475 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Effect of tasks on learners’ understanding of collocations and its influence on the writing performance of L2 learners Rabia Khatoon1 Sazuliana Sanif2+ Humera Saleem3 1,2Centre for Language Studies, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Malaysia. 1Email: gl200003@student.uthm.edu.my 2,3English Language Institute, King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 2Email: zuliana@uthm.edu.my 3Email: hskhan@kau.edu.sa (+ Corresponding author) ABSTRACT Article History Received: 6 September 2023 Revised: 24 November 2023 Accepted: 14 December 2023 Published: 22 December 2023 Keywords Collocations Consciousness-raising tasks L2 learners Task-based language teaching Tasks Writing skills. The present study determines the effects of Task-Based language teaching (TBLT) on the writing proficiency and collocational ability of second language (L2) learners who were enrolled in a Pakistani government college. Learning collocational vocabulary is essential for second language learners. Collocations are also crucial for learning a second language especially at the advanced and intermediate levels. The objective of the current study was to determine how collocation knowledge affected the writing abilities of advanced second language (L2) learners. Tasks are the primary instructional technique in the current study and their effects on learners' knowledge of collocations in college students' narrative essay writing were assessed using a range of communicative and awareness-raising task-based materials. Writing samples were collected at the beginning and end of the study to assess the writing abilities of second language (L2) learners. The interviews with participants were used to conduct a thematic analysis using the qualitative technique. Two teachers evaluated the writing sample and were interviewed. The assessors' observations from the interviews on language content, organizational skills, lexical range, use of target language and mechanics were considered while analyzing the impacts of the teaching strategy and collocation use. The data analysis revealed a considerable improvement in the students writing and collocation knowledge. Contribution/Originality: The present study demonstrates that TBLT enhances collocational proficiency in Pakistani second-language participants. There has not been any research on the use of TBLT to increase learners' collocation knowledge in the institute under study in Pakistan. 1. INTRODUCTION Teaching and writing in a L2 language learning context is a challenging task. Writing is the process of expressing and developing ideas and thoughts in an organised and logical way so that readers can easily comprehend what has been written. It is an important skill to develop as it helps create practical possibilities for aspiring students to acquire language properly (Inayanti & Halimi, 2019). Writing is a complex ability for many second language learners (L2s). The main challenges they face while writing in English are spelling, grammar, vocabulary, punctuation and coherence (Abraham, 2015; Ilyas, Ayub, & Khan, 2017; Naudhani & Naudhani, 2017; Sundari, Febriyanti, & Saragih, 2018). It is not only an essential talent in secondary school but a graduate must also possess properly proficient writing skills (Jamain, Sanif, & Atim, 2022). Numerous efforts have been made by teachers to help their students produce good written work (Naudhani & Naudhani, 2017). Innovative and varied Humanities and Social Sciences Letters 2023 Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 475-490 ISSN(e): 2312-4318 ISSN(p): 2312-5659 DOI: 10.18488/73.v11i4.3568 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7471-233X https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5050-9986 https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4792-9195 mailto:gl200003@student.uthm.edu.my mailto:zuliana@uthm.edu.my mailto:hskhan@kau.edu.sa https://www.doi.org/10.18488/73.v11i4.3568 Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 476 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. teaching methods, approaches, practices, techniques and media are used to help learners master English writing skills even in L2 classrooms (Inayanti & Halimi, 2019). Therefore, EFL learners perceive writing as a problematic and complex skill (Sundari et al., 2018). According to scholars and linguists, emphasis on the usage of collocations can lead to better language production by an L2 user in terms of fluent and accurate language output. Wray (2002) has specified that increased collocational competence can result in L2 learners’ improved language performance. Linguists suggested that improved understanding of collocations in spoken as well as written forms is a vital component of natural fluency in English (Nation, 2001). Collocations are an important aspect of the English lexical system and having a good knowledge of them can help L2 learners choose the appropriate words to express ideas in a suitable way either in spoken or written form (Ariffin & Mohamad Abdi, 2020). Understanding the language structures of collocations facilitates fluent and accurate language production (Ünver, 2018). Understanding collocations may come easily to native English speakers as they have become used to the word combinations that make up collocations but it may provide difficulties for L2 learners. Therefore, learners’ awareness of these combinations of words may allow for natural language accuracy and improve the use of multiple kinds of formulaic language, idioms and expressions (Al Ghazali, 2015). One of the approaches that can be used and explored is TBLT which concentrates on meaningful tasks and the use of real communication ( A h m a d , I s l a m , & H a s s a n N a q v i , 2 0 2 1 ) in the educational process. This methodology is expected to significantly improve the writing abilities of the participants (Kafipour, Mahmoudi, & Khojasteh, 2018). 