Investigating Difficulties Encountered by Sudanese Graduate Students in Using English Collocation

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating difficulties encountered by Sudanese Graduate Students in using English collocation. The study adopted adescriptive analytical method. Two tools were used for data collection, a test and an interview. The sample of the study consisted of (80) M.A English language students, Sudan University of Science and Technology, in addition to an interview for (10) experts of English language teachers from different Sudanese universities. The data were analyzed statistically by using Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) program which provides percentage results for the test. This study has come out with the findings that, M.A English language students are not sufficiently aware of using English collocations properly due to many reasons such as learning words in isolation not in chunks, university syllabus does not sufficiently cover English collocations, and Mother tongue interference hasa negative impact on M.A students in utilizing collocations properly because they tend to think in mother tongue while speaking English. At the end of the study the researcher has presented some recommendations stressing that words should be learnt in chunks, collocations should be included sufficiently in university syllabus, students should think in English not in mother tongue while using English, Teachers should encourage students to raise their awareness of using English collocations, in addition to some suggestions for further relevant studies that will help students in the same field.