Investigating Problems Facing EFL Learners in Utilizing Collocations in Oral Communication

Abstract

This study aims at investigating problems that facing EFL learners in utilizing collocations in oral communication. It tries to help in improving the process of learning English as a foreign language. The sample size of the study is twenty five males and females students. They were selected randomly from first year students of English language at Sudan University of Science and Technology. The study was carried out during the final semester of the academic year of 2021 – 2022. The study followed the descriptive analytical method, and an oral test designed of twenty questions was used as a tool to collect the data for the study. The result of the test has revealed that, the majority of EFL learners face serious difficulties in using lexical collocations in oral communication. It has also revealed that, the majority of them are unaware of using collocations in oral communication. Finally, to help in solving the problems the researcher recommends the following: Teachers should raise students’ awareness of the importance of collocations, they must follow and imply modern methods to help students use collocations in various ways, they should help students pay more attention to the correct use of collocations, they should direct students to practice collocations orally inside and outside the classroom, and they should offer supportive feedback throughout the task cycle, not only to help students identify their weakness in oral communication and ways of overcoming them but also to encourage strengths and consequently motivation and involvement in oral communication. In conclusion, the researcher suggested the following for further studies: Other studies are needed in investigating the effect of using social media on developing spoken language, in investigating the problems facing EFL learners in utilizing phrasal verbs in oral communication, and in investigating the problems facing EFL learners in utilizing idiomatic expressions in oral communication.