Student often makes common error in English Essay writings which result to failure (F9). English languages essay write ups has rule and obeyed by markers in awarding scores to student. Some of the mistakes commonly made ranges from:
1. MECHANICAL ACURACY;
In order to reduce loss of marks in mechanical accuracy, students have to improve on their spelling, punctuation and grammar. Many students fail English Language every year simply because they demonstrate acute ignorance of the correct uses of comma, full stop and question mark.
Poor spelling and poor grammar are also factors responsible for mass failure of the English Language.
Some of these errors are:
1. Wrong Spelling and Interchanging Use of Words
It is disappointing to observe that many students mis-spell the common words that constitute their vocabulary for daily communication. Examples of such mis-spelt words are:
(a) principle for principal, e.g. The principle (principal) is calling the students.
(b) bording for boarding, e.g. Kunle is in bording (boarding) school.
(c) writting for writing, e.g. I am writing (writing) this letter to you.
(d) laboratory for laboratory, e.g. He is in the Chemistry laboratory (laboratory).
(e) know for no, e.g. There is know (no) reason why I should regret leaving my old school.
I don’t know no (know) why he did that to me.
(f) Where for were, . e.g. Many by- standers where (were) arrested indiscriminately by the police.
When I woke up next day, I didn’t know were (where) I was.
(g) once for ones, e.g. The junior once (ones) are as rude as the seniors.
(h) Had for heard, e.g. I had (heard) a knock on the sitting room door.
(i) greatful for grateful, e.g. I am grateful (grateful) for the assistance you gave me last week.
(j) in other for in order, e.g. I went home in other (in order) to help my mother.
(k) Lacking behind for lagging behind, e.g. We are lacking behind (lagging behind) in our work.
(l) cut for caught, e.g. The thief cut (caught) last week.
(m) seat for sit, e.g. I want to seat (sit) down.
(n) dinning for dining,. E.g. The teacher is in the dinning (dining) hall.
There are many other examples of miss-spelt words. Students also confusedly use many similar pairs of words. In all cases, these words are wrongly often used in essays. These pairs of words are nouns and verbs in most cases and some others are not, though they are used ignorantly.
EXAMPLES OF SUCH SIMILAR PAIRS OF WORDS ARE:
Later/latter break/brake practice/practice
Quite/quiet course/cause
devise/device
Believe/belief rightwrite advise/advice
Save/safe loose/lose been/being.
These words may be pronounced in the same way; they have different meanings and some of them are verb and noun forms of the same words. Find out the difference between them and use them correctly.
2. Wrong Concord
Concord simply means agreement between the subject of a sentence and its verb element. Examples of common errors of concord in essays;
(a) I am happy to write you these (this) letter.
(b) one of my brother’s friend (friends) is here.
© The people needs (need) our help.
These words may be pronounced in the same way; they have different meanings and some of them are verb and noun forms of the same words. Find out the difference between them and use them correctly.
3. Indiscriminate Use of Capital Letters
Capital letters should not be used indiscriminately within sentences except they are to begin proper nouns. E.g. ‘Our mother was Admitted into hospital’ instead of ‘Our mother was admitted into the hospital.’ You have to note this because for every capital letter used wrongly, there is a loss of half- mark.
4. Writing Personal Pronoun in Small Letter
Personal pronoun, I, should always be written in capital letter even if it occurs in the middle of a sentence. E.g. He was there when i (I) came in.
5. Arbitrary Use of the Comma
The comma should not be used arbitrarily and it should not occur immediately after the verb as most students use it, e.g:
(a) How, are you?
(b) I received, your telegram yesterday in which you, informed me, about your sister’s marriage. The comma is wrongly used in the two sentences written above.
6. Grammatical Errors
Though error of grammar are too numerous to mention here, let us see some of the examples of these errors.
(a) Errors of Number: e.g. My sister and brother goes (go) to the school everyday
Everybody were (was) happy.
(b) Wrong use of prepositions: e.g My reason of (for) some important reasons.
I want to plead to (with) all of you.
They travelled out on (for) some important reasons.
(c) Wrong Tenses and Wrong Sequence e.g. this is to inform that I (will) not come to the wedding.
