Author
Edozie, Eucharia Mary-Anne
Department of Linguistics and Igbo Communication
Abia State University, Uturu
Euchariaedozie1@gmail.com
Abstract
This study investigated errors in tense pattern usage
among JSS III and SS I students in Okigwe Local
Government Area of Imo State taking into cognizance
the following variables: sex, location and academic
class. The general objective of the study is to investigate
errors in tense pattern usage among JSS III and SS I
students in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo
State. The population of the study was 2,810 students
which comprised of JSS III and SS I students drawn
from 17 secondary schools in Okigwe, Imo State. The
instruments used for the study were a structured
questionnaire that comprised of closed 100 multiple
choice questions and essay writing. Three (3) research
questions were formulated to guide the study. The data
obtained from the respondents were analyzed using
simple percent and mean, and z-test was used for
analyzing the hypotheses. The major findings of the
study showed that girls showed a higher performance
level than boys. Furthermore, the study also revealed that
students from urban areas performed lower tense errors
than those from the rural areas. It was also discovered from the study that SS I students had a higher
performance level than their JSS III counterpart. The
study recommends that English textbook writers should
employ teaching methods and techniques which are not
only intelligible to the English teachers but which also
make teaching a pleasurable exercise. Similarly, English
language teachers need to devote time and attention in
the teaching of the English tense patterns and the
teachers must be those who are specialists in both
pedagogy and subject matter.
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