Maryam Larzade Moqadam - Department of ELT, Khouzestan Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
Meisam Ziafar - department of ELT, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

In order to reach the optimum eventual outcome of the contact between learners’ first culture (C1) and the target culture (C2), which is supposed to result in intercultural competence and tolerance, and in order to prevent negative consequences such as stereotypes, biases, prejudices and bigotry, critical thinking serves as an effective strategy. Through acquiring contrastive lexical competence (CLC), realized through Lexical Chunks (LC), taken for granted cultural norms are problematized and learners are defamiliarized only to experience new perspectives and viewpoints. This article aims to indicate how CLC enhances learners’ tolerance and intercultural competence, taking advantage of contributions made so far by research done on critical thinking

intercultural competence, critical thinking, contrastive lexical competence