Tense errors in the writings of students a case study of St. Bernadette’s Technical Institute

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the tense errors in the writings of students of St. Bernadette’s Technical Institute in order to establish the exact problems for redress. The researcher used the qualitative approach for the data collection and analysis. Questionnaire, observation and class exercises and test formed the instruments mainly used for the study. The respondents for the study were fifty (50) students and six (6) English Language teachers in St. Bernadette’s Technical Institute whose data were collected, interpreted and analyzed. The study revealed that students make errors in all the tense forms even though the progressive forms recorded the least. They mostly used the suffixes “-ed”or “-d” as a past tense marker for all verbs as well as for their participles and the third person singular present form marker “-s” as a plural marker. These errors are caused by many factors which include; interlingual and intralingual factors as well as inappropriate teaching methods and approaches by the teachers. The use of student centered approach and variety of teaching methods, applying tense usage in all aspects of the language, deductive approach and improved knowledge and techniques of teaching are some of the activities to help students overcome tense errors. It is hoped that if the recommendations that this study came out with are given the needed attention, it will go a long way to improve the performance of students in the use of tenses and the English Language as a whole.