L1‑Driven Interference Patterns in EFL Academic Writing: Evidence from Azerbaijani–English Contact

L1‑Driven Interference Patterns in EFL Academic Writing: Evidence from Azerbaijani–English Contact | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article L1‑Driven Interference Patterns in EFL Academic Writing: Evidence from Azerbaijani–English Contact Yusif Suleymanov This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9287814/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study examines L1‑driven interference in the academic English writing of Azerbaijani EFL learners, asking how typological distance shapes morphosyntactic error distributions across proficiency levels. Using a learner‑corpus, error‑analysis framework grounded in interlanguage theory, we coded article use, prepositions, word order (SOV→SVO), and verb morphology, and modelled patterns by proficiency. Results show systematic, proficiency‑sensitive shifts: lower‑level writers overproduce morphological deviations (articles, agreement), whereas higher‑level writers increasingly display syntactic misalignment (clause‑level word order, auxiliary sequencing). Error loci reflect the co‑operation of interlingual and intralingual forces, not random lapses. Pedagogically, three high‑yield levers emerge: (i) contrastive NP‑grammar for definiteness, (ii) pattern‑based preposition teaching to replace case/postposition mappings, and (iii) SVO+auxiliary scaffolds for complex clauses. The findings refine accounts of cross‑linguistic influence in an agglutinative‑to‑analytic pairing and offer actionable targets to raise EFL writing accuracy. Linguistics Cross‑linguistic interference L1 transfer Azerbaijani–English contact Morphosyntax Error analysis Interlanguage development EFL academic writing Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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