This study investigated the effect implicit and explicit recasts versus meta-linguistic feedback on EFL Saudi Learners’ grammar performance at the Faculty of Science and Arts. Eighty-six second-level English Department students were randomly assigned into three experimental groups: the implicit recasts group, the explicit recasts group and the meta-linguistic group. While studying their Grammar course, the three groups received three types of feedback respectively. The three groups were pre-post tested using a grammar test prepared by the researcher. Seven hypotheses were formulated and tested. Results obtained from Chi-square, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test and Mann-Whitney Test revealed that the three feedback techniques enhanced the participants’ grammar performance. In addition, the explicit recasts group outperformed the other two groups. The superiority of explicit recasts, theoretically, implies a beneficial role for negative evidence in grammar instruction and implies that, pedagogically, explicit recasts is a better choice for teachers than implicit recasts in grammar classes.
Keywords: : Corrective Feedback, Explicit Recasts, Grammar Performance, Implicit Recasts, Metalinguistic Feedback
