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VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Nguyễn Thị Diệu Huyền COORDINATING CONJUNCTION ERRORS IN WRITTEN ENGLISH MADE BY FIRST YEAR STUDENTS MAJORING IN ENGLISH AT A UNIVERSITY IN DONG NAI PROVINCE MA THESIS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE HO CHI MINH CITY, 2020 luan an VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Nguyễn Thị Diệu Huyền COORDINATING CONJUNCTION ERRORS IN WRITTEN ENGLISH MADE BY FIRST YEAR STUDENTS MAJORING IN ENGLISH AT A UNIVERSITY IN DONG NAI PROVINCE Field: English Language Code: 8220201 Supervisor: Nguyễn Nhân Ái, Ph. HO CHI MINH CITY, 2020 luan an DECLARATION I, Nguyễn Thị Diệu Huyền, hereby certify that this thesis, which is entitled “Coordination Conjunction Errors in Written English Made by First Year Students Majoring in English at a University in Dong Nai Province”, is the result of my own research in the fulfillment of requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts at Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Graduate Academy of Social Sciences. The thesis has not been previously submitted for a degree to any university or institution. This thesis is carried out without using any other author’ work except the information from references.

Author’s signature Nguyễn Thị Diệu Huyền Approved by SUPERVISOR Nguyễn Nhân Ái, Ph.…… i luan an ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is not only my own effort but also the support and contribution from many individuals and organizations. Firstly, I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, Nguyễn Nhân Ái, Ph., for her detailed guidance, valuable comments and useful advice for my study. Without her, this thesis is impossible. Secondly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of my lecturers at Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Graduate Academy of Social Sciences for their valuable lectures during my MA course.

Thirdly, I wish to extend my special thanks to my colleagues and students at Dong Nai Technology University for all their support and contribution to this study. Finally, millions of thanks go to my beloved family who has facilitated and encouraged me during my MA course. ii luan an ABSTRACT This study focuses on the analysis of errors in the use of English coordinating conjunctions in written English made by the first-year students majoring in English at Dong Nai Technology University with an aim to recommend some selected implications for better teaching of English coordinating conjunctions in particular and writing in general. The analysis was based on the data collected from two tests: a multiple-choice test of using coordinating conjunctions and writing compositions on three topics given.

The tests were provided by 50 first year English-majored students at Dong Nai Technology University. The most frequently used coordinating conjunction in students’ compositions was “And”, and the greatest frequency of errors occurred in the uses of “And”, too. The study also discussed some causes of coordinating conjunction errors and some implications in teaching English coordinating conjunctions based on the findings. iii luan an TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION.

iii TABLE OF CONTENTS. iv LIST OF TABLES. vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .2 Aim(s) of the study .4 Scope of the study .5 Significance of the study .7 Structure of the study.

4 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.1 An overview of coordinating conjunctions .1 Definitions of Coordinating conjunctions .2 Functions of Coordinating conjunctions .3 “Comma” with Coordinating conjunctions.2 An overview of writing .3 An overview of errors .1 The notions of errors in language learning .2 Distinction between errors and mistakes .3 Classifications of errors .4 Sources of errors. 17 iv luan an 2.4 An overview of error analysis .1 Definition of error analysis .2 Stages in error analysis .3 Significance of error analysis .4 Error correction and significance of error correction. 27 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .2 Setting of the study.4 Instruments of data collection .5 Data collection procedures .6 Data analysis procedure. 32 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS .1 General evaluation of the students’ performance .2 Results and analysis from students’ multiple-choice tests .3 Results and analysis from students’ compositions .4 Limitations and suggestions for further study.

63 v luan an REFERENCES. 65 APPENDIX 1: MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST. I APPENDIX 2: KEY OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST. III APPENDIX 3: WRITING COMPOSITION: TOPIC 1.

V APPENDIX 4: WRITING COMPOSITION: TOPIC 2 .VII APPENDIX 5: WRITING COMPOSITION: TOPIC 3. IX vi luan an LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1: Non-pass and pass students in multiple- choice tests. 34 Table 2: Total number of correct and incorrect answers in multiple- choice tests. 35 Table 3: Number of correct and incorrect answers of each of coordinating conjunctions.

36 Table 4: Number of coordinating conjunctions used in compositions on topic 1. 37 Table 5: Number of coordinating conjunctions used in compositions on topic 2. 38 Table 6: Number of coordinating conjunctions used in compositions on topic 3. 39 Table 7: Number of coordinating conjunctions used in compositions on three topics.

40 Table 8: Students’ coordinating conjunction errors in compositions on 3 topics. 41 vii luan an LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS DNTU: Dong Nai Technology University FFL: Faculty of Foreign Languages viii luan an CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale In the age of globalization, English has become an important means of communication for the exchange and cooperation among countries around the world. More and more people of all ages have learned English. That is the reason why English has become a core subject in all educational systems, from the primary schools to universities or institutes of higher education.

Dong Nai Technology University (DNTU) is an example. In fact, DNTU highly appreciates English. English is an important subject for students in all specialties at DNTU. Especially, it also has a faculty of English for those who are interested in English.

