Abstract:
Studies on English and specifically WAEC chief Examiner’s report on English
Language performance annually show that the main English writing problem area of
students in the second cycle institutions in Ghana relates to students violation of English
concord rules. Concord rules are taught at all levels of education in Ghana, but
unfortunately, most senior high school students have challenges making their sentences
concordant. This situation is not different from what the researcher observed in the
writing of students of Presbyterian Senior High School, Begoro. The study sets forth to
ascertain the specific concord problems of students of Presec Begoro, to find out the
possible factors that accounted for the errors, and to suggest ways by which they could
make their sentences concordant. Data were collected from second year students of
Presec Begoro using objective test, essay and interview. These were analysed using
graphs. The findings revealed that the students of Presec, Begoro made all kinds ofconcord errors, particularly subject-verb concord errors which recorded the highest
errors. The way forward has been suggested in the concluding chapter and relates to the
involvement of curriculum designers, textbook writers, teachers of English and students
and even teachers who do not teach English Language. It is the hope of the researcher
that if the suggestions and the recommendations are implemented, students will
definitely be able to make their sentences in their essays concordant and it will also
reflect in the academic performance and in their speech.
Description:
A dissertation in the Department of Applied Linguistics, Faculty of Foreign
Languages Education and Communication, submitted to the School of Graduate
Studies, in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Education
(Teaching English as a Second Language)
in the University of Education, Winneba
SEPTEMBER, 2019
