Influence of Vocabulary Expansion and Grammar Lessons on Minimizing Ambiguity in English Written Communication among Ordinary Level Students

This paper examined how vocabulary expansion and grammar lessons influence the minimization of ambiguity in English written communication among lower-secondary school students in Mbale Secondary School, Uganda. A cross-sectional descriptive survey methodology was adopted using a mixed-methods approach. Data collection was conducted between February and April, 2026. The sample consisted of 340 participants, including 320 ordinary-level students and 20 teachers of English language. For respondents' demographic characteristic Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM version 4), SPSS version 30 for demographic data and qualitative thematic analysis using NVivo. The results indicated that vocabulary expansion had a strong and statistically significant positive relationship with minimizing ambiguity in English written communication (β=0.651, p<0.000) while structured grammar lessons demonstrated a statistically significant but weaker relationship with minimizing ambiguity in English written communication (β=0.154, p<0.000). Collectively, the two predictor variables accounted for 55.0% of the variance in minimizing ambiguity in English written communication (R²=0.550), indicating moderate explanatory power of the model. Qualitative findings further revealed that vocabulary expansion and continuous grammar lessons improved clarity, coherence, and precision in students’ writing. The findings suggest the need for secondary schools to strengthen vocabulary development programs and structured grammar instruction to improve students’ writing competence and reduce ambiguity in written communication. The study provides empirical evidence for teachers, curriculum developers, and education policymakers seeking to improve English language instruction and writing clarity among ordinary level secondary school learners in Mbale Secondary School and Uganda at large.

Vocabulary Expansion, Grammar Lessons, Minimizing Ambiguity, English Written Communication, Ordinary Level Secondary School Students

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