VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR MASTERY AS PREDICTORS OF WRITING ABILITY AMONG INDONESIAN EFL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Authors

  • Mardiana Senawah SMP Negeri 1 Kayuagung, South Sumatra, Indonesia
  • Hanni Yukamana English Education Study Program, Graduate Program, Universitas PGRI Palembang, Indonesia
  • Mulyadi English Education Study Program, Graduate Program, Universitas PGRI Palembang, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56983/eltm.v6i2.2042

Keywords:

Descriptive Writing, EFL Students, Grammar Mastery, Vocabulary Mastery, Writing Ability

Abstract

Vocabulary and grammar are fundamental resources for effective writing, yet their relationships with descriptive writing among Indonesian EFL learners remain underexplored. This study investigated the individual and joint relationships of vocabulary and grammar mastery with seventh-grade students’ descriptive writing ability. Using a quantitative correlational design, the study involved 64 students from SMP Negeri 1 Kayuagung, selected through cluster random sampling. Data were collected using vocabulary and grammar tests and a descriptive writing assessment, then analyzed through Pearson correlation and multiple regression. The findings revealed very strong positive relationships between vocabulary and writing (r = .953, p < .001) and grammar and writing (r = .961, p < .001). Together, vocabulary and grammar explained 95.5% of the variance in writing performance (R² = .955), with grammar showing a stronger relative contribution (β = .545) than vocabulary (β = .453). The study contributes context-specific evidence supporting integrated vocabulary–grammar instruction to strengthen descriptive writing in Indonesian EFL classrooms.

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References

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Pradana, D. E., Dharmayanti, P. A. P., & Arsana, A. A. P. (2023). The correlation between grammar mastery and writing ability in descriptive text of the tenth-grade students of SMAN 1 Mengwi in academic year 2022/2023. Academic Journal on English Studies.

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Published

2026-08-31

How to Cite

Senawah, M., Hanni Yukamana, & Mulyadi. (2026). VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR MASTERY AS PREDICTORS OF WRITING ABILITY AMONG INDONESIAN EFL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. English Language Teaching Methodology, 6(2), 104–115. https://doi.org/10.56983/eltm.v6i2.2042