ERRORS IN ENGLISH COMPLEMENTATION PATTERNS AMONG THE N.C.E. STUDENTS OF THE FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZARIA

ERRORS IN ENGLISH COMPLEMENTATION PATTERNS AMONG THE N.C.E. STUDENTS OF THE FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZARIA

Abstract:

Most students, nowadays, in Nigeria have several limitations in the English Language use. The problem stems from various sources. First, most of the students are drawn from differing language groups with apparent difficulty in English. More so, there is usually the problem of limited pre-school exposure to English Language. Secondly, most of the Language activities in schools received little or no extensions out of school. Rather they were viewed as practices that should only be studied for success in examinations. This present day condition of the use of language in Nigerian Schools poses the challenge taken up in this research study, which as a linguistic study, seeks to examine the errors in English Complementation patterns among the N.C.E. students of the Federal College of Education, Zaria. A detailed consideration and analysis of these errors was carried out. Hypothesis were formulated, tested, discussed and refuted based on empirical findings. The study was based on assumptions, which included these: The selected tertiary institution is a fairly good representative of such that have the problem under study. The data was collected through an accurate and reliable research instrument. The constructions used in the study depicting various instances of deviations/breaches in the grammar were a true reflection of the actual performance of the learners. The observations confirmed these assumptions. As its findings, the study had the following: That there exist significant differences in the occurrence of errors in complementation patterns among students of the Arts and Science Categories. That science students show an outstanding indication of identifying errors in complementation patterns more than the students in the Arts category. That there is correlation in the performance of the Arts and Science students in the use of English complementation pattern. Related literature on clauses, complementation patterns, error analysis, and use of English in Nigeria were also reviewed in details. An accurate statistical analysis of the data obtained through the use of the questionnaire was done and valid conclusions drawn in the research methodology aspect. Finally, this research proffered solutions that can be adopted to improve language teaching.

ERRORS IN ENGLISH COMPLEMENTATION PATTERNS AMONG THE N.C.E. STUDENTS OF THE FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZARIA