Comparative Study on Chinese EFL Learner’s Complaint Speech Acts

Pragmatic competence plays a crucial role in facilitating effective and contextu-ally appropriate communication in real-world interactions. However, existing research has primarily centered on English-major undergraduates or compara-tive studies with native speakers, leaving other learner groups under-examined. To address this gap, this study investigates complaint speech acts across three distinct groups: Non-English-major undergraduates, English-major undergradu-ates, and English-major postgraduates. The findings demonstrate that profi-ciency level significantly influences both the strategic formulation and linguis-tic realization of complaints. Higher-proficiency learners exhibit greater diplo-matic nuance and situational adaptability in their expressions, whereas low-er-proficiency learners rely on more direct strategies. These results underscore the importance of proficiency-tailored pedagogical interventions in pragmatic instruction. By aligning teaching methods with learners’ developmental stages, educators can more effectively enhance communicative competence in EFL contexts.