1.1. Statement of Problem This study focuses on the Pakistani L2 environment in Pakistan. English is taught as a compulsory subject that is primarily focused on literature rather than functional application (Ahmed & Bidin, 2016). According to Suleman et al. (2020), native speakers are unapproachable as English language teachers in many non-English- speaking countries, thus, L2 teachers do not have enough skills in collocation and instruction of collocations is a problematic situation for non-native English teachers. It is necessary to investigate appropriate writing instruction and tasks that can help improve the writing skills of Pakistani L2 learners considering the problem highlighted regarding the challenges they face in developing effective writ ing abilities and the role that knowledge of collocations plays in facilitating writing skills. Learners are expected to recognize the social setting and its relevance to writing. Furthermore, subject matter learned in the classroom environment should be applied in a real-life context for the purpose of real communication. 1.2. Significance of the Research The purpose of the study is to offer a comprehensive viewpoint on the use of TBLT and its use in L2 writing classes. The study's findings have a number of implications that can be emphasized. First, the study's conclusion will have a substantial impact on Task-based language teaching (TBLT) feasibility in L2 classroom pedagogy. It will also have a significant impact on the students’ weak areas of collocational knowledge. The foremost impact lies in the fact that insufficient studies are offered in Pakistan where TBLT is rather used as a novice approach to teaching a second language. It would provide some pedagogical implications of the TBLT when employed in L2 classrooms in Pakistan. 1.3. Objectives of the Study The purpose of the study is to determine whether task-based learning aids in the acquisition of collocations by students and what effect it has on the way writing skills are taught. The purpose of this study is to ascertain whether task-based instruction is reliable in developing learners' understanding of collocations whether allowing students to express themselves meaningfully can help them become better writers and whether giving students the Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 477 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. opportunity to express themselves in meaningful ways can help them become better writers. Hence, the present study aspires to answer the following question: 1. How has the use of TBLT to teach collocations affected the learners’ language performance in terms of writing skills? 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Native language speakers and users of all languages find it natural to understand language structure since they have a basic awareness of word combinations. L1 speakers acquire novel terms throughout their lives through speech and engagement with the language in both formal and informal contexts whereas L2 learners often have limited exposure to and usage of the language (Deveci, 2004; Kaur & Hegelheimer, 2005). Students cannot write correctly in an academic setting if they do not have access to a larger vocabulary. According to research on the English language used by learners in Hong Kong, non-native speakers tend to employ comparatively fewer collocates when speaking than native speakers (Fan, 2009). Word combination knowledge helps learners use language more naturally and may improve their ability to use idioms, phrases and other formulaic language (Al Ghazali, 2015). Collocational information thus aids learners in producing language accurately and fluently (Ünver, 2018). L2 students are aware of the importance of vocabulary in learning a target language . They understand that expanding their vocabulary will help them become more proficient communicators. However, the majority of teachers employ traditional methods when teaching vocabulary (Abrudan, 2017). According to Heikkilä (2005), cited by Al Ghazali (2015), the ability to correctly combine words to create language in a fluid, accurate and proper way is known as collocation proficiency. It is no longer appropriate to learn vocabulary using the old-fashioned methods of acquiring individual terms or bilingual vocabulary lists. According to Shokouhi and Mirsalari (2010), students should be aware of word correlations, word combinations and how to use word combinations to convey new meanings. Research on vocabulary teaching methods in educational contexts has been almost limited (Read, 2004). Consequently, it is strongly advised against allowing students to construct typical word combinations and instead teach them how to recognize, remember and retrieve collocations (El-Dakhs, 2015). 2.1. Collocations Word combinations that occur spontaneously and regularly are known as collocations. El-Dakhs (2015) and Lewis et al. (1997) mention word combinations that are constantly combined. According to El-Dakhs (2015), word combinations that do not show frequent co-occurrences are not regarded as collocations. In linguistics and language training, collocations have been classified in various ways such as prefabricated word combinations, multi-word units, etc. and explained in various ways (Fan, 2009). They belong to a family of colloquial idioms with a word sequence that co-occur in an ordered way for often random reasons (Fan, 2009; Nattinger & DeCarrico, 1992; Nesselhauf, 2003; Zaabalawi & Gould, 2017). It is a component of language that is typically deemed challenging for language learners who seek suitable collocational competency for effective communication (Fan, 2009). Different criteria have been used by researchers to determine whether a word combination qualifies as a collocation or not. The terms must typically occur together as one of the requirements and there must also be some degree of semantic opacity (Altuwairesh, 2016). Wray (2002) described collocation as a group of words or other meaning element that are or seem to be, prefabricated that is, stored and retrieved from memory at the moment of use rather than being susceptible to creation or analysis by the language grammar. 