It is a descriptive study based on the analysis of essays written by male and female students in two different schools of Multan, Southern Punjab. In the present research, the researcher has collected data from two different schools i.e. one government and one private. The participants for the present research are the students (boys and girls) of secondary level. The data for the present research has been collected from hundred students in the form of essays on My Favourite Personality and My Autobiography. The researcher has employed Pit Corder’s (1967) model for the analysis of data. The data has been analysed, and the researcher has categorized errors committed by the students into different types i.e. verb tense, subject verb disagreement, inappropriate use of article, wrong use of preposition etc. The data is also represented in the form of pie-chart. Furthermore, the frequency of occurrence of different types of errors is also discussed along with some of the possible causes of errors. The findings of the present research highlight that students of government school commit more errors than that of private. Moreover, the findings also suggest that students commit errors not only due to their mother tongue influence, but because of other reasons which are explained in the analysis section. These findings are valuable for academia to devise policies accordingly.
Table of Contents
I INTRODUCTION
1.1 Statement of the Problem
1.2 Significance of the Study
1.3 Delimitations
1.4 Contrastive Analysis
1.5 Objective (s) of the Study
1.6 Research Methodology
1.7 Research Questions
1.8 Chapter Summaries and Divisions
II LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Target Language
2.2 Language Interference
2.3 Second Language Acquisition
2.4 Similar Research Works
2.5 Errors in Language
2.6 Theoretical Framework
2.7 Key Terms
2.7.1 Mistake
2.7.2 Error
2.7.3 Error Analysis
2.7.4 Narrative Essay
2.7.5 Descriptive Essay
2.8 The Acquisition of Articles and Determiners: Some Basis Hypotheses
2.8.1 Feature-Based Discourse Models
2.8.2 Functional Morphology: Data Errors and Analysis
2.9 Articles: Literature Review and Theoretical Understanding
2.9.1 Article-Based Theory: 1. Discourse Rule Transfer (DRT)
2.9.2 Article- The Second Theory: ARC and the Fluctuation Hypothesis
III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design of the Present Study
3.2 Research Questions
3.3 Data Collection Procedure
3.4 Data Analysis
3.5 Ethical Considerations
IV DATA ANALYSIS
4.1 Verb Tense
4.2 Word Order
4.3 Subject-Verb Agreement
4.4 Capitalization
4.5 Spelling
4.6 Articles
4.7 Prepositions
4.8 Sentence Fragment
4.9 Double Negative
4.10 Pronouns
V CONCLUSION AND FINDINGS
5.1 Findings
5.2 Suggestions for Future Researchers
5.3 Recommendations
5.4 Future Research
Research Objectives and Thematic Focus
The primary objective of this research is to identify and analyze grammatical errors in English essays written by tenth-grade students in two distinct school systems (government and private) in the Southern Punjab region of Pakistan. The study aims to categorize these errors, determine their frequency of occurrence, and explore the underlying causes behind such linguistic deviations to assist educators in developing more effective instructional strategies.
- Comparative analysis of error frequency between government and private school students.
- Categorization of common grammatical errors (e.g., verb tense, subject-verb agreement, articles).
- Investigation of the influence of mother tongue (Urdu) interference on second language acquisition.
- Evaluation of instructional methods and their impact on students' writing proficiency.
- Practical application of Error Analysis (EA) to enhance pedagogical approaches and curriculum design.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Statement of the Problem
Learners of English language of Pakistan commit different grammatical errors while writing or speaking English language, and these errors create a lot of problems for these learners in order to understand this language completely. There are two types of schools in Pakistan; government and private. The students of both the schools study English, but the difference is that the language skills gained by the students are dissimilar and the students make different type of errors that are directly related to the base of their skills. It is usually perceived that the students learning in private schools do less errors and mistakes in the use of this language than the ones that are studying in the government schools.
English is taught as second language in Pakistan, and to write this language is a difficult task for the students of secondary classes. The problem is that students of Pakistan make different grammatical errors while writing or speaking the language. The purpose of this study is to assess and examine the writing skills of the students of same age but different teaching background. English has been the second highest language being taught in the schools, colleges and universities. The first one is Urdu, which is the national language of Pakistan. To deal on national and international forums, individuals must not only know how to speak or understand English, but they must be equally able to write. The people of Pakistan have always found this language difficult to understand and to write as well. Students of Pakistan enrolled in the lower or high schools are not capable and skilful enough to have a hold on the language. The problem begins when students start committing errors and remain unable to develop error free use of language in their writing skills.
Summary of Chapters
I INTRODUCTION: Provides a historical background of English in Pakistan, the context of the study, and outlines the research problem, objectives, and research questions.
II LITERATURE REVIEW: Explores existing research and theoretical frameworks regarding Error Analysis, second language acquisition, and factors influencing language learning.
III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Details the descriptive research design, data collection procedures, and the adapted Corder (1967) model used for analyzing student essays.
IV DATA ANALYSIS: Presents the classification, frequency, and percentage of grammatical errors identified in the students' essays along with common causes and illustrative corrections.
V CONCLUSION AND FINDINGS: Summarizes the key findings of the study, offers suggestions for future researchers, and provides recommendations for educational policy and instruction.
Keywords
Error Analysis, Second Language Acquisition, Pakistani Learners, Grammatical Errors, Verb Tense, Subject-Verb Agreement, Mother Tongue Interference, Writing Skills, Descriptive Study, Educational Policy, Applied Linguistics, Student Performance, English Language Teaching, Error Correction, Secondary Education
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on performing an error analysis of English essays written by secondary level students in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, to understand the nature and causes of their grammatical mistakes.
What are the primary themes addressed in the study?
The central themes include the categorization of grammatical errors, the comparative performance of government versus private school students, the role of mother tongue interference, and the application of pedagogical theories to improve writing skills.
What is the main objective of this work?
The main objective is to identify and categorize specific types of grammatical errors, estimate their frequency, and provide recommendations to instructors to help students reduce these errors through better teaching strategies.
Which scientific method is utilized in this study?
The study employs a descriptive, quantitative research method, utilizing student essays as the primary data source, analyzed through an adapted version of Corder’s (1967) Error Analysis model.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the literature review on second language acquisition, a detailed methodology section, and a comprehensive analysis of various error types such as verb tense, word order, subject-verb agreement, and article usage.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Error Analysis, Second Language Acquisition, Mother Tongue Interference, Grammatical Errors, and English Language Teaching.
How does the educational background affect student performance according to this study?
The study indicates that students from private schools tend to commit fewer grammatical errors compared to those in government schools, suggesting that institutional differences and teaching methodologies play a significant role in student proficiency.
What is the significance of distinguishing between 'mistakes' and 'errors'?
The study draws on Corder (1967) to distinguish between 'mistakes' (performance slips) and 'errors' (gaps in competence), noting that understanding this difference is crucial for teachers to provide appropriate feedback.
What specific suggestions are made for future researchers?
The author suggests expanding research boundaries to include more schools and investigating additional variables—such as teaching styles and teacher competency—that may influence student learning and error production.
- Quote paper
- Asad Javaid (Author), 2017, Error Analysis of English Essays written by Students of Southern Punjab, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/425071
