Classification and Explanatory Analysis of Student Errors in Advanced English Composition II, 1979/80
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Date
1981-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In this study, errors in the compositions of 89 3rd and 4th
year students were identified and classified. The errors were based
on 157 essays written for the cdurse, Advanced Composition II. A .,
total of 56,426 words were used in these essays. Of these, j204 were
errors of one kind or the other and their average frequency of occurrence
was about 6 errors in a 100-word essay.
These 3204 errors were classified into,six major categories,
namely, grammar, style, spelling, punctuation, handwriting and unclasoifiable
errors. Specifically, it was found out: that 1525 errors
or 3% of the total words or 48% of the total errors were made in grammar;
that 753 errors or 1% of the total words or 24% of the total
errors were made in style; that 526 errors or Oe9% of all the words
used or 16% of the total errors were committed in spelling; that 303
errors or 0.5% of the total words used or 9% of the total errors were
made in punctuation; and that 35 errors or 0.06% of all words used or
1.1% of the total errors were in handwriting.
On the subcategory level, it was also found out: that diction
accounted for 507 errors or 0.9% of the total words or 16% of all the
errors; that both agreement and tense were responsible for 770 errors
or 1.4% of the total words or 24% of all errors; and that prepositions
& particles accounted for 341 errors or 0.6% of the total words used
or 10.6% of all errors.
On the basis of these findings, it was recommended that ILS
students should be taught spelling formally. It was also recommended
that diction or vocabulary, tense, agreement, prepositions & particles
and punctuation be taught formally and intensively.
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Advanced English Composition