7. Wrong Plural Formations and Uncountable Nouns
e.g. (a) You know that Muslim is full of dirts (dirt)
(b) We don’t have enough technical equipments (equipment) in our laboratory.
8. Wrong Amalgamation or Joining of Two Words
Some words are supposed to be written separately but they are ignorantly join together. Examples of such words are:
(a) Infact for in fact (b) Inspite for in spite
(c) Afterall for after all (d) Inasmuch for in as much
(e) Ofcourse for of course (f) Attimes for at times
(g) Atleast for at least (h) Alot for a lot
9. 9. Wrong separation of words
Some words are supposed to be written as one but they are ignorantly separated into two words. Examples of such words are:
(a) Them selves for themselves (b) there by for thereby
(c) More over for moreover (d) there fore for therefore
(e) Never the less for nevertheless (f) in deed for indeed
10. Arbitrary Use and Omission of the Apostrophe
Apostrophe is often used carelessly by students when they want to indicate plural forms of nouns.
e.g. Many teachers are lazy nowadays.
Other examples are: The Ibo’s demand high bride price on their daughter’s instead of the ibos demand high bride price on their daughters.
Careless omissions of the apostrophe where necessary also constitute errors. Examples: My uncle friend for my uncle’s friend.
11. Use of Un- English Expression
Many students make mistakes of un-English expression mainly as a result of too close translation into English of their native language. The following are examples of such mistakes:
(a) I spent all the money on the head of our father in the hospital.
(b) Come and see things with your eyes.
(c) I wish to informate you that your recent telegram was received.
(d) My sister has stomach upheaval.
(e) We have no enough classrooms talk less of toilet and other facilities.
(f) We ran away should in case the armed robbers came back.
English language examination required concentration when attempting to its question especially the essay writing section. Student should write according to markers demand by strictly abiding to laid down protocol rather than making common errors which is no longer common, in as much as essay writing in english is concern disobedient to its principle will surely lands in F9 (failure), because essay carries high grade compare to other parts.
- wrong use of words,
- wrong concord,
- indiscriminate use of capital letter,
- writing personal pronouns in small letter,
- use of un-english expressions,
- Grammatical errors,
- wrong plural formation and uncountable words,
- wrong almagamation of two words and lots more to read and understand in this article.
1. MECHANICAL ACURACY;
In order to reduce loss of marks in mechanical accuracy, students have to improve on their spelling, punctuation and grammar. Many students fail English Language every year simply because they demonstrate acute ignorance of the correct uses of comma, full stop and question mark.
Poor spelling and poor grammar are also factors responsible for mass failure of the English Language.
Some of these errors are:
1. Wrong Spelling and Interchanging Use of Words
It is disappointing to observe that many students mis-spell the common words that constitute their vocabulary for daily communication. Examples of such mis-spelt words are:
(a) principle for principal, e.g. The principle (principal) is calling the students.
(b) bording for boarding, e.g. Kunle is in bording (boarding) school.
(c) writting for writing, e.g. I am writing (writing) this letter to you.
(d) laboratory for laboratory, e.g. He is in the Chemistry laboratory (laboratory).
(e) know for no, e.g. There is know (no) reason why I should regret leaving my old school.
I don’t know no (know) why he did that to me.
(f) Where for were, . e.g. Many by- standers where (were) arrested indiscriminately by the police.
When I woke up next day, I didn’t know were (where) I was.
(g) once for ones, e.g. The junior once (ones) are as rude as the seniors.
(h) Had for heard, e.g. I had (heard) a knock on the sitting room door.
(i) greatful for grateful, e.g. I am grateful (grateful) for the assistance you gave me last week.
(j) in other for in order, e.g. I went home in other (in order) to help my mother.
(k) Lacking behind for lagging behind, e.g. We are lacking behind (lagging behind) in our work.
(l) cut for caught, e.g. The thief cut (caught) last week.
(m) seat for sit, e.g. I want to seat (sit) down.
(n) dinning for dining,. E.g. The teacher is in the dinning (dining) hall.
