Restrictions on the English Verb and Implications for English as Second Language (ESL) Users

Abstract:

Five hundred randomly sampled users of English as a Second Language (ESL) are t e s t e d on the verb to determine t h e i r competence i n the use of its various paradigms. The population is drawn from the f i r s t year students of Imo State University, Okigwe. The f i v e hundred multiple choice/objective questions constructed f o r the t e s t are grouped into f i v e areas t o cover the main areas of the verb as follows: (i) the tenses - 91 questions ( i i ) the rnodals - 88 ,, ( i i i ) the passive - 99 If ( i v ) concord - 122 11 , and (v) verbal idiosyncrasy - 100 questions. Three hypotheses are then formulated t o guide the study as follows: Hypothesis One: The population understands and competently uses the restrictions on the English verb; Hypothesis Two: The population s h a l l score a competency mean i n any t e s t on the verb. Hypothesis Three: Deviation from the competency mean s h a l l be i n s i g n i f i c a n t . Before undertaking the study, our readings had pointed t o the verb as an area of c r i t i c a l need i n ESL pedagogy. Our survey of l i t e r a t u r e tended to confirm t h a t ESL scholars had hitherto f a i l e d to devote the necessary attention and research to verb studies. Consequently, we waded into a competency based study of learners verb e r r o r s , s e t t i n g a competency mean for the group, The o v e r a l l mean, as well as the mean of each d i v i s i o n of the verb does not permit us t o accept the first two hyotheses. However, hypothesis three is accepted. A hierarchy of d i f f i c u l t y is posited. The usera' granular shows Less f a m i l i a r i t y with the select i o a a l restrictions on the verb than we ever anticipated. The pattern of error and t h e i r types are shown, section by section, with implications for pedagogical goals and recommendations for future researchers.