2.2. Classification of Collocations Collocations fall into diverse categories which are deliberated as follows: Benson (1985) stated that there are two types of collocations: grammatical collocations and lexical Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 478 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. collocations. A grammatical collocation is a frequent combination characteristically containing a “dominant word” (verb, noun and adjective) followed by a grammatical word generally a preposition (Benson, 1985; Poulsen, 1991). Lexical collocations contain no subordinate components. They generally contain two "equal" lexical components (Benson, 1985) usually do not contain prepositions, infinitives or clauses and typically consist of nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs (Poulsen, 1991). Lewis et al. (1997) further discussed that collocations can be categorized into four groups: strong, weak, frequent and infrequent. Lewis mentioned that the division between strong and weak collocations is based on their permanency while the difference between frequent and infrequent ones is based on how frequently they co-occur. 2.3. Importance of Collocations and Writing Second language writing experts have been discussing how to develop and use suitable strategies to enhance the writing skills of L2 language learners considering the previous discussion of the challenges experienced by EFL/L2 learners in writing in their second language (Ismail, 2011). As a result, many researchers and academics have conducted studies in this area with encouraging results that support teaching collocations as one of the most useful techniques (Ashouri & Heidar, 2015; Mounya, 2010; Sadoughvanini, 2012). The positive function that collocation knowledge might have in enhancing language ability is maintained by cognitive psychology. If few of these resources are prepared to be employed devoid of ample processing, ample attention can be dedicated to the more challenging components of the task. When it comes to the language performance, it has been noticed that collocations, word combinations or “language chunks” help as readymade resources allowing fluency in language use (Asbulah, Aladdin, & Sahrim, 2020; Pawley & Syder, 1983). Language performance tasks might be considerably easier and more fluent as a result of the prepared language "chunks." Native speakers are able to express their thoughts promptly and fluently since they have an enormous understanding of readymade word combinations. Therefore, it is assumed that understanding collocation or word combinations plays a constructive role in improving language fluency. L2/EFL learners' English is not considered fluent, native or normal without collocational proficiency (Pawley & Syder, 1983; Shih, 2000). In short, a learner needs to achieve sufficient collocational knowledge and use it correctly to communicate, creating fluent and native-like language performance. According to Namvar, Nor, Ibrahim, and Mustafa (2012), the lack of collocational competence is a cause of L2/EFL learners' errors which hampers the learners' language performance. There are several cases of L1 interference, when learners tend to translate English collocations into their native tongue when unsure about word combinations. Therefore, collocations should be assimilated into teaching approaches. Students will significantly improve their writing fluency, accuracy and general language performance after being carefully taught the form and usage of collocations and made fully aware of their significance Hamed (2016). Furthermore, collocations can develop students’ writing styles because learners can create more intense writing. Avci (2006) has not testified to similar encouraging outcomes concerning the efficiency of teaching the collocations. On the other hand, Avci (2006) assumed that the study’s outcomes might be due to the intrusion of other aspects, for instance the learners’ proficiency in the target language and the period of the study. Eidian, Gorjian, and Aghvami (2013) precisely inspected the components of writing and language performance and how they could be developed by the instruction of collocations. Additionally, the studies show little consistency in their outcomes. For instance, Ghonsooli, Pishghadam, and Mahjoobi (2008) in their study on Iranian upper-intermediate learners established their understanding that instruction of collocation could increase the “fluency” and “vocabulary” sub-constructs. Ashouri and Heidar (2015) described the encouraging consequences of teaching collocations on the 'vocabulary' and 'mechanics' sub-components. Thus, further research on language complexity, accuracy and fluency, language sub-contents such as vocabulary, fluency and language use is still needed to expand Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 479 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. the horizons of the body of knowledge. Collocational knowledge may assist L2 writing improvement. Consequently, second language researchers emphasise the necessity of assimilating collocations in language instruction. This has led to the emergence of many teaching techniques and approaches. One of these methods is the task-based instructional method. The current study examined the impact of raising awareness and communicative activities on learners' collocational knowledge and how they were implemented in their writing instruction to enhance written language performance. 