The Relationship Between English Vocabulary Size and Reading Comprehension Among EFL University Students
Keywords:
Vocabulary size, Reading Comprehension, EFL learners, Correlation, Language proficiencyAbstract
Background: Vocabulary knowledge is a fundamental component of language proficiency and plays a critical role in reading comprehension. A larger vocabulary enables learners to understand texts more effectively and supports overall language development.
Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between English vocabulary size and reading comprehension among EFL university students.
Method: A quantitative correlational design was employed involving 80 undergraduate EFL students. Data were collected using a Vocabulary Size Test (VST) and a reading comprehension test. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation were used to analyze the data.
Results: The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between vocabulary size and reading comprehension (r = .68, p < .001). Students with larger vocabularies tended to achieve higher reading comprehension scores. The coefficient of determination indicated that vocabulary size accounted for approximately 46% of the variance in reading comprehension performance.
Conclusion: English vocabulary size is significantly associated with reading comprehension among EFL learners. The results suggest that enhancing learners’ vocabulary knowledge may contribute to improved reading performance and overall language proficiency.
