ANALYSIS OF GRAPHO-GRAMMATICAL ERRORS IN WRITTEN COMPOSITIONS OF SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF LAFIA

Abstract

This study involved a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the nature, distribution, and causes of the grapho-grammatical error class in the written compositions of undergraduate students of the Federal University of Lafia. The research design of this study was descriptive research, which is based on Error Analysis Theory (Corder, 1984) and Interlanguage Theory (Selinker, 1972); the number of students sampled was 120, of which 40 students were drawn from Mass Communication (100 level), 40 from Mass Communication (200 level), and 40 from English and Literary Studies (200 level). Results of the empirical studies showed that the main burden of syntactic errors across all cohorts of students was concord errors (12.6%–13.0%), and tense errors (10.9%–14.6%) were also prevailing, whereas other errors in the category of graphological errors can be said to be prevalent, such as the comma splice and misplaced inverted commas. A large positive correlation between specialised language exposure and error reduction was indicated by cross-cohort quantitative comparisons, which showed that English majors submitted a lower average error burden (2.6 errors per script) than 100-level Mass Communication non-majors (6.3 errors per script) and 200-level Mass Communication non-majors (5.8 errors per script). Based on the qualitative analysis, the error persistence showed two types of model errors: negative first-language (L1) interlingual transfer and intralingual overgeneralisation alongside register interference from informal digital communication. This study concludes that L1 fossilisation of the interlanguage system in writing is not challenged by the usual, passive learning style of lecturing and suggests the employment of diagnostic error profiling, grammar instruction in context, and iterations of drafting to help transition from L1 writing habits to academic norms.