2.4. Task-Based Language Teaching More contemporary theories of learning such as TBLT are based on the constructive theory of learning. TBLT's inception dates back to Prabhu's (1987) initiative on communicational language teaching in India which was started in the 1980s. Its development was prompted by the target language's poor performance in production as well as other flaws in traditional language instruction methods based on the structural approach and PPP (Presentation, Practice and Production) paradigm. The behaviorist approach to teaching which forms the basis of the PPP method assigns language chunks to students with an emphasis on rote learning of the target language's structures (Ellis, 2003). It was often believed that mastering the grammar of the language one was studying required frequent practice. Theoretical grammar principles did not enable students to communicate successfully in the target language in real- world situations as demonstrated by long-term results (Ellis, 2003; Prabhu, 1987). Constructivism prioritizes the learner's motivation, autonomy and cognitive abilities all fundamental components of theory-based language teaching (TBLT) (Ellis, 2009; Willis, 1996). Wang (2011) asserts that the constructivist and TBLT tenets both strongly emphasize the learners' personal involvement, autonomy, reflectivity and active engagement in the learning process. A student is likely to depend on his prior linguistic resources in order to finish a communicative task (Willis & Willis, 2007). Constructivist learning theories and TBLT are coherent (Ellis, 2003). TBLT engages students in cooperative, active learning by giving them activities that are relevant to their experiences in real life and realistic for them (Kawachi, 2003). A few crucial components of writing assignments have been covered by researchers including their structure, the style of task completion (reciprocal or nonreciprocal; Ellis (1991), the students' individual or group contributions (Oxford, 1997) and how each of these elements affects task- based learning. Task-based writing assignments are finished with the intention of producing a product, coming to a conclusion, or painting a picture that is visually appealing and conveys the meaning of the situation within a predefined framework (Tilfarlioglu & Basaran, 2007). TBLT enhances learners' writing and communicative competence along with improving academic performance (Miao, 2014). A thorough investigation on the impact of TBLT on CT and the writing development of L2 learners was conducted by Liu and Yao (2019). They can increase their vocabulary and get better at handling grammatical forms, language structure and practical language expressions when they write frequently and complete their assignments (Abraham, 2015). TBLT has been shown in several previous studies to be helpful for teaching writing. Inayanti and Halimi (2019) claim that assignments provided in an organised fashion have greatly benefited students' practice in expressing their ideas in writing during the course of descriptive writing assignments. According to Sundari et al. (2018), students were able to design the format and organise a text more easily when given tasks based on developed materials that included more details. Additionally, these tasks encouraged brainstorming sessions for ideas and topics that could be expanded upon to make the written text's content more qualified. The writing skill is closely connected with the reading, listening and speaking skills. Thus, the writing process is not restricted to a specific task pattern and it supports interdependent task types in practice (Liu & Yao, 2019). For example, Manzoor, Azhar, and Malik (2020) and Rashid (2017) have investigated the impact of reading and writing tasks on Pakistani students to develop their narrative writing skills. Similarly, Liu and Yao (2019) used task-based cooperative writing to cultivate critical thinking skills among the L2 students. Ahmad Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 480 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. et al. (2021) introduced technology-mediated tasks to improve the L2 students’ writing skills such as online chats, editing (wiki, social media statuses), content writing, blogs; etc. In short, various tasks could be adopted in combination in the TBLT. Rashid, Cunningham and Watson (2017) used TBLT with smartphones to conduct a case study in Pakistan to find out about students’ perception of the approach. Ilyas et al. (2017) conducted research on the impact of TBLT on writing proficiency of L2 learners at the intermediate level. T h e y employed a quantitative approach on 120 Pakistani students and the study results showed that the target students showed positive attitudes towards TBI tasks. They suggested that TBI method may be used in teaching to improve the writing skill of the students. 2.5. The Consciousness-Raising (CR) in Teaching of Collocations The use of awareness or consciousness-raising techniques in the teaching of collocations has been strongly supported by Lewis et al. (1997), Lewis (2000), Hill (2000), Stoitchkov (2008), and Schmidt (1990). Lewis (2000) supported the idea that language instructors should help their students develop more efficient strategies for learning these chunks of language as well as increase their awareness of collocations. According to Rutherford and Smith (1985), CR assignments are made with a deliberate focus on linguistic form which can improve learning. In addition to providing opportunities for engagement and communication, these tasks will support form-focused education. This may result in simultaneous attention to the syntactic and semantic aspects of language (Nosratinia & Roustayi, 2014). According to Weisi (2012), learning through CR tasks is a type of discovery learning. These tasks may serve as the primary objective or as a means of follow-up (Ellis, 2006). It is possible to think of CR activities as guided problem solving (Willis & Willis, 1996). In his discussion of the importance of consciousness in learning a second language, Schmidt (1990) distinguished three categories of consciousness: awareness, intention and knowledge. Schmidt (1990) also focused on the factors that affect noticing in input such as task demand, perceptual salience, skill level, instructional style and comparison and contrast in addition to these three categories: perception, noticing and understanding. According to Schmidt (1990), "understanding" is an advanced level of awareness at which students often engage in the problem-solving stage. Awareness is a necessary component of the learning process and a crucial instrument for language acquisition (Fazlali & Shahini, 2019). Ying and Hendricks (2003) proposed a modal of collocational awareness raising in which learners are prompted to use the proper word combination in written