The paper titled "Analyzing Syntactic Errors in EFL" focuses on identifying and analyzing syntactic errors in the written texts of undergraduate EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students in Saudi Arabia. The primary research question is to understand the types and causes of syntactic errors in EFL students' writing.
The study aims to explore the common syntactic errors made by EFL students and provide pedagogical implications that could help instructors develop more effective course outlines. The research particularly investigates the influence of the students' native language (Arabic) on their English writing and the general challenges faced by students in acquiring proper syntax in a second language.
The methodology involved collecting written data from undergraduate female students aged 18 to 24. The data comprised essays, paragraphs, emails, and other written assignments. These texts were thoroughly analyzed to categorize and identify syntactic errors, with a particular focus on common issues such as ungrammaticality, inappropriate word choice, incorrect use of parts of speech, verb tense disagreement, and improper punctuation.
The key findings revealed that the most frequent errors included the misuse of functional entries like prepositions, incorrect application of lexical entries, improper linking of words in sentences, and frequent informal language usage. The study identified that these errors were often the result of both mother tongue influence (MTI) and the inadequate emphasis on English in primary education. The analysis highlighted that students tend to write English sentences using Arabic syntax, which leads to common grammatical mistakes.
The study concludes that there is a significant need for better instruction in syntax, particularly in understanding word order, use of tenses, sentence structure, and the correct application of parts of speech. The findings suggest that introducing English earlier in the curriculum and encouraging a more immersive learning environment would help students overcome these challenges. The research also recommends that instructors should focus on creating a friendly classroom atmosphere and actively involve students in the learning process to reduce reliance on translation methods and enhance their syntactic awareness.