Syntactic Study of Linguistic Competence on the Use of Simple Present Tense among some Student of Federal Polytechnic, Bali, Taraba State

Abstract

This study investigates the inadequate linguistic competence on the use of the simple present tense among some students of Federal Polytechnic, Bali, Taraba State. The research aims to assess how deficiencies in linguistic skills impact students‘ mastery and application of the simple present tense. The specific objectives are to explicate and identify the types of errors related to the use of present tense. The study employs a descriptive research design with qualitative method. The sources of data for the study is students‘ written essays collected from the department of science laboratory technology (SLT) examinations and records in the study area. This study is anchored on the theory of Error Analysis, propounded by Corder in 1967. Timeline is used as Instrument for data analysis. Data analysis is conducted through a detailed syntactic examination of the texts, focusing on errors in simple present tense usage and verb forms within sentence structures. The categories of errors include: historic present, factual statements, daily routines, scheduled events, commands and descriptive expressions. The findings reveal a significant prevalence of errors, including incorrect tense agreement and improper verb conjugation, indicating poor understanding and application of the simple present tense. The study recommends the development and implementation of targeted grammar instruction and workshops that address the specific syntactic challenges identified. Additionally, incorporating more practice and feedback mechanisms into the curriculum is suggested to improve students‘ grammatical competence. These measures aim to enhance students‘ linguistic abilities and reduce errors in tense usage, thereby contributing to better overall language proficiency.