An Analysis of Lexical Collocation Errors in Academic Ielts Writing Task 2 by Vietnamese Students in an English Center

Abstract

This study investigates the use of lexical collocations in IELTS Writing Task 2 by Vietnamese high school students, combining both corpus-based analysis and learner perceptions to gain a comprehensive understanding of common collocational issues. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the research analyzed 50 student essays, yielding over 1,200 collocations, with a focus on identifying frequently occurring lexical collocation errors and categorizing them into distinct subtypes based on [1]. In parallel, semi-structured interviews with seven students were conducted to explore their awareness of collocation use, the challenges they encountered, and their beliefs about contributing factors to such errors. The quantitative findings revealed that verb–noun collocations were not only the most common but also the most error-prone, with many instances reflecting negative transfer from Vietnamese or overgeneralization. Other frequent issues included unnatural adjective–noun combinations and incorrect prepositional usage. Interview data further highlighted students’ limited confidence in using collocations, as well as recurring challenges such as insufficient lexical exposure, lack of explicit instruction, and over-reliance on literal translation strategies. Despite these difficulties, most participants recognized the importance of collocations in academic writing and expressed a desire for more structured support in learning them. These findings suggest several pedagogical implications, including the need for more focused instruction on collocations, contextualized practice, and corrective feedback. The study contributes to the growing body of research on L2 lexical competence and offers practical recommendations for improving collocational teaching in IELTS preparation courses.