Tài liệu Common errors in the use of post determiners among eleventh grade students at doi can high school

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to a number of people who have helped, advised and supported me in doing my research paper. First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to Mrs Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong, my supervisor, who has given me valuable suggestion and correction as well as taken troubles with this. My debt of gratitude also goes to all the lecturers at Hanoi Pedagogical University Number 2, especially the lecturers in the Foreign Language Faculty for their dedicated instructions during my years of university work. I am gratefully indebted to the teachers at Doi Can High School, especially Mrs Bui Thi Bich Thao for her help and guidance while I was carrying out the survey. I am also very happy to acknowledge my gratitude to my friends who has encouraged me much and have helped me much with collecting relevant materials. I would like to express my thanks to eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School who have helped me to answer the survey questionnaire and their work is a big contribution to completion of this thesis. Last but not least, my heartfelt thanks to all members in my family who have made it much easier for me to do my research by supporting me with not only finance but also time. i ABSTRACT Post-determiners are known as an interesting category of English grammar which was taught and learned at High School. Students often make errors when they use post-determiners. Therefore, this research will entail studying the uses of post-determiners and conducting survey for error analysis. Based on the result of the survey, the types of errors and causes have been found. Solutions to the problems have been suggested. ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Titles: Common errors in the use of post-determiners among eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School. (Graduation paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Bachelor of arts in English) I certify that no part of this report has been copied or reproduced by me from any other person’s work without acknowledgement and that the report is originally written by me under strict guidance from my supervisor. Date submitted: May 2013 Student Nguyen ThiThuy Supervisor Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLESGEMENTS ................................................................................... i ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP .................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................... iv PART ONE INTRODUCTION I. Rationale .......................................................................................................... 1 II. Research presupposition ................................................................................. 2 III. Research objectives ........................................................................................ 2 IV. Research scope ............................................................................................... 3 V. Research tasks ................................................................................................. 3 VI. Research methods .......................................................................................... 3 VII. Significance of the proposed research ......................................................... 3 VIII. Design of the research work ....................................................................... 4 PART TWO DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER ONE: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND I.1. Literature review in brief .............................................................................. 5 I.2. Determiners .................................................................................................... 6 I.2.1. Definition ...................................................................................................... 6 I.2.2. Classification ................................................................................................ 7 I.3. Post-determiners ............................................................................................ 8 I.3.1. Definition ...................................................................................................... 8 I.3.2. Pre-determiner and post-determiner .............................................................. 9 I.3.3. Types ............................................................................................................ 9 iv I.3.3.1. Cardinal Numerals ..................................................................................... 9 I.3.3.2. Ordinal numerals and general ordinals ..................................................... 10 I.3.3.3. Closed – class quantifiers ......................................................................... 11 I.3.3.4. Open – class quantifiers ........................................................................... 12 CHAPTER TWO: COMMON ERRORS IN THE USE OF POSTDETERMINERS AMONG ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS AT DOI CAN HIGH SCHOOL II.1. Survey questionnaire .................................................................................. 13 II.1.1. Rationale behind the survey questionnaire ................................................. 13 II.1.2. Purpose of the survey ................................................................................. 14 II.1.3. Population of the survey ............................................................................ 14 II.1.4. Type of the survey ..................................................................................... 14 II.1.5. Construction of the test .............................................................................. 