To learn English well, students are supposed to be competent in four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. It is true that writing is a very important skill in learning English. According to White (1985), writing is used to examine a student’s performance in English. In 2007, Rao stated that writing could help to motivate students’ thinking, organize ideas, and develop their ability to summarize, analyze, and criticize as well as strengthening students’ learning, thinking and reflecting on the English language.

Writing is also considered the most difficult skill when mastering English. In order to write good paragraphs or essays, students need to have a wide range of vocabulary, and firmly grasp the grammatical structures. In addition, a very necessary factor to be considered to write good paragraphs and essays is the unity and coherence, in which coordinating conjunctions are used with great frequency. In reality, at DNTU, the students’ input quality is not high compared to the national average.

Students often have difficulties using language, especially in 1 luan an writing. Writing is considered to be a difficult skill because exposing their ideas in written form is not very easy. They have to take a lot of aspects into consideration: grammar, vocabulary, unity and coherence, etc. Sometimes grammar is correct but the vocabulary is not appropriate.

Sometimes, grammar and vocabulary are exactly used but there is a lack of cohesion. Especially for freshmen, expressing what they intend to write is actually hard work. They make a lot of errors in structures, vocabulary, using conjunctions, even coordinating conjunctions. For the above-mentioned reasons, the author wants to conduct a research entitled “Coordinating Conjunction Errors in Written English Made by First Year Students Majoring in English at a University in Dong Nai Province” to investigate common coordinating conjunction errors in writings made by the first- year English-major students at DNTU, and find out some solutions to this problem.2 Aim(s) of the study Hopefully, the study will help to contribute to the improvement in students’ writing skills in general and in using coordinating conjunctions in particular.

This aim can be clarified by the following objectives: - To find out common coordinating conjunction errors made by the first- year English majors at DNTU. - To suggest some solutions to help students minimize these errors.3 Research questions This study is implemented to answer the following research questions: 2 luan an  What are common coordinating conjunction errors made by the first- year English-major students at DNTU?  What are some solutions to help students minimize these errors? 1.4 Scope of the study There are three kinds of conjunctions (coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions), but this study will focus on coordinating conjunctions with common errors that students often make in their writings. Coordinating conjunction errors will be studied on the writings of the first- year English-major students at DNTU.5 Significance of the study Once this study has been completed, the teachers will discover the most common errors of coordinating conjunctions in written English made by the first-year English-major students, from which the teachers will find the best solutions to this problem. This means that students can understand more and use coordinating conjunctions correctly as well as improve their writing skills.6 Research methods In order to complete this study, the main research methods employed are: - Statistical methods are used to find out and classify the students’ errors.

- Descriptive methods are used to describe the actual errors committed by the students.7 Structure of the study The study consists of five chapters: Chapter One: Introduction - presents the rationale, the aims, research questions, the scope, the significance, the methodology, and the structure of the study. Chapter Two: Literature Review - provides both theoretical backgrounds for the study and relevant previous studies. Chapter Three: Research Methodology - describes the methods and procedures used to carried out the study. Chapter Four: Data analysis and Discussion - deals with the findings drawn out from the analysis of data.

Chapter Five: Conclusion - draws some conclusions of major findings, recommendations, limitations of the study, and suggestions for further studies. 4 luan an CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 An overview of coordinating conjunctions Coordinating conjunctions are the most common conjunction form in English writing and discourse production. The term ‘conjunctions’ exists within a very broad set of grammatical categories and subcategories that employ such terminology as connecting words, discourse markers, linking words, logical connectors, signal words, transitional devices, and others. Their use is essential in forming connections for cohesion, coherence, and textuality between words, phrases, clauses, and ideas (Provost, 1985; Schills & Dehan, 1993).

Cohesion refers to the relationship of meaning that exists within a paragraph of sentences. Cohesion is, therefore, an interpretation of a clause that is dependent on the interpretation of either a preceding or proceeding clause. These elements can be referred to as the presupposing and the presupposed. 214) defines conjunction as “a word such as “but”, “and”, or “while” that connects parts of sentences, phrases or clauses”, whereas Oxford Advanced Dictionary of Current English (2004, p.

259) defines a conjunction as “a word that joins words, phrases or sentences; for example, ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’”. Besides, it was also defined by many authors. 302) defines conjunction as “member of a small class, which serve as connectives” while Richards et al. 77) define conjunctions as “a word which joins words, phrases, or clauses together, such as but, and, when.” In addition, Celce- Murcia & Larsen- Freeman (1999, p.

5 luan an 461) defines conjunction as “the process of combining two constituents of the same type to produce another, larger constituent of the same type.” Conjunction plays a very important role in writing. Without conjunction, the meaning of the text will not be logical. Conjunction consists of three kinds: coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. In this study, the coordinating conjunctions, which are known as FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so), were selected, for their uses are more frequent in the EFL writings of students below an advanced proficiency level than the uses of the more complex correlatives and subordinating conjunctions.1 Definition of coordinating conjunctions The term “Coordinating conjunctions” was defined by many authors.

Thomson and Martinet (1986, p.