WELCOME TO KENTERPRO:
CONCORD ERRORS IN THE WRITTEN ENGLISH OF NCE II STUDENTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, PANKSHIN AND COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, GINDIRI

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Language proficiency is crucial for effective communication and is considered a fundamental skill that individuals need to master across different domains. Within the realm of English language learning. The English language serves as a paramount instrument for global communication, playing a vital role in facilitating effective exchange of ideas and information across diverse cultures and nations. Its mastery holds particular significance for students aiming to pursue careers in fields such as teaching, translation, journalism, and others that require exceptional written communication skills.

Proficiency in English empowers individuals to articulate their thoughts with clarity, precision, and eloquence, enabling them to convey complex concepts and emotions effectively. This ability not only facilitates better comprehension within one’s immediate environment but also extends beyond, fostering cross-cultural understanding, promoting collaboration, and nurturing harmonious relationships across borders (Okorji & Emmanuel, 2019). Furthermore, as English continues to gain prominence as the language of international business and diplomacy, its mastery opens up a vast array of opportunities for individuals to engage in global endeavors, contribute to the advancement of knowledge, and participate in the exchange of ideas on a global scale. Hence, the mastery of English offers individuals a powerful tool to navigate and succeed in today’s interconnected world.

However, it is important to note that proficiency in English demands to a large extent a reasonable adherence to grammatical rules. This is because English is a rule-governed language. And indeed, communicative competence is enhanced by linguistic competence. Linguistic rules capture the linguistic behaviors of the native speaker/hearer. Naturally, a speaker does not string words together randomly, but follows specific rules which make his speech uniform with those of other speakers. Such rules then are descriptive rather than prescriptive (Lamidi, 2013). It is, therefore, expedient to hint that agreement between the subject and the verb is important in English. There are certain grammatical clues to the number of the subject and the status of the verb which students’ need to be acquainted with. This subject-verb relationship is known as concord.

Concord is a term used in grammatical theory and description to refer to a formal relationship between elements, whereby a form of one word requires a corresponding form of another. A singular subject co-occurs with the third person singular form of the verb in the present tense (Crystal, 1985). Corbett (2006) states that the relationship between two grammatical elements is consistent, so that if one of them selects one function, the other has the same feature. Concord is the general language grammar phrase.

Essentially, concord is the relationship between two grammatical units. One unit that triggers the contractual relationship is known as the “controller,” while another is known as the “target” controller. The syntactic and semantic characteristics of these two units are called “agreement features;” the agreement characteristics are expressed by the use of number and person, where the subject is the controller, and the verb is the target. Concord is, therefore, a grammatical agreement in number between the same different words that share. It is a grammatical notion that handles the agreement that exists among the components of a sentence.

Language is like an organism with different parts. A harmonious relationship is needed among these parts for there to be wholeness (Oyeleye, 2009). The subject and the verb have to agree grammatically in gender, person, number and case. That phenomenon is called subject-verb concord. The verb is considered to be the heart of the sentence and it has to take the same grammatical form as its controller, the subject (Woods, 2010). Concord is the grammatical relationship between the subject (who or what the sentence is about) and the verb in the sentence. If the subject in the sentence is in the plural form, the verb must also be in the plural form. The concept of concord is used in grammatical theory and description to refer to formal relationships that exist between elements of grammar. In simple terms, concord otherwise known as agreement simply means that a form of one word requires a corresponding form of another.

Concord errors, also referred to as subject-verb agreement errors, are a prevalent issue in written expression where a discrepancy arises between the subject and the verb within a sentence (Adeyemi & Babatunde, 2018). These errors can materialize in multiple ways, encompassing number agreement, tense agreement, and person agreement. Number agreement errors occur when a singular subject is erroneously paired with a plural verb, or vice versa, leading to a lack of syntactical harmony.

According to Alabi and Oladimeji (2016), tense agreement errors arise when the verb tense does not correspond appropriately with the timeframe being discussed in relation to the subject. Similarly, person agreement errors occur when the subject and verb do not align in terms of first, second, or third person perspective. Accurate identification and rectification of these concord errors are paramount to achieving grammatical precision and ensuring the clarity and coherence of written expression, enabling effective communication and conveying intended meaning with accuracy.

