Interplay of language proficiency, gender, test anxiety, and cognitive strategies: The spectrum of guessing behaviors in multiple-choice assessments among Saudi EFL learners

This study investigates the spectrum of guessing behaviors among 80 Saudi EFL learners within multiple-choice tests, emphasizing the influence of language proficiency, test anxiety, gender differences, and strategic decision-making. A novel category, “Guessing with Partial Knowledge,” related to language attrition, highlights how foundational yet incomplete language knowledge shapes guessing strategies. This addition complements traditional categories from blind guessing to strategic, knowledge-based guessing. The analysis reveals that higher proficiency students are prone to educated guessing utilizing deep linguistic insights and contextual cues, whereas those with lower proficiency might rely on simpler heuristics. Notably, gender differences emerged, with female students displaying more cautious and methodical guessing approaches compared to the often-impulsive strategies of male students. This study advocates for educational strategies that bolster language retention, strategic guessing, and address the nuanced needs of male and female learners in test-taking scenarios.