An analysis of syntactic errors in sentence construction: a case study of selected undergraduate first-year English majors in a South African University
This study provides an analysis of syntactic errors in sentence construction by first-year undergraduate English students in one of rural-base university located in Limpopo. The process of arranging words to form comprehensible sentences is governed by a set of rules, known as syntactic rules, which ensure that sentences are constructed coherently and convey concise meanings to readers. Some research studies conducted in South Africa and other countries have indicated that writing is challenging, particularly for students with limited knowledge of a second language (L2). English sentences commonly consist of three important components: the subject, the verb, and the object. These components should be effectively aligned in both simple, compound, and complex sentences to convey a complete, meaningful thought. If the subjects and verbs are not effectively aligned, it may be difficult for the readers to grasp the intended messages. Therefore, this study aims to investigate syntactic errors made by the first-year English majors in simple, compound, and complex sentences at a selected South African university. This study is underpinned by error analysis theory (EA) and grounded theory (GT). An exploratory qualitative approach was adopted in this study, using a combination of document analysis, group discussions, and case studies as primary data collection methods to gain in-depth insights into sentence composition. Convenience sampling, a non-probability sampling method, was used to select 20 students as participants. A deductive approach, which is one of the thematic data analysis techniques, has been used to analyse the data collected from students’ essay writing and group discussions. Descriptive analysis has been employed to interpret the collected data and report the findings in words, making it easier for readers to understand the study's findings quickly. The results revealed that the students know about constructing simple sentences but faced difficulties in linking independent clauses with each other or with dependent clauses to form grammatical compound and complex sentences. It was because most students were identified as having a low proficiency level in the correct use of punctuation, coordinating, and subordinating conjunctions. Furthermore, the results revealed that most students were able to distinguish the structural variations between phrases, clauses, and sentences, but found it challenging to link phrases and clauses to form grammatically correct sentences, particularly complex sentences. Based on the data analysis and interpretation in Chapter 4, it was found that the omission of a comma, subject-verb agreement errors, run-on sentences, redundancy, comma splices, and pronoun-noun agreement issues were common types of errors committed by the students. In conclusion, the study wanted to identify critical challenges faced by the students in sentence construction. It is found that the students are able to align words properly to form phrases and sentences. However, most of the faced difficulties in using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions to form comprehensible sentence, which is a challenge in academic writing. Most of the students demonstrated lack of knowledge in concord rules. Some corresponded plural subjects with singular verb forms while other aligned singular subjects with verbs that are in plural states, which is regarded as subject-verb agreement errors. Lastly, the students can also use grammar books and study syntax chapters to have deep understanding in linking different words to form well-organised simple, compound, and complex sentences. The results of this study are expected to help the curriculum advisors, L2 lecturers, syllabus designers, and future researcher to be able to identify the critical challenges faced by the students in sentence construction.
Syntax, L1, L2, Transfer, Limited knowledge, Low proficiency, UCTD
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