According to Oyeleye (2009), conscious effort and desire for precision and clarity in communication is required for correct application of concord. Concord should be used appropriately. Arbitrary choices engender and impair meaning. Since language is rule governed, flagrant breaking of rules of concord yield ungrammaticality and shows lack of competence in the way the language operates. All users of the English language need to familiarize themselves with the peculiarities of the language. The users of English as a second language should consciously sieve the peculiarities of his/her mother tongue from those of English. The two linguistic codes should not negatively influence each other; they should re-enforce each other. The rules of each language should be respected. By so doing, errors in concord and other levels of grammar will be highly minimized and easily corrected.

Despite the commendable dedication exhibited by students and teachers alike, the issue of concord errors continues to pose a recurring obstacle in the realm of language learning. Recognizing the significance of this challenge, this study aims to delve deeper into the unique types of concord errors commonly observed among NCE II students at the Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri while simultaneously pinpointing potential factors that contribute to the occurrence of these errors. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the patterns and underlying causes of these errors, teachers can fine-tune their teaching methodologies and approaches to directly address the specific needs and challenges faced by their students, thereby fostering a more effective and tailored learning environment that facilitates improved language proficiency among the learners.

Based on the foregoing, understanding the prevalence and patterns of concord errors in the written English of NCE II students at the English Department of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri holds immense value in enhancing language proficiency and facilitating effective communication, hence this study. By addressing these errors systematically, teachers can help students develop a solid foundation in English grammar and pave the way for successful careers in various professional domains. It is against this backdrop that this study was conducted to make useful recommendations based on the findings.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

            Concord errors have emerged as a persistent obstacle for learners, hindering their capacity to express ideas with precision (Ogechi, 2017). The achievement in the use of concord in the written English of NCE students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri is particularly considered to be generally poor. These errors are observed in the oral and written communication of NCE II students College. This invariably leads to poor academic performance of students as they clearly manifest in students’ performance in their written and oral communicative.

Since concord is basic in English language and it is being taught at all levels, the persistence of concord errors at the high level poses a big challenge and calls for attention. It is even more worrisome, in this case, because the students in Colleges of Education are trained to become teachers in future. Recognizing the importance of addressing the specific challenges encountered by NCE II students in concord usage, the colleges place significant emphasis on understanding these difficulties (Olatunji & Adegbite, 2015). The present study sought to delve into the frequency and patterns of concord errors found in the written English of NCE II students who are currently studying in the English Department of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and college of Education, Gindiri. By examining and analyzing the prevalence and specific types of concord errors committed by these students, this research aims to shed light on the underlying causes and offer strategies for addressing this issue. Ultimately, the findings of this study will contribute to the development of effective pedagogical approaches that can enhance the students’ language proficiency and enable them to communicate more accurately and confidently in written English.

By conducting thorough research and analysis, teachers and administrators gain valuable insights into the areas of struggle experienced by students. Armed with this knowledge, the colleges can design targeted interventions and develop highly effective teaching strategies tailored to the precise needs of NCE II students. These interventions may encompass various approaches, such as specialized workshops, interactive exercises, and one-on-one mentoring, all aimed at enhancing students’ understanding and application of concord in the English language. By focusing on this critical aspect of language learning, the Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri ensure that students receive a comprehensive education, fostering their growth and enabling them to become skilled English language teachers capable of imparting knowledge and inspiring future generations.

1.3       AIM AND OJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to assess concord errors in the written English of NCE II students of the Department of English, Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri. The specific objectives were to:

1. identify the extent to which NCE2 students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education commit subject – verb Concord use errors in filling blank spaces.
2. identify the extent to which NCE2 Students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri commit pronoun-antecedent concord use errors in filling blank spaces.
3. verify the extent to which NCE2 students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri commit Notional concord use errors in filling blank spaces.
4. identify the extent to which NCE2 students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri commit Tense concord errors in filling blank spaces.
5. identify and compare the extent to which NCE2 students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri commit concord use errors in filling blank spaces.
   • RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were posed to guide the study:

2. To what extent do NCE2 students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri commit subject-verb concord use errors in filling blank spaces?
3. To what extent do Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri commit pronoun-antecedent concord use errors in filling blank spaces?
4. To what extent do NCE2 students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri commit Notional concord use errors in filling blank spaces?
5. To what extent do NCE2 students of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri commit Tense concord errors in filling blank spaces?
6. To what extent do NCE2 students of Federal College of Education, Gindiri commit concord use errors in comparison to their college counterparts in filling blank spaces?

