An analysis of syntactic errors in sentence construction: a case study of selected undergraduate first-year English majors in a South African University
type: CreativeWork
description: 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 link…
abstract: 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 link…
author: Ndou, Thompho
language: en
keywords: Syntax, L1, L2, Transfer, Limited knowledge, Low proficiency, UCTD
date published: 2026-05-19
date modified: 2026-07-27T21:57:48Z
provider: University of Venda
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Venda