production while also becoming aware of the concept of collocations. According to their suggestions, raising consciousness awareness involves a multi-layered process that links students' noticing, noting and incorporation of desirable goal language patterns. Raising tasks are effective teaching techniques for grammar that can enhance students' grammatical understanding and encourage their independence (Amirian & Abbasi, 2014). Hamed (2016) demonstrated through empirical research the beneficial effects of this teaching strategy on the growth of L2 learners' collocational knowledge. The study which was carried out by Mukhrib (2020) involved Saudi English language learners who were assigned awareness-raising tasks, meaning- based activities or both. The findings demonstrated gains in the learners' accuracy and fluency and it was suggested that task-based learning and engagement be given more priority. Combining communicative and consciousness- raising activities can maximize the improved benefits observed in this study. Consequently, prior research has confirmed that collocations are essential for enhancing writing abilities. 2.6. Teaching of Collocations in Pakistan The grammar translation method is still used especially in rural areas which hinders the acquisition of structures, the use of grammar and the context of language in which the sentences are formed by native English speakers (Anwar & Khan, 2012; Awan & Shafi, 2016; Naudhani & Naudhani, 2017; Rashid, 2017; Suleman et al., 2020). Pakistani teachers employ such methods which do not meet the prerequisite of producing creativity among Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 481 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. the students. The role of L2 learners in the learning process is that of knowledge recipients and they are typically passive receivers of knowledge (Soomro, Memon, & Memon, 2016). The communicative aspect of the language has been overlooked both by the teachers and by the writers of the prescribed textbooks. English is learned to pass the examination and not as a tool for communication (Ahmed & Bidin, 2016). Nawab (2012) identified that traditional methods of teaching writing to learners of varied backgrounds have not been effective in Pakistan. Furthermore, vocabulary is problematic for students because they are not mindful of the collocational and connotational implications of the words, therefore, they can make errors in writing (Fareed, Ashraf, & Bilal, 2016). When it comes to the instruction of collocations new L2 learners and teachers exclude them from their standard curriculum, therefore, learners may not identify the significance of collocations in enhancing their mastery in English. As a result, this could make it more difficult for students to communicate effectively (Suleman et al., 2020). 3. METHOD This study was conducted to find out the impact of task-based writing instructions for L2 class at a government college in Khalabat Town Ship (KTS). The task resources were planned using the steps of development described by Willis (1996). Next, the materials were carefully chosen, organized and used in three phases of a task-based lesson (Ellis, 2003). Teachers’ feedback and interview were used to answer the research question as discussed by Creswell (2011). “In qualitative research, the purpose statement and the research questions are stated so that participants can best learn” (p.17). The aim is to provide a better understanding of the aspects and uses of TBLT in a Pakistani L2 writing class. 3.1. Participants The participants in the study were 20 students enrolled in English compulsory class at a government college in KTS, Pakistan. TBLT has emerged as vital to language teaching in many countries. At the college, functional English is taught as a core subject which is compulsory to pass for students to proceed to the next course in the next semester. The task-based lesson and developed task-based materials were presented to the participating students during an extended period of 12 weeks from March to May 2022. The students were required to write essays on the following topics: Write about your high school memories. Write about your childhood memories. A few crucial factors were considered when choosing the topic in order to facilitate students' completion of the writing assignment. The purpose of the writing was to inspire and provoke thinking as discussing one's high school and early years is a personal subject and children have lots of memories from both. Furthermore, a crucial consideration when choosing a topic is how much the subject matter motivates students to use collocations as a consequence of their experiences. Consequently, the students knew a lot about the subject. They cannot write more than 250 words. 3.2. Task-Based Writing Instruction Interaction Input tasks and output tasks will be designed on the basis of the modal presented by Willis (1996). Tasks will be conducted during the twelve weeks study period. The essay topic is chosen from the book. The f irst and final writing samples were written and collected in a face-to-face session. Students worked in pairs and groups to accomplish tasks in classrooms. The choice of the target collocations was made on the basis of t h e most frequently used collocations in the book. Lexical and grammatical collocational items were taught to the participants through awareness- raising tasks modulated on the basis of task-based instructions. They were provided with input and output activities in the form of problem solving activities. The tasks were sequenced in pre-task, Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 482 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. during task and post-task phases. Students were given consciousness raising tasks during the pre-task sessions where they would attempt tasks comprising collocations. Subsequently, they were asked to attempt narrative essays in both the first and final writing samples. Ying and Hendricks (2003) presented a strategy called "collocation awareness or consciousness raising" that clearly established learners' awareness