Analytic Study of Errors in Using Tenses by French Foreign Language Learners at Sudan University of Science and Technology

Abstract

This research constitutes an investigation on the difficulties that learners of French as a foreign language face in the usage of tenses.The main objective of this study is to identify,classify and analyse misuses of tenses in learners writings so as to suggest means of overcoming such difficulties. The first chapter of this research deals with notions related to the concept of Error,itsdefinition,the different theories of error analysis and contrastive analysis.It also tackels the importance of writing as an essential skill in the learning process. The second chapter gives a description of tenses in French;the different forms of verbs,theirusages,etc… It also discusses notions such as Aspectuality/Temporality/Modality in both Arabic and French languages. The third chapter presents the contextual elements of the study;thelearners,the syllabus and the test as well as a general background of French learning in the Sudan. The fourth and last chapter presents the findings of the research that confirm the hypothesis concerning the types of errors,their causes etc… According to the results of this research,learners of French at the faculty of languages of the Univrsity of Sudan for Sciences and Technology encounter many difficulties in manipulating tenses of French particularly in the expression of past events.The researcher suggests that such difficulties come from the Interference of the mother tongue as well as the complexity of the verbal system of French(interlanguage/intralanguage). To conclude ,the researcher has set up a number of suggestions for the treatment of errors and a better acquisition of tenses by Sudanese learners of French as a foreign language.