Interactional Metadiscourse Analysis of ESL Learners’ Essays

Abstract

This study analysed interactional metadiscourse markers on 40 expository essays by ESL learners from hard and soft science courses based on metadiscourse table of Hyland (2005). The study aimed to examine whether both groups used the same amount and type, and whether learners in different course groups differed in their selected metadiscourse. There were some differences in the amount and types used by both groups. Soft science learners produced more metadiscourse features and they were more interpretative meanwhile hard science learners were very assertive in their writings. This study indicates the importance of using metadiscourse in ESL writings