There are many other examples of miss-spelt words. Students also confusedly use many similar pairs of words. In all cases, these words are wrongly often used in essays. These pairs of words are nouns and verbs in most cases and some others are not, though they are used ignorantly.
EXAMPLES OF SUCH SIMILAR PAIRS OF WORDS ARE:
Later/latter break/brake practice/practice
Quite/quiet course/cause
devise/device
Believe/belief rightwrite advise/advice
Save/safe loose/lose been/being.
These words may be pronounced in the same way; they have different meanings and some of them are verb and noun forms of the same words. Find out the difference between them and use them correctly.
2. Wrong Concord
Concord simply means agreement between the subject of a sentence and its verb element. Examples of common errors of concord in essays;
(a) I am happy to write you these (this) letter.
(b) one of my brother’s friend (friends) is here.
© The people needs (need) our help.
These words may be pronounced in the same way; they have different meanings and some of them are verb and noun forms of the same words. Find out the difference between them and use them correctly.
3. Indiscriminate Use of Capital Letters
Capital letters should not be used indiscriminately within sentences except they are to begin proper nouns. E.g. ‘Our mother was Admitted into hospital’ instead of ‘Our mother was admitted into the hospital.’ You have to note this because for every capital letter used wrongly, there is a loss of half- mark.
4. Writing Personal Pronoun in Small Letter
Personal pronoun, I, should always be written in capital letter even if it occurs in the middle of a sentence. E.g. He was there when i (I) came in.
5. Arbitrary Use of the Comma
The comma should not be used arbitrarily and it should not occur immediately after the verb as most students use it, e.g:
(a) How, are you?
(b) I received, your telegram yesterday in which you, informed me, about your sister’s marriage. The comma is wrongly used in the two sentences written above.
6. Grammatical Errors
Though error of grammar are too numerous to mention here, let us see some of the examples of these errors.
(a) Errors of Number: e.g. My sister and brother goes (go) to the school everyday
Everybody were (was) happy.
(b) Wrong use of prepositions: e.g My reason of (for) some important reasons.
I want to plead to (with) all of you.
They travelled out on (for) some important reasons.
(c) Wrong Tenses and Wrong Sequence e.g. this is to inform that I (will) not come to the wedding.
7. Wrong Plural Formations and Uncountable Nouns
e.g. (a) You know that Muslim is full of dirts (dirt)
(b) We don’t have enough technical equipments (equipment) in our laboratory.
8. Wrong Amalgamation or Joining of Two Words
Some words are supposed to be written separately but they are ignorantly join together. Examples of such words are:
(a) Infact for in fact (b) Inspite for in spite
(c) Afterall for after all (d) Inasmuch for in as much
(e) Ofcourse for of course (f) Attimes for at times
(g) Atleast for at least (h) Alot for a lot
9. 9. Wrong separation of words
Some words are supposed to be written as one but they are ignorantly separated into two words. Examples of such words are:
(a) Them selves for themselves (b) there by for thereby
(c) More over for moreover (d) there fore for therefore
(e) Never the less for nevertheless (f) in deed for indeed
10. Arbitrary Use and Omission of the Apostrophe
Apostrophe is often used carelessly by students when they want to indicate plural forms of nouns.
e.g. Many teachers are lazy nowadays.
Other examples are: The Ibo’s demand high bride price on their daughter’s instead of the ibos demand high bride price on their daughters.
Careless omissions of the apostrophe where necessary also constitute errors. Examples: My uncle friend for my uncle’s friend.
11. Use of Un- English Expression
Many students make mistakes of un-English expression mainly as a result of too close translation into English of their native language. The following are examples of such mistakes:
(a) I spent all the money on the head of our father in the hospital.
(b) Come and see things with your eyes.
(c) I wish to informate you that your recent telegram was received.
(d) My sister has stomach upheaval.
(e) We have no enough classrooms talk less of toilet and other facilities.
(f) We ran away should in case the armed robbers came back.
English language examination required concentration when attempting to its question especially the essay writing section. Student should write according to markers demand by strictly abiding to laid down protocol rather than making common errors which is no longer common, in as much as essay writing in english is concern disobedient to its principle will surely lands in F9 (failure), because essay carries high grade compare to other parts.
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