A Linguistic Inquiry into English Writing Errors among Third-Year Students of English at Batna2 University: Types, Frequencies, and Pedagogical Implications
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Published:
Dec 22, 2025
Keywords:
Error Analysis, Essay Writing, Types of Errors, Error Frequency, Writing Proficiency
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Abstract
This study investigates the types and frequencies of writing errors in essays written by third-year English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at Batna 2 University, Algeria. Despite prolonged exposure to English instruction, many learners continue to exhibit substantial challenges in producing accurate written work. The research analysed 1,170 errors from a purposive sample of 80 exam essays using Corder’s (1967) Error Analysis framework and Chanquoy’s (2001) taxonomy. Errors were classified into sentence-level and word-level categories. Punctuation (20%), spelling (18.2%), and prepositions (16.2%) were the most common error types. A chi-square test revealed no statistically significant difference in the frequency of sentence-level and word-level errors, confirming the second hypothesis (H2). The analysis also confirmed the first hypothesis (H1), as the variety and frequency of errors underscored the diverse areas in which students struggle. These findings underscore the importance of balanced instruction that targets both grammatical structures and writing mechanics. By examining patterns of students’ errors, this study provides practical insights for English language instructors, curriculum developers, and assessment designers. The findings support the implementation of process-based writing pedagogy, targeted grammar instruction, and structured feedback strategies. Ultimately, the research contributes to the understanding of common writing challenges among EFL university students and advocates for pedagogical approaches that can enhance clarity, coherence, and overall writing proficiency in academic English contexts.
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GHODBANE, N., ROUAGHE, F., & BEHERA, S. K. (2025). A Linguistic Inquiry into English Writing Errors among Third-Year Students of English at Batna2 University: Types, Frequencies, and Pedagogical Implications. Passerelle, 14(2), 46-79. Retrieved from https://revue.univ-oran2.dz/Revue/Passerelle/index.php/Passerelle/article/view/448
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References
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Rouaghe, F., & Bouguebs, R. (2023). The Cultural Content Represented in the Middle School EFL Course: Target, international, and source. Altralang Journal, 5(1), 377–397.
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Scott, W., & Ytreberg, L. H. (1990). Teaching English to children. Longman.
Simbwa, E. (1987). Investigating writing errors among university students in Uganda. International Journal of Applied Sciences, 6(2), 45–60.
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Watson, J. (1995). Collins COBUILD student’s grammar: Self study edition with answers. HarperCollins.
White, R., & Arndt, V. (1991). Process writing. Longman.
Yule, G. (1998). Explaining English grammar. Oxford University Press.
Zafar, A. (2016). Error analysis: A tool to improve English skills of undergraduate students. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 217, 697–705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.02.122
Zawahreh, F. (2012). Applied error analysis of written production of English essays of tenth grade students in Ajloun schools, Jordan. International Journal of Learning and Development, 2(2), 16–35.
Al Ghabra, I. M., & Najim, A. S. (2019). Analyzing errors committed in paragraph writing by undergraduates. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 10(2), 264–270.
Arapoff, N. (1970). Writing through understanding. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Babayiğit, S., & Stainthorp, R. (2010). Component processes of early reading, spelling, and narrative writing skills in Turkish: A longitudinal study. Reading and Writing, 23(5), 539–568.
Bataineh, R. F. (2005). Jordanian undergraduates’ EFL errors in the use of the indefinite articles. Asian EFL Journal, 7(4), pp.57-79.
Belkhenchir, K. (2004, December 31). Using computational tools to analyse scientific discourse: Identifying shared frame of reference to design a syllabus. Passerelle: Algerian Journal, 1(1), 85–90.
Brown, A. (1993). Helping children to write. Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd.
Brown, D. H. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching (4th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.
Burns, N., & Grove, S. K. (2001). The practice of nursing research: Conduct, critique, and utilization (4th ed.). W. B. Saunders Company.
Byrne, D. (1996). Teaching writing skills. Longman.
Capitalization rules in writing. (2014, November 15). Study.com. Retrieved January 20, 2020, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/capitalizationrules-in-writing.html
Catford, C. J., Palmer, D. J., Lekawatana, P., Wichawut, C., Scovel, T., & Spencer, S. (1974). A contrastive study of English and Thai. ERIC. Retrieved July 30, 2010, from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED105775.pdf
Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The grammar book: An ESL teacher’s course. Heinle & Heinle.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education. Routledge.
Corder, S. P. (1967). The significance of learners’ errors. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 5(4), 161–170. https://doi.org/10.1515/iral.1967.5.1-4.161
Corder, S. P. (1974). Error analysis: Perspectives on second language acquisition. Longman.
Corder, S. P. (1981). Error analysis and interlanguage. Oxford University Press.
Danesi, M. (2006). Basic American grammar and usage. Barron’s Educational Series.
Dulay, C., & Burt, M. (1974). Error and strategies in child second language acquisition. TESOL Quarterly, 8(2), 129–138.
Dulay, H., Burt, M., & Krashen, S. D. (1982). Language two. Oxford University Press.
Eckersley, C. E., & Eckersley, J. M. (1960). A comprehensive English grammar for foreign students. Longman.
Ellis, R. (1996). The study of second language acquisition, Oxford University Press. Farmer, M., Yesher, S., Zemelman, S., & Richmond, E. (1985). Composition and grammar: Steps in the writing process. Laidlaw Brothers.
Hafiz, M. S., Omar, A. M. A., & Sher, K. U. R. (2018). Analysis of syntactic errors in English writing: A case study of Jazan University preparatory year students. Journal of Education and Practice, 9(11), 76–84.
