A STUDY OF TENSE ERRORS IN THE WRITTEN ENGLISH ESSAY OF SS II STUDENTS IN GIWA EDUCATIONAL ZONE, KADUNA STATE

ABSTRACT

This study titled “A study of Tense Errors in the Written English Essays of SS II students of Giwa Educational Zone” was conducted to find out tense errors in the English written essays of SS II students. A written test was administered to the students. The population for the study was 29 public schools in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna state from which two schools were selected (Government Secondary School Giwa, Government Secondary School Sakadadi). Samples of 60 students were selected from both schools using random sampling technique. The data collected were analyzed using inferential statistics and was used to answer research questions and hypotheses for the study. Research question one showed that female students committed less present tense errors in their written English essays than their male counterparts; research question two also showed that male students committed less past tense errors in their written English essays than their female counterparts; research question three further showed that male students committed less future tense errors in their written English essays than their female counterparts; while research question four generally showed that female students committed less tense errors in their written English essays than their male counterparts. Thus, based on these findings, it was recommended that English language teachers should correct the difficulties encountered by the students immediately as they are made by the students either while speaking or writing.