Investigating Errors in the English Compositions of Students of Kaneshie Awudome ‘3’ JHS

Abstract

This study identified errors in students’ writing at the Junior High School level. The Chief Examiner’s report for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for 2020/2021 academic year, indicated the poor performance of students in English Language, specifically English composition. It was against this backdrop that the study was undertaken to identify what accounts for the poor performance of candidates. It was realized that errors contributed greatly to this phenomena, because there has always been a high occurrence of errors among students. Error analysis could assist teachers in identifying and analyzing language learners' errors, allowing for opportunities for growth and optimization of language learning. Various errors such as subject- verb agreement mishaps, wrong spelling, wrong capitalization, lack of plural markers, wrong tense usage and so on have been a problem to many Ghanaian students. The data comprised of samples of essays written as part of an end of term examination of the selected school. This study investigated the magnitude of errors in the English Language composition of form two students of Kaneshie Awudome ‘3’ JHS. The sample population was made up of 120 students. The study was both qualitative and quantitative. The study found thirteen types of errors that students of Kaneshie Awudome ‘3’ JHS predominately made. The highest was errors in spelling followed by the wrong use of the past tense marker of verbs. The findings realized that the limited vocabulary and acculturation among others, affected students immensely. It is hoped that when the recommendations are implemented, students will write meaningfully.