PRAGMATIC COMPETENCE IN EFL STUDENT–FACULTY EMAIL WRITING: A CRITICAL REVIEW WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR UZBEKISTAN

Academic email writing requires more than grammatical accuracy because students must choose language that fits the recipient, purpose, status relationship and level of imposition. This critical review examines pragmatic competence in EFL student–faculty email writing focusing on difficulties reported in previous research and their relevance to Uzbek higher education. International studies have primarily addressed request realization, politeness, mitigation, pragmatic transfer and contextual appropriateness (Biesenbach-Lucas, 2007; Bou-Franch, 2013; Alsalem, 2024; López-Serrano, 2025). Uzbek evidence identifies L1 pragmatic transfer and request avoidance, in student–teacher emails (Shaitan & Zakhidova, 2021). Comparative research also reveals differences between English and Uzbek academic correspondence in the realization of politeness (Ibodilloyevna, n.d.). Local instructional studies indicate improvement following focused teaching or exposure to authentic materials (Rahmonaliyeva, 2025; Mamajonova, 2025). The review highlights the need for greater attention to pragmatic competence in academic email instruction within Uzbek higher education.