14 II.1.6. Preparation of the survey ........................................................................... 15 II.1.6.1. Test items................................................................................................ 15 II.1.6.2. Arrangement of the test items ................................................................. 15 II.1.7. Administration of the try-out ..................................................................... 16 II.1.7.1. Preparation of the try-out ........................................................................ 16 II.1.7.2. Try-out .................................................................................................... 16 II.1.8. Method of data analysis ............................................................................. 16 II.1.9. Results of the survey .................................................................................. 16 II.2. Common errors and causes........................................................................ 18 II.2.1. Common errors in the use of ordinal numerals with plural count nouns .... 18 II.2.2. Common errors in the use of cardinal numerals with plural count nouns .. 18 II.2.3. Common errors in the use of cardinal numeral with mass noun ................ 19 II.2.4. Common errors in the use of cardinal numerals with singular count nouns 20 II.2.5. Common errors in the use of quantifiers with plural count nouns .............. 20 II.2.6. Common errors in the use of ordinal numerals with singular count nouns 21 II.2.7. Common errors in the use of quantifiers with non-count nouns ................. 22 v II.3. Suggested solutions and suggested exercises ............................................. 22 II.3.1. Suggested solutions.................................................................................... 22 II.3.2. Suggested exercises ................................................................................... 24 PART THREE CONCLUSION CONCLUSION................................................................................................... 25 REFERRENCES ................................................................................................ 27 APPENDICES .................................................................................................... 28 SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE ............................................................................. 28 SUGGESTED EXERCISES ................................................................................ 33 vi PART ONE INTRODUCTION I. RATIONALE Language is a very important means of communication in daily human life. Human beings use language to express their ideas. However, different countries have different languages; it makes difficult for people to get along with each other. In this case, an international language is much needed. One of the languages is the English language. English is an international language and it’s used in many fields such as finance and banking; commerce; politics; etc. In Vietnam as well as in other countries, the teaching and learning English are now mushrooming. English has become a compulsory subject in most schools and universities. However, English confronts the learners with a multitude of difficulty because each language has its own feature which is different from that in the learner’s native language. The differences in the system of language may bring about learning problems for foreign language learners in general and for Vietnamese students in particular. It is proved that English grammar is complex and often causes embarrassment to students. A mass of supplementary exercise books, grammar books and other learning materials have been compiled to help students study English grammar better. But they often make the mistake when doing exercises. Post-determiner is one of the grammatical items that students often make errors. For example: …….customers have come into the shop. It has been quiet. (Few / little) In this case, students wavered between two opinions. They can’t distinguish the use of post-determiners with plural, singular count nouns or with non-count nouns. Moreover, with the aims of helping students of English to overcome these difficulties as well as a prospective teacher, I would like to make a contribution to 1 the English teaching in Vietnam. For these reasons above, this study is conducted with the aim of focusing on errors related to the use of post-determiners among eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School. II. RESEARCH PRESUPPOSITION With the typical error quoted above. The answer must be “few” Few customers have come into the shop. It has been quite. Some questions are raised: 1. What kinds of errors are made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School in the academic year 2013/2014? 2. What kinds of error in the use of post-determiners is the most often made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School in the academic year 2013/2014? 3. What are the causes of the errors in the use of post-determiners made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School in the academic year 2013/2014? Based on these questions about, I am eager to learn about the problems and make an error analysis in post-determiners so that the major errors related to the use of post-determiners may be found. III. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The study aimed at the following goals: 1. To find out kinds of errors in the use of post-determiners made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School? 2. To find out kinds of errors in the use of post-determiners most often made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School in the academic year 2013/2014. 3. To find out the causes and the errors in the use of post-determiners made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School in the academic year 2013/2014. 