insights into the typical essay length and sentence distribution for better content analysis.
14 It is illustrated in the below table 4.7 The table 4.7 shows that the percentage of essays which contains below 14 sentences per essay is 59%; the percentage of essays which consists of average 14 sentences per essay is 11.50%, the lowest percentage among the three groups and lastly the percentage of essays which are made up of above 14 sentences per essay is 29.50%, the second highest group
Table 4.7: Average number of sentences per essay Number of sentences Number of essays Percentage
Discussion
This study analyzes the lexical density and readability levels of 200 IELTS Writing Task 2 essays written by learners at KNILC, utilizing key theoretical frameworks from Chapter 2 IELTS Writing Task 2 is recognized as a challenging component for IELTS candidates, necessitating effective language use and coherence The findings highlight significant insights into how lexical choices influence essay readability and overall writing quality among IELTS learners Understanding these aspects can help improve writing strategies and enhance exam performance.
Mastering key aspects such as time management, assessment criteria, and different writing styles is essential for IELTS learners Exposure to familiar IELTS writing topics helps build a rich vocabulary and understanding of relevant terminology Additionally, the question types in IELTS Writing Task 2 significantly influence the lexical density and readability of students' essays, impacting their overall performance.
In the analysis of IWT2 essays, higher lexical density is indicated by a greater proportion of content words relative to function words Lexical density is calculated by dividing the number of content words by the total number of words, as outlined by Johansson (2008), To (2013), and Ure (1971) This measure was employed in this study to assess the lexical density of 200 IELTS learner essays at KNILC Additionally, Halliday’s (1985) definition of lexical density provides a theoretical foundation for understanding this linguistic feature.
Density measures the amount of information in a text by analyzing how tightly content words are packed into the grammatical structure In a 2021 study, lexical density was used to explain the phenomenon of nominalization, which is a key characteristic of academic writing This research focused on 200 IELTS essays written by learners at KNILC, highlighting the importance of lexical density in academic texts Understanding lexical density can enhance writing clarity and coherence, especially in formal academic contexts.
This article explores the concept of readability, defined as the ease with which a reader can understand a written text Readability depends on factors such as vocabulary complexity, sentence structure, and presentation Analyzing 200 IELTS written essays at KNILC, the study assesses how content and presentation influence readability levels High readability ensures that readers can easily comprehend sentences, making reading a more enjoyable experience Conversely, low readability may cause strain, even if the message is understandable Enhancing readability reduces reading effort and improves reading speed, especially benefiting individuals with lower reading comprehension skills Overall, readability reflects the quality of writing and plays a crucial role in effective communication.
This study examined the lexical density, readability, and language use in IELTS learners' English essays at KNILC The findings revealed a significant relationship between lexical density and readability, highlighting their impact on grammar and vocabulary use The research underscores how varying levels of lexical density and readability influence overall language quality in IELTS writing, based on the theoretical framework outlined in Chapter 2.
The research findings indicate that IELTS learners at KNILC demonstrate varying levels of writing proficiency, primarily ranging from band 5 to 6.5 These participants enroll in KNILC's IELTS courses with the goal of achieving a target score of 7 or higher The study's insights reflect their current performance levels and highlight the importance of targeted instruction to bridge the gap between their current scores and their desired band.
The study revealed that the average lexical density of 200 essays is 53.86%, indicating that students’ IELTS Writing Part 2 at KNILC are highly lexically dense To improve their performance, IELTS learners at KNILC should be supplied with relevant vocabulary and terms related to the 24 common IELTS Part 2 topics Enhancing vocabulary in these areas can help students achieve clearer, more cohesive, and higher-quality essays.
Understanding the importance of content words—such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs—is essential, as they carry most of the sentence's meaning, whereas function words often do not Balancing the ratio of function to content words enhances clarity and coherence in writing IELTS scores vary among learners, with students at KNILC typically scoring between 5.0 and 6.5, aiming for a band above 7 Additional research shows that the average lexical density of 200 IELTS essays is 53.86%, well above the 40% benchmark, indicating that most learners' IELTS writing tasks are lexically dense A higher lexical density makes essays more comprehensible and easier for readers and examiners to understand.
The study demonstrates that factors such as total words, number of sentences per essay, and particularly words per sentence significantly influence lexical density in 200 essays Using a high number of content words enhances the conveyance of meaning, thereby increasing lexical density The findings suggest that IELTS learners should develop a rich vocabulary of content words to improve their writing quality Additionally, the data reveals that the average sentence length is 13.72 words, with an average of 24.46 words per sentence, highlighting key structural aspects affecting lexical density.
The study found that 77% of students' IWT2 essays are highly lexically dense, indicating a strong vocabulary use This high lexical density is particularly important for IELTS examiners, teachers, and learners, as it enables easier and more comprehensive reading and understanding of essays written by KNILC IELTS learners.
An analysis of 200 IELTS essays written by learners at KNILC, using the Flesch Reading Ease formula (1948), revealed an average readability score of 45.65, indicating that most essays are relatively easy for readers, including IELTS examiners and teachers, to understand Typically, scores between 60 and 70 are considered acceptable, with lower scores signifying increased difficulty The data shows that 182 essays, with readability scores ranging from 50 to 59, are easy to comprehend, while only 18 essays scored between 60 and 79, making them accessible to readers This highlights the overall readability level of the essays, emphasizing their clarity and ease of understanding for evaluators.
The readability level of English essays written by IELTS learners at KNILC indicates that most essays are at a standard difficulty level and may be challenging for readers to understand These statistics are crucial for assessing the overall readability of IELTS writing The study’s findings highlight the importance of practicing writing skills to meet the specific requirements of the IELTS writing test, particularly Task 2 Improving writing practice can lead to higher scores in the IELTS Writing Test 2 (IWT2), emphasizing the need for targeted preparation among learners.
Based on the analysis of 200 essays written by IELTS learners at KNILC, the thesis findings reveal detailed classifications of lexical density and readability levels The study highlights significant variations in vocabulary richness and complexity, which directly impact the overall readability of the essays These results provide valuable insights into the linguistic skills of IELTS candidates, emphasizing the importance of targeted vocabulary development to improve writing proficiency The research underscores how lexical density is a key factor in enhancing essay clarity and coherence, aligning with IELTS assessment criteria Overall, the study offers a comprehensive understanding of lexical and readability features in learner essays, informing effective teaching strategies for IELTS preparation.
Table 4.10: Classification and level of lexical density and readability Classification and level of lexical density and readability in 200 written essays
Analysis of IELTS essays written by learners at KNILC reveals that the average sentence length is 14, with sentences mainly comprising compound, complex, and compound-complex structures, which help students express their ideas more effectively However, essays exceeding 14 sentences often consist of simple sentences, likely due to students’ limited proficiency in using nominalization, a common feature in IELTS writing Readability issues identified by the ‘Text Analyzer’ software indicate that some sentences contain grammatical errors and need rephrasing to enhance clarity To improve students' academic writing skills, teachers should focus on instructing learners on how to form nominalizations from verbs, adjectives, and clauses, encouraging their use in IWT2 essays for better coherence and complexity.
Summary
This chapter presents the key findings and discussion of the study, supported by tables and charts that validate the data analysis The lexical density of English essays by IELTS learners at KNILC influences their readability, with scores ranging from 5 to 6.5 in IELTS band levels To achieve higher marks in actual IELTS exams, learners need to focus on improving their grammar and vocabulary in their IWT2 essays.