Idioms and communicative competence

Abstract

The present study focused on the relationship between idiomatic expressions and communicative competence with the aim of recognizing how the use of idiomatic expressions affects communication. The research was conducted using a preexperimental research design. The sample consisted of 18 university students belonging to the fourth semester from Pedagogía de los Idiomas Nacionales y Extranjeros at Universidad Técnica de Ambato. The study was divided into eight interventions, two of which were aimed at collecting information using a standardized Cambridge test (B2 First). The test assessed different criteria such as grammar and vocabulary, discourse management, pronunciation, and communicative interaction. The other six interventions focused on the study of idiomatic expressions with emphasis on communicative activities during the learning process. After the treatment ended, the results obtained before and after the treatment indicate that, in the pre-test, the students had a poor command of idiomatic expressions. While after the treatment, a significant improvement was observed as certain expressions were used by the students. According to the statistical analysis, it can be deduced that the use of idiomatic expressions improves the communicative competence of English Language learners as it contributes to daily communication in a certain way, helping them to express themselves naturally as a native speaker.