English Grammatical Errors in Thai EFL Students’ Paragraph Writing: An Analysis of Error Types, Causes, and Pedagogical Recommendations
Keywords:
Grammatical Errors, Thai EFL Students, Paragraph Writing, Error Analysis, Second Language AcquisitionAbstract
Grammatical errors pose a significant challenge for Thai English as a foreign language (EFL) students, particularly in the area of writing, where accuracy and clarity are of utmost importance. Examining the different types and frequency of these errors is crucial for devising effective instructional strategies. The aims of this study were to (1) examine the grammatical errors in paragraph essays written by 62 Grade 12 Thai EFL students from a public secondary school in Chonburi, Thailand, and (2) investigate the root causes leading to such errors. The findings revealed a total of 1,016 grammatical errors in EFL students’ paragraph writing which were classified into 14 error types. The most common errors included problems with articles (22.44%), verb tenses (12.99%), subject-verb agreement (12.60%), singular/plural noun usage (8.66%), and prepositions (7.87%). Additionally, a qualitative examination through Focus Group Discussions (FGD) revealed four major causes of these errors: linguistic differences between Thai and English, overgeneralization of English grammatical rules, reliance on direct translation, and lack of exposure to grammar in authentic contexts. While these grammatical errors did not always obscure meaning, their frequency detracted from the overall quality of students' written output, thus limiting their ability to communicate effectively. To alleviate this issue, it is necessary for teachers to provide targeted grammar instruction, corrective feedback, and exposure to authentic English materials. This study provides pedagogical recommendations that can help Thai EFL teachers enhance students' grammatical competence and writing proficiency.
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