Investigating the Problems of Understanding and Using English - Sentence Structure Among Sudanese University Students

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the problems of Understanding and Using of English - Sentence Structureamong Sudanese University Students. The researcher has adopted a descriptive analytical method. A test and questionnaire is used as an instrument for data collection. A sample of 80 students is randomly selected from National Ribat University, faculty of Languages and translation, fourth 4thyear students of English language. The researcher used questionnaire for the sample of (30) teaching Staff from Sudan University of Science and Technology. The collected data have been analyzed by using SPSS program. The findings indicated that the university students encounter problems of sentence structure due to many factors among them are: the students have knowledge of familiar sentence structure only, as found out from the first question, they lack the ability to understandand use different types of sentence structures. Besides that most of the students were unable to arrange words in sentence so as to make meaningful sentence, as the students of English language encounter problems of distinguishing between interrogative and tag questions. On bases of the aforementioned the researcher proposes some recommendations; of them:1- Teachers have to give students full details about understanding of sentence structure and its different ways of using, this information should be at an earlier stage in learning English when preparing their teaching materials. Besides, 2- they have to intensify different kind of written tests related to the understanding andusing of sentences. Moreover, 3- Teachers have to follow students how to distinguish between interrogative and tag questions. This study is ended with some suggestions for further studies.