An Analysis of English Language Learners Use of Cohesive Devices

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the use and misuse of cohesive

devices by 4

th

year students, it consists of five chapters including

the introduction. In the introduction I abstract the methodology

within which my investigation is carried out and define the

cohesive devices under the study. The aims and objectives of the

study are stated in greater details in chapter one. The primary

aim of this study has been to explore the use and misuse of the

English semantic markers in the writings of Sudanese learners

of English at Neelain University, fourth year university, and to

propose appropriate analysis of these constructs within the broad

theories of contrastive analysis, error analysis and discourse

analysis.

A theoretical frame work and literature review of previous

related studies are located within chapter two.

Chapter three includes the methodology of the study and

the tools that are used to validate the data.

In chapter four detailed analysis and interpretation of the

study are discussed and explained.

Finally chapter five, displays the results of the study,

which have shown that, the students face difficulties in using

grammatical and lexical ties, the errors in reference received the

highest percentage (48.8%), followed by errors in conjunctions

(45.2%). The least occurrence of errors are depicted in the area

5

of lexical ties (6.5%). No instances of ellipsis or substitutions

relations errors were found, in the corpus of the students'

writing. The study concluded that the lecturers and students do

not use some of these devices.

A number of pedagogical recommendations and

suggestions for further research were included within this

chapter.

It is my hope that what I have done in this study, as well

as what I have failed to do, will stimulate further research in all

aspects of English language, so that we may continue to increase

our understanding of English language system and its place in

the languages of the word.