Comparative Analysis of Errors in the Use of Simple Past in the Essays of NCE One Students in Some Selected Colleges of Education in Kano

Abstract

This paper compares errors in the use of the simple past between some selected private and public colleges of education in Kano state. The study's goals are to identify kinds of errors made by students, investigate the most common types errors identified in their writing, and determine the relevance of differences in errors made by students of English from four colleges of education. The sample size of 80 students for the study was determined using a random sampling technique, with the population consisting of NCE one students of English from four colleges of education. Students were given a test as an instrument. The study used the error types of Dulay et al., (1982) and error analysis of Ellis (2003), The t-test statistical method of analysis was used as well as simple percentage. The result reveals the error classification of addition, omission, misinformation and misordering from the writings of NCE one students of English from the four colleges of education. It also reveals the misinformation error type was committed with the highest frequency by NCE one students from public and private colleges of education. Lastly, it reveals the mean performance of public students which is 6.5 with SD 3.3 is low/less than the mean of private students which is 7.6 with SD 3.7, and it shows that the private colleges committed more errors in the use of simple than that of public colleges of education. It was recommended constant training of students on grammar, more especially the use of good tenses is needed, textbooks on grammar should be purchased by students for practice, further research on tense error should be encouraged and comparative study should be carried out to ensure proper teaching and learning.