2 IV. RESEARCH SCOPE The general research of this study is grammar:The phenomenon is errors in the use of post-determiners made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School. Others relating to the postdeterminers are also briefly mentioned. The population involved in the study is one hundred students in eleventh grade at Doi Can High School. V. RESEARCH TASK The study involves fulfilling the following tasks: 1. To study types of post-determiners. 2. To research into the uses of post-determiners. 3. To conduct a survey to find out error types and causes. On the basic of the findings, possible solutions to the problems are sought to minimize the students’ errors. VI. RESEARCH METHODS To achieve the objectives of the study, the following methods have been applied: 1. Collecting documents from books listed in the references. 2. Consulting with the supervisor, experienced teachers and friends. 3. Synthesizing theoretical documents on English grammar. 4. Conducting a survey and analyzing the results. VII. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH Errors in any language teaching and learning, particularly in English as a foreign language, are sometimes predictable and sometimes unpredictable. It is, therefore, essential for teachers to have better treatment to anticipate errors. After the research, it is hoped that the result will be helpful to provide: 1. Input for learners of English in order to minimize their errors related to the use of post-determiners. 2. Input for teachers of English with information on error types and solutions to the problems so that they can have good methods of teaching the postdeterminers. 3 This study is also beneficial to anyone who is interested in the postdeterminer in English. VIII. DESIGN OF THE RESEARCH WORK The research work has three main parts, namely: introduction, development and conclusion. The part “ Development” consists three chapters. Chapter one is entitled “theoretical background”. It consists two sections. Section one reviews literature in brief. The second one deals with things related to determiners. The last one focuses on post-determiners in definition, types and uses. Chapter two is named “Common errors in the use of post-determiners among eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School”. It has three sections. Section one is devoted to the survey. The second one deals with error types and causes. The last one is on solutions to the problems and suggested exercises on the postdeterminers. 4 PART TWO DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER ONE THEORETICAL BACKGROUND I.1. LITERATURE REVIEW IN BRIEF Post-determiner is a universal phenomenon in linguistics. It has been described by many grammarians like Randolph Quirk (1985), Reginald Arthur Close (1979), Ron Cowan (2008), Marting Hewing (1999), Sidney Greenbaum, Randolph Quirk (1976) and so on. They each have their own way to describe the post-determiner. Generally, they focus their attention on the definition, classification and uses of post-determiners. Ron Cowan (2008) in the book The Teacher’s Grammar of English refers to post-determiners in its definition and types. According to him, post-determiners include: quantifiers (many, much, a little….), cardinal numbers (one, two….), ordinal numbers (first, second, another…..) and partitives (glass / bottle / jar of…). Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum (1976) in the book A University Grammar of English refer to post-determiners in term of its definition, classification and the uses of each type. He said that post-determiners have three main types: cardinal numerals, ordinal numerals and general ordinals and quantifiers. In the book Advanced Grammar in Use, Martin Hewing (1990) focuses his attention on describing only one type of post-determiner. He gives a full understand about quantifiers. Reginald Arthur Close, Louis George Alexander (1979) in the book A Reference Grammar for Students of English deal with post-determiners in the use of numerals and quantifiers. 5 In the book A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language, Randolph Quirk (1985) gives an understanding about post-determiners in terms of definition, classification and uses. He defined post-determiners base on the position of postdeterminers in the sentence. He classified post-determiners into four main types: cardinal numerals, ordinal numerals and general ordinals, closed-class quantifiers, open-class quantifiers. Randolph Quirk, Sidney Greenbaum (1990), in the book A Student’s Grammar of the English Language points out some issues related to postdeterminers such as its types and uses. In short, many researches have been conducted on post-determiners in English. However, there is no research that has focus on errors in using postdeterminers. In fact, there are many errors that learners of English often made when they use post-determiners in learning and communicating. Therefore, it is essential to have a comprehensive study on common errors related to the use of post-determiners. I.2. DETERMINERS I.2.1. Definition According to Randolph Quirk, Sidney Greenbaum (1985) in the book A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language, determiner is the items which occur before the noun acting as head of the noun phrase. For example: Both the beggars are sitting at the door. I haven’t got enough tools to do the job. I want to interview every student individually. Ron Cowan (2008) in the book The Teacher’s Grammar of English also defined:” Determiners are words that precede head nouns in a noun phrase”. For example: I want that book not this one Howard Sargeant in the book Basic English Grammar claimed that:” Determiners are special adjectives used before nouns”. For examples: 6 John is reading a book. That animal is making a funny. All children seem to like chocolate. I.2.2. Types of determiner In the book Basic English Grammar, the author classified