Abstract:In recent years, English writing ability reflects comprehensive abilities of cognition, critical thinking and linguistic applying. Yet the learners are likely to make inevitable language errors during the second language learning. As students do not perform very well in writing parts of National Matriculation English Test (NMET) over these years, it is high time that teacher found, analyzed and explained the errors students are making in their writings systematically. Actually, error analysis is a useful tool for teachers to have a better understanding of students’ acquisition of target language and make timely improvements to help students.

This thesis firstly clarifies the purpose and significance of the research, and then introduces studies and theories on adverbial clause, Error Analysis (EA) and Interlanguage (IL). In the empirical part, the thesis analyzes 160 compositions written with the same topic by the students in Grade One and Two, altogether 746 errors are identified, and then a classification of the errors is made first, followed by a discussion of the factors leading to the errors of adverbial clause in the composition. The analysis shows that errors in conjunctive word choosing and errors in syntactic structure are two major types, mother language negative transfer and interlanguage fossilization have a great effect on the language learners.

At last, some relevant pedagogical suggestions to help students avoid making errors in English writing are put forward on the ground of the analysis and discussion.

Key words: adverbial clause, interlanguage, error analysis, senior high school student

Contents

摘要

Abstract

1.-Introduction-1

1.1 Research Background-1

1.2 Significance of the Study-1

1.3 Research Questions-2

2.-Literature Review-3

2.1 The Introduction to Adverbial Clause-3

2.1.1 Definition of Adverbial Clause-3

2.1.2 Definition of Conjunctive Word-3

2.1.3 Definition of Errors in Adverbial Clause-3

2.2 Introduction to Interlanguage-4

2.2.1 Definition of Interlanguage-4

2.2.2 Features of Interlanguage-4

2.2.3 Studies on Interlanguage-6

2.2.4 Interlanguage and Error Analysis-7

3.-Methodology-9

3.1 Participants-9

3.2 Research Method-9

3.3 Procedure-9

4.-Research Results and Analyses-11

4.1 Current Status of Errors in Adverbial Clause-11

4.2 Common Types of Errors in Adverbial Clause-12

4.2.1 Errors in Conjunctive Words Choosing-12

4.2.2 Errors in Syntactic Structure-15

4.3 Analyses of the Main Reasons-16

4.3.1 Mother Language Negative Transfer-16

4.3.2 Interlanguage Fossilization-17

5.-Conclusion-19

5.1 Pedagogical Suggestions-19

5.1.1 Suggestions for Teachers-19

5.1.2 Suggestions for Students-21

5.2 Limitations-23

References-24

Appendix: Students’ writing assignment and their compositions-25