This article explores the abstraction process in Chilean students studying English as a foreign language. The development of higher-order skills, including critical thinking and abstraction, is a fundamental objective in education. Abstraction, the ability to identify patterns and utilize information effectively, plays a pivotal role in this process. The study examines the correlation between second language learning and cognitive skill development, emphasizing the importance of English language education. It also delves into the impact of demographic factors like gender, age, school type, and parental education on students’ abstraction skills. Results from descriptive analysis reveal that students generally perform better in perspective than in abstraction. Female students and older individuals demonstrate higher levels of abstraction, and private school students exhibit superior performance. First-generation university students tend to lag behind their peers. The classification analysis highlights the significance of using neural networks over K-Nearest Neighbors, especially Deep Neural Networks, in predicting. In conclusion, studying English as a foreign language can significantly enhance cognitive skills and critical thinking. The application of machine learning techniques improves the classification of abstraction. These findings have far-reaching implications for enhancing educational programs and promoting the development of abstraction skills in English as a foreign language students.