English in Context: A Study of Lexis, Syntax, and Pragmatics in Bahrain’s Universities

This contextualized study investigates how English language teachers and university-level learners in the Kingdom of Bahrain perceive the core components of the English language: Lexis, Syntax, and Pragmatics. While English is a critical gateway to global careers and higher education in Bahrain, learner experiences vary significantly between native-like fluency and persistent hesitation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research draws on survey responses from 80 participants (comprising 40 teachers and 40 students) to map diverse encounters with the language from the learners' and educators' perspectives. The study reveals a notable consensus between both groups: Pragmatics is considered the most essential aspect of language competence, identified as such by 57.5% of teachers and 55% of students. Conversely, Syntax is viewed as the most challenging component to acquire and apply, with 25 teachers and 21 students identifying it as a major cognitive and pedagogical barrier. These findings reflect a shared belief in the importance of context-sensitive communication and vocabulary acquisition through real-life usage, rather than a reliance on traditional grammar drills. The participants’ perspectives are examined in relation to several theoretical frameworks, including Krashen’s Input Hypothesis, Tomasello’s Usage-Based Theory, and Michael Lewis’s Lexical Approach. Participants expressed a clear preference for immersion, authentic materials, and “chunk-based” learning over isolated rule memorization. Set within the Bahraini higher education context, the study sheds light on shifting pedagogical priorities and learner expectations. It concludes by calling for a shift toward more communicative, socially situated approaches in English language instruction. The results suggest significant implications for curriculum design, advocating for the integration of pragmatic competence and the repositioning of syntax within meaningful, functional contexts to better support the evolving identities of Bahraini learners.