of collocation in general and their familiarity with the target collocations. Learners were taught the idea of collocation explicitly, given both correct and incorrect samples of word combinations through available means such as online concordance materials as well as specifically designed tasks containing match activities highlighting the appropriate collocational patterns etc. Students were subsequently directed to employ the taught collocations in their writing production, consequently assisting them to ponder the necessity of collocational awareness to produce efficient language in the given context and lastly providing them with valuable feedback and comments on their language production, particularly on their written production. Table 1 explains the teaching plan that has been adapted from Willis's (1996) task-based plan. Table 1. Sample lesson plan on TBLT. Phase Functions Sample descriptions Pre-task To frame the activity. To get students ready for the task of interaction. Introduction of specific collocations using CRT (face-to-face communication). Giving an activity as an introduction to the topic by delivering lead-in questions, for example 1. A video prompt (containing information about the writing topic: a n a r r a t i v e essay). 2. Highlighting collocational patterns. The students were provided with explicit . feedback on their collocational errors. During task Task: performance, access to the input (Model texts) c o n s i s t i n g of language focus and communicative activity Online assignments are shared in a WhatsApp group (Students will be working in pairs). Task: reading model texts. Brainstorm ideas to do the task (discussion, information sharing and problem- solving task). Planning: students plan to write about the given topic. Reporting: Students report their product to the class. Post-task Repeating the task (Both online and face- to- face interaction). Analysis: Peer review and discussion of the written draft. Practice: The teacher and students highlight and discuss words, phrases a n d writing structure from the written drafts during or after the analysis phase. Note: Willis (1996). 3.3. Target Collocations The target collocations were selected after discussing them with the L2 teachers at the research site based on the most frequently occurring word combinations found in the book. It was decided to compile a list of the most frequent collocations used by Pakistani undergraduate learners in their L2 writing based on the panel of teachers' responses. The collocations were found in the book that the students were studying. It was agreed to only explain a maximum of five collocations in each lesson due to time constraints. Hence, 40 collocational patterns in all were used for this study. The head of the language centre, the group of L2 teachers from that division and the class instructors were consulted at various points during the process. It is imperative to remember that the collocations in this study comprised lexical and grammatical types. The said collocation structure was as follows: Noun+ Noun i.e., a sense of pride. Noun+ Verb i.e., pay attention. Verb+ Noun i.e., Have a good time. Adjective+ Noun i.e., enormous influence. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 483 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Adverb+ Adjective i.e., actively involved. Verb+ Adverb i.e., firmly believe. Noun+ Preposition i.e., desire for. Adjective+ Preposition i.e., interested in. 3.4. Writing Samples Pre-and post-study writing samples both included narrative writing assignments. In this study, the L2 composition profile (Jacobs, Zingraf, Wormuth, Hartfiel, & Hughey, 1981) was used to analyse the students' writing examples (Hamed, 2016). There are five writing-related sub-components on the scale: content, organization, vocabulary, language use and mechanics. 3.5. Data Analysis We conducted semi-structured interviews with the evaluators A and B teachers to get their perspectives on how TBLT affected L2 learners' writing skills for responding to research. Braun and Clarke (2006) provide six processes for studying qualitative data: get to know the data, initial code, generate topics, evaluate themes, define and name themes and produce reports. A technique for finding, analyzing, and summarizing patterns and themes in data is called thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Questions were created to explore topics, organization, vocabulary and language use based on the L2 composition profile to ensure the impact of collocational awareness on writing performance among L2 learners (Jacobs et al., 1981). During the evaluation process, the assessors inquired about the quality of the students' writing overall and in particular with reference to the writing skill subscales language content, organizational skills, lexical items, use of target language and mechanics. The evaluators were asked if they found any changes or improvements in the post-study writings when compared to the students' pre-study essays. They were also asked to discuss the elements of the students' post-study writing that were similar and different. 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The following explanation includes the sub-components of vocabulary, mechanics, content and structure and language usage. It is interesting to observe that both graders emphasized how the learners' writing performance had altered from what it had been before the research. Their supportive remarks on the students' writing development therefore illustrated the positive impacts of TBI on learners' understanding of collocations and their application to language production. It indicates that more teaching and lesson plans with particular tasks are still required for them to achieve the desired linguistic outcomes. It's important to notice that both assessors expressed how much the students' writing performance had improved after the method's introduction. They did not become proficient writers following the implementation of the method or noticeably improve the quality of their writing despite their good comments regarding these students' writing