Decoding Ambiguous Sentences: A Syntactic Study of EFL Students

This study investigates EFL students’ comprehension of structural ambiguity in English sentences, particularly PP-attachment ambiguity involving locative and instrumental prepositional phrases. Structural ambiguity may cause more than one syntactic interpretation and can affect students’ comprehension, reading, writing, and syntactic analysis. The study aims to identify which PP-attachment reading is more difficult for students, NP-attachment/adjectival reading or VP-attachment/adverbial reading, and to examine the factors contributing to their difficulties. This research employs a descriptive quantitative design. The participants are sixth-semester students of the English Education Study Program, Tadulako University, who have passed the Syntax course. From a population of 174 students, 122 students are selected using Slovin’s formula with a 5% margin of error. Data are collected through a syntactic ambiguity test and a questionnaire, and analyzed statistically to describe students’ recognition of ambiguous structures and the factors influencing their interpretation. The study is expected to provide empirical evidence on EFL students’ ability to decode ambiguous English sentences and to clarify the role of syntactic knowledge in resolving PP-attachment ambiguity. Its findings may support syntax-related research and help lecturers design grammar, reading, and writing instruction that addresses structural ambiguity more explicitly.