determiners into six kinds. They are articles, demonstrative determiners, quantifying determiners, interrogative determiners, possessive determiners and numerals. For examples: You’ll need a ruler and a pencil. (Articles) This car belongs to my mom. (Demonstrative determiners) I have fewer CDs than you. (Quantifying determiners) Which boy is your brother? (Interrogative determiners) I gave my sandwich to John. (Possessive determiners) Our family has two dogs. (Numerals) Ron Cowan (2008) in the book The Teacher’s Grammar of English classified determiners based on the “relative order of occurrence of determiners within a noun phrase”. Thus, he classified into three categories predeterminers, central determiners and postdeterminers. According to him, pre-determiners include: quantifiers (all, both, and each), multipliers, fractions. For examples: Both sisters wanted to go. (Quantifiers) We stopped once every mile. (Multipliers) He did it in one-third the time it took me. (Fractions) Post-determiners consist: quantifiers (much, many, few, a little, less, least, more, most), cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers, partitives. Examples: I bought three ties and one shirt. (Cardinal numbers) The last band to perform was definitely the best. (Ordinal numbers) I’ll have a glass of water. (Partitives) 7 I’ll have two pieces of pie. (Cardinal numbers) Central determiners involve: quantifiers (any, every, and some); articles (a, an, the); possessive determiners (my, your, our…); nouns as possessive determiners (John’s, Anne’s….) and demonstrative determiners (this, that…). For instance: Some birds cannot fly. (Quantifiers) He met a woman. (Articles) Anne’s car is older than Jessica’s car. (Nouns as possessive determiners) That’s her book. (Demonstrative determiners) Randolph Quirk, Sidney Greenbaum (1985) in the book A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language stated that “the three classes of determiners have been set up on the basic of their position in the noun phrase in relation to each other”. Three classes are predeterminers, central determiners and postdeterminers. For examples: You can part on either side. (Central determiners) What’s a pity! (Pre-determiners) Both students were excellent. (Pre-determiners) We stopped one every mile. (Post-determiners) I.3. POSTDETERMINERS I.3.1. Definition Post-determiners, according to Sidney Greenbaum, Randolph Quirk (1990) in the book A Student’s Grammar of the English Language refer to the items which take their place immediately after determiners. For example: All three passengers are still missing. In the book A University Grammar of English, Randolph Quirk defined postdeterminer is “items which must follow determiners but precede adjectives in the premodification structure”. For example: The first three planes were American. 8 I.3.2. Pre-determiner and post-determiner Pre-determiners can occur only before articles or demonstratives all the meat, all the students. ( Randolph Quirk, 1976) Quirk (1985) said that central determiners may be surrounded by a predeterminer or a post-determiner. Pre-determiner often occur before certain central determiners all the girls, twice my salary, one-third the time. However, post-determiner always follows central determiners or pre-determiners my three children, the first day. I.3.3. Types of postdeterminers I.3.3.1. Cardinal numerals Cardinal numerals, according to John Sinclair (1990), are used to “indicate how many things you are referring to”. For examples: There was the only one gate into the palace. In the sentence, cardinal numerals often stand before the noun and after the determiner. For example: All three candidates are coming to Blackpool later this week. Cardinal numerals can occur with plural count nouns (two, three, four, etc...) except one. One only occurs with singular count nouns. Examples: He has written another two novels. I am going to ask you only one question. Moreover, Reginald Arthur Close, Louis George Alexander (1979) stated that cardinal numerals can use with a mass noun. Examples: She bought twenty bottles of milk. She eats six loaves of bread. Furthermore, cardinal numerals can function as pronouns or labels. For examples: The best thirty have the potential tobe successful journalists. 9 Number eleven Downing Street. By adding “of” after the cardinal numerals, it can be used as quantifiers. In this case, we use cardinal numeral to “emphasize that you are talking about a part or all of a group”. (Collins Cobiuld English Grammar) For instance: I saw four of these programmes. Three of the questions today have been about expressions. In addition, cardinal numerals can use with time expression such as “month”, “year”....when using cardinal numerals with time expression, it means that you want to “describe something by saying how long its last”. (John Sinclair, 1990). For example: On Friday, she had been given two week’s notice. I.3.3.2. Ordinal numerals and general ordinals Ron Cowan (2008) claimed that “ordianl numbers generally have a one – to – one relation to cardinal numbers, that is, the ordinal first corresponds to the cardinal one, second corresponds to two and so on”. For example: They stopped at the first tree. Flora’s flat is on the fourth floor of this five – storey block. Generally, ordinal numbers cooccur with singular count nouns. Examples: The ticket will go to the tenth caller. However, when it is preceded by a cardinal number, ordinal number can occur with plural count nouns. Such as: The first three boys were obviously not trying. Words like next, last, previous...are used freely before or after cardinal numbers and often use with plural count nouns. Examples: The last two years have been very successful. He has written two previous novels. Or: He has written two further novels. 