Hammad, A. E. (2012). Teaching and learning English reading in Gaza prep schools: A descriptive study (PhD diss.). Cairo University, Egypt.
Harmer, J. (1998). How to teach English: An introduction to the practice of English language teaching. Pearson Education.
Harmer, J. (2004). How to teach writing. Pearson Education.
Harmer, J. (2007). How to teach English: An introduction to the practice of English language teaching. Pearson Education.
Harris, G. J., & Cunningham, H. D. (1994). The Simon & Schuster guide to writing. Prentice Hall.
Hubbard, P., et al. (1983). A training course for TEFL. Oxford University Press.
Ingels, M. (2006). Legal communicative skills. ACCO.
James, C. (1998). Errors in language learning and use: Exploring error analysis. Routledge.
Johnson, A. P. (2008). Teaching reading and writing: A guidebook for tutoring and remediating students. Rowman & Littlefield Education.
Kane, T. S. (2000). The Oxford Essential Guide to Writing. Berkley Publishing Group.
Keene, L. M., & Adams, H. K. (2002). Easy Access: The reference handbook for writers (3rd ed.). McGraw Hill.
Khansir, A. A. (2013). Error analysis and second language writing. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 3(2), 363–370. https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.3.2.363-370
Klammer, P. T., & Schulz, R. M. (1992). Analyzing English Grammar. Allyn & Bacon.
Kolln, M. (1994). Understanding English Grammar (4th ed.). Macmillan.
Leech, G., & Svartvik, J. (1975). A communicative grammar of English. Longman.
Lorincz, K., & Gordon, R. (2012). Difficulties in learning prepositions and possible solutions. Linguistics Portfolios, 1(14), 1–14.
Mackey, W. F. (1967). Language teaching analysis. Indiana University Press.
Manuel, B., & Medel, P. (1976). A practical guide to methodology of research and thesis writing. GIC Enterprises & Company Inc.
McCaskill, M. K., et al. (1990). Grammar, punctuation, and capitalization: A handbook for technical writers and editors. NASA Reference Publication 1100.
Murcia, M., & Olshtain, E. (2000). Discourse and context in language teaching: A guide for language teachers. Cambridge University Press.
Nelson, G. (2001). English: An essential grammar. Routledge.
Nonkukhetkhong, K. (2013, April). Grammatical error analysis of first-year English majors, Udon Thani Rajabhat University. Paper presented at the Asian Conference on Language, Osaka, Japan.
Norhalimah, N. (2016). The subject verb agreement in writing at the eighth graders of MTs An Nur Palangka Raya (Doctoral dissertation, IAIN Palangka Raya, Indonesia).
Nunan, D. (2001). Second language acquisition. In R. Carter & D. Nunan (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to teaching English to speakers of other languages (pp. 87–92). Cambridge University Press.
Orlove, P. (2004). Wordsmith: A guide to college writing. Pearson Education.
Parahoo, K. (1997). Nursing research: Principles, process, and issues. Macmillan.
Presada, D., & Badea, M. (2014). The effectiveness of error analysis in translation classes: A pilot study. Porta Linguarum, 22, 49–55.
Purpura, J. (2004). Assessing grammar. Cambridge University Press.
Quirk, R. (1985). A comprehensive grammar of the English language. Longman.
Rattanadilok Na Phuket, P., & Othman, N. B. (2015). Understanding EFL students’ errors in writing. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(32), 99–106.
Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. (2002). Dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. Pearson Education.
Rivers, W. M. (1968). Teaching foreign language skills. University of Chicago Press.
Riyanto, S., Emila, & Neila, N. H. (2008). A handbook of English grammar. Pustaka Pelajar.
Robson, C. (1973). Experimental design and statistics in psychology. Penguin.
Rosenthal, J., & Ehri, L. C. (2010). Pronouncing new words aloud during silent reading enhances fifth graders’ memory for vocabulary words and their spellings. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 24(1), 921–950.
Rouaghe, F., & Bouguebs, R. (2023). The Cultural Content Represented in the Middle School EFL Course: Target, international, and source. Altralang Journal, 5(1), 377–397.
Salebi, M. Y. (2004). Saudi college students’ perception of their errors in written English. Scientific Journal of King Faisal, 5, 209–228.
Scott, W., & Ytreberg, L. H. (1990). Teaching English to children. Longman.
Simbwa, E. (1987). Investigating writing errors among university students in Uganda. International Journal of Applied Sciences, 6(2), 45–60.
Singh, Y. K. (2006). Fundamentals of research methodology and statistics. New Age International.
Sparks, P. S. (2006). Commonsense grammar and style: English for professionals. Westview Press.
Starkey, L. (2004). How to write great essays. Learning Express.
Straus, J. (2014). The blue book of grammar and punctuation. Jossey Bass.
Warriner, E. J., & Graham, L. S. (1977). Warriner’s English grammar and composition. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Watson, J. (1995). Collins COBUILD student’s grammar: Self study edition with answers. HarperCollins.
White, R., & Arndt, V. (1991). Process writing. Longman.
Yule, G. (1998). Explaining English grammar. Oxford University Press.
Zafar, A. (2016). Error analysis: A tool to improve English skills of undergraduate students. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 217, 697–705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.02.122
Zawahreh, F. (2012). Applied error analysis of written production of English essays of tenth grade students in Ajloun schools, Jordan. International Journal of Learning and Development, 2(2), 16–35.