An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system and corresponding method for improved combustion efficiency of an internal combustion engine having a number of cylinders, comprising one or more main cylinders connected to an intake manifold and one or more cylinders operable as a dedicated EGR cylinder(s). The dedicated EGR cylinder(s) have two independent intake flow paths for where one flow path provides only intake air and one flow path provides air and recirculated exhaust gas. The exhaust gas output of the one or more dedicated EGR cylinders are connected to an exhaust gas recirculation loop which delivers the exhaust gas output to the main cylinder intake manifold.