Syntactic Study of English Concord Difficulties Encountered by Students of Management Sciences in Akwa Ibom State University

Abstract

This study attempts a critical survey on the grammatical inadequacies that have plagued the
performances of second language user/learners of the English language in the Use of English
course and the resultant effect of these shortcomings on the educational systems, a package
of problems traceable to lack of proficiency in the area of concord. To achieve this purpose,
five departments were selected from the six departments of the faculty of Social and
Management Sciences, Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campus, and 150 students
(30 from each department) were selected by stratified random sampling technique from a
total of 673 students of year 1, direct entry years 2 and 3 as well as carry forward students of
years 2 and 3 of the five departments selected. The theoretical frameworks employed for this
study are the Surface Strategy Taxonomy and Comparative Taxonomy. The instrument for
data collection was Objective Test, thoroughly supervised to ensure validity; fifty objective
questions on concord were administered on the sample, and the data collected were analysed,
using ‘80’ as the standard mean for competence. The result reveals that the subjects’ ‘over
all’ mean score of 44.2, fell below the standard, denoting lack of competence in the area of
concord. As a result of the findings, recommendations were made, one of which is a call for a
review of the present language curriculum to include extensive and exhaustive topics on
concord principles and other verb- related topics in order to attain improved level of attention on these areas in order to bridge the Gap between Teaching and Research for a Reflective
Nigerian Society.