INTENSIVE READING STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE PRAGMATICS IN INTERMEDIATE EFL LEARNERS

This article investigates the role of intensive reading strategies in developing pragmatic competence among intermediate-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The study explores how systematic engagement with authentic literary and non-literary texts can enhance learners' understanding of speech acts, conversational implicature, and sociolinguistic norms embedded in written discourse. Particular emphasis is placed on reading strategies such as close reading, inferencing, and discourse-level analysis as tools for pragmatic awareness development. The findings suggest that structured intensive reading activities significantly improve learners' ability to interpret and produce contextually appropriate language. Pedagogical implications for EFL curriculum design and classroom practice are discussed.