A study on the use of contractions in speech and writing by selected students of the University of Jos

Abstract

The study examined the impact (of the wrong use) contraction on speech and writing of Remedial Sciences students of the University of Jos. The study specifically sought to find out their knowledge of the contracted forms of verbs, how and in what contexts students use the contracted forms in writing and speech and whether the contractions have any impact on their writing and speaking skills. For the purpose of data collection, questionnaires were administered to 300 Remedial Sciences students selected from a class of 700 students.  Frequency count and simple percentages were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the students are cognizant of the contracted forms of verb, the contexts in which they are used and they were able to identify them correctly in different contexts. The result also revealed that the students know the rules of contractions in verb, but they are not mindful of the contexts of usage. The findings indicate the need to design instructional activities that will enable students to apply the knowledge of the use of contracted verb forms in all their activities. Interactive activities such as debate, quizzes and other group competitive activities were suggested to be organized for students on a regular basis.

Keywords: verb, contractions, speech, writing, frequency count, interactive activities