Learners' Problems With English Syntax: An investigation into undergraduate Students' Errors in Written English Expressions with Special reference to Syntactic Choices

Abstract

This research report covers an investigation into the correlationship between the problems the undergraduate students face in English syntax , ie, the construction of grammatical sentences according to sets of rules and the variables suggested as the type of college , location, gender , socio-economic situations, first language , interest and motivation. The investigation has tried to find answers to the questions concerning the extent to which these variables affected the students' performance in English. The research has adopted a cross-sectional semi- experimental design using subjects , tools and a diagnostic test to find facts to answer the research questions from which the null and research hypotheses have been formulated . The subjects are third year students specializing in English in six universities across the country, drawn by random picking and totaling 103 both sexes. Questionnaires and interview forms were used as tools to gather data. The diagnostic test has been devised as a written descriptive composition for assessing the students' ability to construct English sentences when communicating their ideas describing familiar situations or places such as villages or towns. The fact that the test was a free written composition might have proved difficult for the students who have been used to multiple- choice questions and guided compositions to the extent of affecting the result of the test. Nevertheless, the sentences produced were original and free from guesswork. Seven null hypotheses based on the variables have been formulated and tested by Pearson Chi-square method with the results indicating rejection of the first two hypotheses about college type and confirmation of the last five null hypotheses on gender, socio-economic situations, first language and the National Capital city against Regional States Universities. The rejection of the first two hypotheses implies lack of significant differences of standard between groups of students belonging to different types of colleges. The confirmation of the remaining five null hypotheses, on the other hand, implies that the students based in the National Capital city have advantage over the Regional State University students because of the availability and accessibility of the learning /teaching facilities therein, that male students have more time for study than female students and that Arabic language has a stronger influence structurally on its native speakers who are trying to acquire English. It has also been shown by the responses to the questions on interest and motivation in the questionnaires, that in spite of being interested and motivated, the students are generally weak in English as they are impeded by lack of appropriate learning facilities and teaching techniques. The major finding in all is, therefore, that the students can acquire English and be able to construct grammatical English sentences if they are given a good learning environment.