This study investigates the use of frame markers in English-medium Master’s theses written by Czech L2 students, comparing their usage to that found in native English academic writing. Three corpora were compiled for analysis: the Master’s thesis corpus (MT), the research article corpus (RA), and a corpus of argumentative essays by novice English L1 writers (BAWE). Guided by Hyland’s (2005) metadiscourse taxonomy, the study examines the frequency, realisation, and functions of frame markers across these corpora, adopting an intercultural perspective to explore cultural and expertise-driven difference in writing practices. Results show that novice Czech writers, like their English-speaking counterparts, use frame markers to provide explicit structuring, especially in sequencing and goal announcement. However, Czech students tend to favour formal, impersonal language, often relying on conventional phrases, while native expert writers combine personal engagement with cohesive devices, such as goal announcers and topic shifters. These findings emphasize the role of cultural and linguistic background in shaping academic discourse and underscore distinct metadiscoursive strategies between novice and expert writers. The study highlights the need for targeted pedagogical approaches, including the analysis of professional academic writing, to help L2 students refine their use of frame markers and effectively meet the demands of advanced academic writing.