Structural errors related to word formation among the second learners of English: A case study of undergraduate students of the Department of English and Literary Studies, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki

Abstract

Structural errors related to word formation among the second learners of English pose serious problems to L2 users of English especially at the undergraduate levels of English Studies. The study aims to find out the structural errors related to word formation in English and consider the pedagogical implications. The Item and Process (I.P.) Analytical theoretical framework is adopted while a descriptive research design method is deployed for the analysis. The finding showed that students have problems with different morphological processes in English as a result of factors such as the inconsistency in the morphological rules, misapplication of some word formation rules, and mother tongue interference. The study, therefore, recommends that teachers of English in this area of study should endeavour to master the in-depth knowledge of these morphological rules and applications to be able to transfer the skills to the second learners of English.