Error analysis of the use of linking words in tertiary level Essays

Abstract

Over the last decade, there has been an increased interest in analyzing writing skills of students studying English as a Foreign Language both at secondary and tertiary level, including the essay writing skills of non -language students. The aim of the present study is to analyze the types of errors in Errors analysis of the use of linking words and phrases in student examination essays in a tertiary level academic writing course and state the probable causes of these errors. The research method is a case study. The empirical research is based on Corder’s (1967), Reid’s (1998, mentioned in Yates and Kenkel, 2002) and Ngadda and Nwoke’s (2014) theories on the classification of errors and Biber et al.’s (2002) classification of linking adverbials as well as presents the frequency of the types of errors. The research object is academic illustration essays of 18 students studying at Sudan University of Science and Technology (SUST). The main findings of the research indicate that proficient users of a language tend to use linking words and phrases appropriately. The main type of errors found in the essays is intralingua errors caused by faulty learning or teaching, forgetfulness or overexposure to informal use of the target language.