Providing Computer-Based Feedback through Grammarly® in Writing Classes

This study aimed at evaluating the impact of Grammarly® software as a new technology-based immediate corrective feedback on improving EFL learners’ writing achievements. To this end, 40 sophomore Iranian EFL students from Islamic Azad University, Kerman Branch, were selected. Before initiating the 15-session treatment, a pretest including 20 questions based on four different variables such as definite and indefinite articles, punctuations, passive voice, and correct spelling was administered. The participants were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. At the end of the treatment and based on the principles of noticing hypothesis, a posttest was administered to evaluate the impact of each intervention on the final writing skill in each group. Employing the independent samples t-test, the data analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between the use of Grammarly® software and learners’ writing achievement in each of the four writing skills variables. The experimental group outperformed the control group. In addition, the results indicated that utilizing Grammarly® software had a positive effect on EFL learners’ attitudes. The pedagogical implications of this study are that both teachers and students should learn to employ different technology-based applications to improve language learning.