Patterns of Errors in Writing among Bachelor Level Students at Tribhuvan University

Abstract

Writing is a fundamental skill that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners need to master, especially at the university level, where English serves as the medium of instruction. However, many university students still struggle to produce accurate and coherent written texts in English. This study investigates the patterns of written errors among bachelor-level students at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. The study adopted a mixed-method, sequential explanatory design, drawing data from 30 English major students through written tests and interviews. A total of 593 errors were identified and analyzed using content analysis, and categorized into grammatical, structural, mechanical, lexical-semantic, and discourse errors. The study reveals that grammatical errors were the most common, followed by structural, mechanical, lexical-semantic, and discourse errors. Furthermore, grammatical errors were predominantly related to subject-verb agreement, syntactic errors to sentence fragments, discourse errors to cohesion, mechanical errors to spelling, and lexical-semantic errors to word choice. These errors were primarily attributed to overgeneralization and interlanguage development. The study also indicates that learners encounter various challenges in mastering grammatical structures and constructing well-formed sentences in their writing. The findings also suggest that teachers can employ process-based writing instruction, explicit grammar teaching, and continuous feedback to develop the writing proficiency of bachelor-level students.