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

            This study focused its interest on assessment of concord use errors in the written English of NCE II students, English Department of Federal College of Education, Pankshin and college of Education, Gindiri. The findings of the study would hopefully be of immense importance to students, teachers of English, researchers, educators and curriculum planners among other professionals and stakeholders in education.

The findings of this study are expected to help the NCE students to identify and reduce the concord errors they commit in their written English. Other students in our different institutions of learning and schools could benefit from the results of the study when they are exposed to concord use errors they commit in their written English and how to overcome them. This will make them produce quality essays in the future by exposing them to different rules of concord. They will also become good users of concord while writing their essays in their various fields of endeavors.

Teachers of English in schools would also benefit from this study towards their classroom teachings. It may show teachers where their teachings have not been effective. A systematic study of errors may lead to improved teaching methods through a greater awareness of the nature causes of the errors which learners make. Teachers of English therefore, could learn how to improve their techniques, strategies, and approaches to tackling concord errors and teaching of concord in English Language.

Hopefully, future researchers in the field of English language education would also benefit from this study. Future researchers will hopefully find the study useful as they may identify gaps and wish to replicate the study in different contexts. This will enable them to make further contributions to knowledge.

The study would benefit Government, through the Ministries of Education, who would use the findings to organize seminars, workshops, and talk shows for the teachers of English language on how to teach concord for good essay writing. This could be done by using strategies recommended in the research work. Also, curriculum planners would find this study relevant as it would help them to put up more emphasis on the teaching of concord and writing.

1.6       THEORETICAL /CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This study is premised on the theoretical framework of Universal Grammar Approach (UGA). Universal grammar approach was propounded by Noam Chomsky. It suggests that all languages share a set of common principles and parameters that determine the structures and rules of language. According to this framework, concord errors can be explained as deviations from the universal grammar would involve analyzing concord errors to determine whether they are consistent with the underlying grammatical principles of English while these theoretical frameworks inform the assessment of concord errors in English language learning.

It is important to note that assessment practices may differ depending on the specific context and approaches used by language educators. Assessment methods can range from written exercises and quizzes to oral assessments and communicative tasks that provides opportunities for learners to demonstrate their understanding and ability to apply concord rules. Regardless of the framework or assessment method used, the feedback provided to learners should be constructive and tailored to address the specific concord errors identified, hoping learners develop accurate and fluent language use.

The universal grammar approach is related to this study in the sense that this study is based on the grammar of English. Even though English language has many varieties across the world, the rules governing the subject-verb use is same. Through the analysis of the concord errors, the most commonly committee errors can be identified for improvement by the language teachers.

This study is further anchored on Error Analysis (EA), a commonly used framework which seeks to identify and analyze errors made by language learners in order to understand the underlying causes and provide feedback for improvement. Error analysis views language errors as linguistic deviation from the target language and considered them as valuable evidence of the learners developing interlanguage system. This framework applies to this study because in the case of concord errors, which involve incorrect agreement between grammatical elements like system verb agreement or noun-adjective agreement, errors would be analysed to identify error patterns, error types and potential source of difficulty for the learners.

1.7       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

            This study focused on how students use and misuse concord especially in their writing. It is to restricted to NCE II students, English Department of the two Colleges of Education in the Central Senatorial Zone of Plateau State. They are: Federal College of Education, Pankshin and College of Education, Gindiri.

In this study, only one grammatical category was being considered, which is concord. This is because treating all the grammatical errors as a whole will be cumbersome considering the duration and quantity of the research. The data for the study comprised correct and incorrect use of concord mostly drawn from one major source:  structural test.

            Additionally, the study covered 2022/2023 academic session being that they were current students at the time of the study; this is because the resources available to the researcher would not be able to cover the entire population of students even in the present session.

1.8       OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Assessment: The action of passing a value judgement about students’ performance in concord use.

Concord: This refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in every sentence.

Error: A systematic deviation from the accepted code/rule. It is also a breach of code either through the use of a wrong rule or a misused of the right rule and cannot be corrected by the learner.

Communicative competence: An individual ability to use language appropriately in different oral or written situation.