growth. It suggested that while the applied approach had enhanced their writing abilities, they still needed to practice writing to the desired high levels. The themes that emerged from the teacher interviews are described in Table 2. Table 2. Interview themes. Theme Impact of knowledge of collocations on writing content, organization, vocabulary, language use and mechanics Sub-theme 1 Language content Sub-theme 2 Organizational skills Sub-theme 3 Lexical range Sub-theme 4 Use of target language Sub-theme 5 Mechanics Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 484 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 4.1. Language Content The material was assessed using Jacob's scale of evaluation for its thorough development of the thesis and for being substantial, knowledgeable and relevant to the topic at hand. According to assessors A and B's observations, it was discovered that students made better progress while creating paragraphs that were pertinent to the topic given to them. The complete applicability of the supporting details to the issue was also evident in many writing samples but nothing was particularly clear regarding the formulation of a thesis. It was suggested that TBLT should be used for a longer duration in order to get the desired effects considering that the short resea rch period may have contributed. 4.2. Organizational Skills The organization was rated on the basis of fluency, the expressed concepts' intelligibility which was clear and supported by relevant information, cohesion and a well-organized and logical sequence. Due to increased fluency, clarity and succinctness, the assessor believed that the learners' writing ability had greatly improved in terms of organization. According to the evaluators, the post-study examples also had writing that was more concise, cohesive and used language that was clearer and more acceptable. They noticed that the post-study samples were more fluid and contextually appropriate with few faults in the overly detailed presentation of certain concepts. These results are in line with a study by Hamed (2016) that underlined the importance of teaching students collocations and training them on how to properly use them to express meaning. It is undeniable that learners' increased knowledge of appropriate collocations helped them produce academically sound writing because they were clearly articulated because students used pre-made collocational patterns that allow for writing clarity and brevity in the appropriate use of word combinations. 4.3. Lexical Range The assessors in the current study assessed the vocabulary in accordance with word choice and use in context, form and suitability. Examiners noted an improvement in vocabulary in the tasks that required students to compose narrative essays. They suggested the intricacy and formality as well as the use of a wider range of appropriate vocabulary. Students were able to use collocational patterns without making any significant form or usage errors when given the appropriate focus. The findings support a study by Zaabalawi and Gould (2017) that found collocational combinations may be taught to EFL students effectively when done with a method that hasn't previously been used (reading texts in conjunction with measurements of spontaneous use). When compared to the use of typical (structured) exercises, the study's technique appears to have extraordinary value in developing the natural and spontaneous employment of collocations. It also endorses findings from Ebrahimi-Bazzaz, Abd Samad, Bin Ismail, and Noordin (2014) that verb-noun collocational knowledge may be developed more quickly and easily when taught in formal educational settings as this study indicates. This further confirms a study by Zhang and Sukying (2021) on the impact of many exposures in the incremental process of vocabulary learning by indicating that the growth of collocational knowledge depends on the number of contacts with the target words in context . 4.4. Use of Target Language Students used more collocations to communicate their thoughts coherently without the use of unnecessary words or phrases. The researcher believed that learners committed mistakes in grammar and spelling. These results which are based on the study support Lewis's (2000) assertion that L2 students frequently build longer sentences to adequately convey their views, increasing the risk that they will make more errors and deviate from norms set by native speakers. The evaluators also observed that learners had improved in their use of more exact prepositions which might be connected to the instruction of grammatical collocations. Thus, the current study has interpreted a few prepositional errors as a sign of better grammar in the students' writing. The results supported Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 485 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. earlier collocation research, demonstrating that advanced language learners frequently have a sufficiently broad and diversified mental vocabulary at their disposal when participating in language exercise (Lewis, 2000). Their collocational proficiency which is produced by having access to a huge collection of collocations allows them to communicate their mental processes clearly. Students often use longer phrases because they are unfamiliar with useful collocations that might help them effectively express their opinions (Hill, 2000). 