<![CDATA[Grammatical errors are a natural part of second language acquisition and provide valuable insights into learners' language development. Based on Selinker's Interlanguage Theory (2015), grammatical errors are viewed as indicators of interlanguage development rather than evidence of language failure. This study aimed to analyze the grammatical errors produced by postgraduate EFL students in academic WhatsApp group interactions and to examine how these errors reflect interlanguage development. A descriptive qualitative design was employed using naturally occurring WhatsApp chat messages collected from two academic WhatsApp groups of students enrolled in the Master of English Language Teaching Study Program. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis and classified according to Selinker’s Interlanguage Theory (2015) into three interlanguage processes: language transfer, overgeneralization of target language rules, and second language communication strategies. The findings revealed that the grammatical errors were systematic rather than random and reflected the learners’ ongoing interlanguage development through these three processes. The findings also suggest that academic WhatsApp interactions provide an authentic context for observing how postgraduate EFL students construct and refine their interlanguage in natural communication. This study concludes that grammatical errors should be viewed as a natural part of second language development rather than as evidence of language failure. Future research is encouraged to involve participants from different educational contexts and digital communication platforms to provide a broader understanding of interlanguage development in online learning environments.]]>
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