Investigating Collocations Problems Encountered by EFL Learners

Abstract

This study is intended to investigate the problem of Learning English collocations as a foreign Language. The objective of the research is to determine the degree of collocational problems of EFL Learners and the causes of collocational mistakes, with ultimate goal of getting a clear cut solutions. The study tool was collocation test comprising 20 multiple choice questions divided among six collocation patterns and the second part, is putting the given expressions into the correct categories. The participants of this study were engaged in Collocations problem test that consisted of (40) students in their fourth-year at the College of Languages, within the academic year (2014-2015) at Sudan University of Science and Technology. To fulfill the aims of the study, patterns of collocations were designed and the data has been statistically analyzed by SPSS programme. The research findings have revealed serious inadequateness in subjects' collocatioal problem and the evaluation of collocation patterns reveals that the number of (adverb + adjective). The general results were below the average value. Based on the subjects' unsatisfactory performance, the researcher has recommended certain remedial measures including raising awareness of lexical collocation among EFL Learners because of learners' weakness in this type and Learners should be given tests which can be done every month to overcome these problems, in addition to the students' problem in transferring their L1 to L2 in using collocation.