An Analysis Of Errors Made By Tanzanian Advanced Level Learners Of English In Their Academic Writing

Abstract

This study investigated errors committed by A-level students in their academic writing. In examining the types of errors made, students’ written essays and compositions were analysed. The data were collected by use of writing task; and Content Analysis (CA) method was used in analysing the data. The findings indicate that learners committed numerous errors; and the most prevalent errors committed were lexical errors; followed by orthographic errors, grammatical errors and morphological errors. It was concluded that, though errors in the learners’ language are fruitful and indispensable to both the L2 learners and the teachers; lexical errors are potentially the most disruptive and detrimental errors (in written communication) because they affect the message’s intended meaning. Therefore, since learners appeared to make more lexical errors; and lexical items are key items in any language not only because they convey the intended meaning, but also they play a great role in the process of learning a language; and they are the first linguistic items to be acquired, it is recommended that teachers of English should put more emphasis on content words so as to ensure that learners have an adequate vocabulary which is useful in producing good written tasks as well as speeches.