4.5. Mechanics Students made less spelling errors and the assessors proposed that this might be because vocabulary was regularly used in class which helped learners retain the words. According to evaluations of spelling mistakes, punctuation and capitalization, the majority of learners showed overall progress. The students who showed the least growth were a selected handful. In a nutshell, the results of the present study have supported the use of collocations in writing and may be viewed as further observed data to support this claim. In addition to these findings, they are consistent with those of Bahardoust's (2013) study on the important impact of students' collocational ability on writing improvement by using a collocational consciousness-raising strategy. The results are also consistent with the study conducted by Zaabalawi and Gould (2017) which indicates teaching collocational combinations to EFL students is effective when done using an approach that doesn't seem to have been employed before (reading texts in conjunction with measures of spontaneous use). In particular, the study's strategy appears to have exceptional value in fostering natural and spontaneous usage of collocations when compared to the use of standard (structured) exercises. Similarly, Namvar et al. (2012) research results underlined the significance of teaching collocations to L2 learners in writing classes by emphasizing how having a thorough comprehension of these pre -made word chunks tends to save learners time and energy. According to Khonamri, Ahmadi, Pavlikova, and Petrikovicova's (2020), investigation into the effects of explicit collocation teaching on L2 learners' awareness and use of them in writing, it was concluded that teaching English collocations to L2 learners and increasing their awareness helped to improve their ability to write competently. Additionally, the results are consistent with Hamed's (2016) research which found that the collocation consciousness-raising technique significantly improved learners' writing performance. Nizonkiza (2017) investigated the collocations produced in tasks completed by the Burundian study p articipants (N = 218) using a pre- and post-test experimental design. They were given completed activities and an essay writing task before and after being exposed to a collocation-based curriculum through the awareness-raising methodologies. According to the results, students substantially more frequently used collocations in both tasks on the post -test than they did on the pre-test. Moreover, Saudi English language learners who were either given awareness-raising tasks, communicative tasks or a combination of the two were the subjects of Mukhrib's (2020) study and showed significant improvements in their language performance. 5. CONCLUSION This study intends to look into the use of task-based learning in an undergraduate L2 course at a government college in Pakistan. The researcher tried to find out how collocations impact writing for L2 students. The study's findings suggest that English collocations can help writers develop their work. In terms of organization, topic, vocabulary, language use and mechanics, the study's findings demonstrated that communicative and awareness- raising tasks had a substantial influence on students' writing ability. Students have been effectively encouraged to use acceptable collocations in relevant situations and to produce essays using a variety of assignment formats, in particular, task-based instructions. Offering students assignments based on their individual learning needs often motivates them to use the language they are already familiar with and to provide examples for what they are not. They also understand the value of collocations in academic writing despite the fact that it requires a lot of effort on in-class tasks to understand and retain the collocational patterns. Task-based instructions help students use Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 475-490 486 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. appropriate collocations while also enhancing the complexity, fluency and correctness of their L2 writing. Ultimately, giving children assignments that are tailored to their needs enables them to both use their existing language and learn new topics. 6. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY Learning a foreign language is a complex process that typically takes many years. Nevertheless, extrapolating the study's findings to a larger population will be difficult because it will be brief and use a small sample. As a result, the findings cannot be applied to a larger group with equal assurance because the main goal of the study is to comprehend a specific phenomenon rather than determine whether the results are statistically significant. The literature review will define collocations and discuss their significance in language and use in writing skills (Ochieng, 2009). This case study's primary drawback is that it uses a perspective-based style of inquiry since it explores the nature of writing development rather than only focusing on advances through quantitative metrics. As a result, since it is a case study and not a statistical generalization making generalizations may be difficult. 7. RECOMMENDATIONS The study's findings have important ramifications for language learners as well as language teachers, instructional designers, L2 specialists and material developers. The primary educational lesson to be learned from this study is that teachers should both teach and raise students' awareness of particular word combinations while they are using them in written assignments. If students realise how crucial collocational vocabulary is to writing successfully, they will put forth more effort to expand it and are more likely to use it. This study only looked at the intermediate proficiency level. Larger sample sizes and L2 learners with a range of language proficiency can be used in future studies. Future studies might also look at the treatment's long-term effects between the immediate and delayed post- tests or they could look at the treatment's effectiveness over time by doing a number of delayed post-tests. Writing was only identified in this study. Subsequent investigations can evaluate the method's effectiveness in speaking, listening and reading. The study also included semi-structured interviews with the writing instructors as a method of obtaining qualitative data. Future researchers will be able to learn more about the subject by collecting essential qualitative data using a variety of techniques such as journal writing, classroom observation and other strategies. Funding: This research is supported by University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Grant number: Q032). 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