10 I.3.3.3. Closed – class quantifiers According to Randolph Quirk (1976) closed – class quantifiers include two groups. The first group is the words that can occur with plural count nouns and the second one only occur with non-count nouns. Many, few, a few, several only occur with plural count nouns (A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language). For examples: There aren’t many portraits of Shakespeare. This is a very modern city. There are few old buildings. Several is rarely preceded by a determiner. Several friends went with me. A few children are absent today. Although few and a few can occur with plural count nouns, few is used to express negative ideas and a few expresses positive ideas (Raymond Murphy). Much, a little, little only occur with non-count nouns. Examples: We’ll have to hurry. We haven’t got much time. The weather has been very dry recently. We’ve had little rain. Listen carefully. I’m going to give you a little advice. Similar to few, a few, a little is used to express a positive idea and little expresses negative idea. “Few, little, much, many are gradable, and also have comparative and superlative forms” (Randolph Quirk, 1985). Further examples: There were fewer people today than yesterday. Harry made the fewest mistakes. Please make less noise. George gives me the least trouble. 11 George did more work than anyone else Or: George did more exercises than anyone else She did the most exercises. Or: She did the most work. I.3.3.4. Open – class quantifiers Randolph Quirk (1985) stated that “most of open - class quantifiers consist of a noun of quantity lot, deal, amount, etc...followed by of and often preceded by the indifinte article”. Open – class quantifiers normally can co-occur with both non-count nouns and plural count nouns. For examples: He’s got no financial problems. He’s got plenty of money. I’m sure we’ll find somewhere to stay. There are plenty of hotels. You need a lot of/ lots of money to travel around the world. I don’t know a lot of/ lots of people in this town. However, many words like a great deal of, a large amount of… are restricted to use only with non-count nouns. Examples: I have thrown a large amount of old clothing. Mr Lucas has spent a great deal of time in Far East. Others like a great number of, a large number of…can only occur with plural count nouns. Examples: She taught a great number of students. We bought a large number of cards. 12 PART TWO COMMON ERRORS IN THE USE OF POST-DETERMINERS AMONG THE ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS AT DOI CAN HIGH SCHOOL This chapter presents the findings of the practical research with the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School. It falls into three sections. Section II.1 deals with survey questionnaire which was designed to map out some common errors made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School. Section II.2 presents common errors and causes. Section II.3 provides students and teachers with some suggested solution to minimize the errors related to the use of postdeterminers. II.1. Survey questionnaire As it was mentioned above, the study does help students have deep insight into the post-determiner in English. Moreover, the study also points out some difficulties, especially some errors that students usually make. Making errors in the use of post-determiners is unavoidable at all educational levels. However, due to the framework of a thesis, this thesis is only focused on common errors in the use of post-determiners by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School. A survey questionnaire was conducted to find out the errors of students. II.1.1. Rationale behind the survey questionnaire Survey questionnaire was chosen for the study because of four main reasons. Firstly, it is believed that it is an inexpensive way to gather data from a potentially large number of respondents. Secondly, it can reach a large number of people in a very short time. As it is in the case, with the students in Doi Can High School, a survey questionnaire was designed to find out the common errors in the use of post-determiners in English made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School in the school year of 2013/2014. 13 Another advantage of this tool is that the collected data are relatively easy to summarize and report as all the informants answer the same questions. Last but not least, one of the most important reasons to choose this tool is that the survey questionnaire gives the students an opportunity to express their answers without fear of either being embarrassed or being punished. Students are not required to write their names when answering questions because traditionally Vietnamese students are afraid of being judged by the teachers and making the names known. II.1.2. Purpose of the survey The overall objectives of the survey questionnaire are to test students’ understanding of post-determiners and find out common errors made by the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School in the year 2013/2014. II.1.3. Population of the survey The number of students participating in the survey questionnaire is one hundred in the eleventh grade students at Doi Can High School. They have to learn English as a compulsory subject. Most of them have been learning English for six years. Some have learnt English for eight years. Therefore, the expected English level among them is intermediate. Naturally, they have been taught uses of postdeterminers. Some of them are really good at grammar but some of them are bad in grammar in general and post-determiners in particular. II.1.4. Type of the survey To collect data, a completion test was used. It involves such activities as choosing correct answer, choosing suitable word to fill in blank. II.1.5. Construction of the survey The material in use in the test was taken from grammar books concerned with post-determiners. The exercises in the survey are made to find out how much students have known and mastered post-determiners. This survey has three exercises. 14