Detecting and correcting unmotivated tense shifts by efl english-major jordanian undergraduates

Abstract

A multi-dimensional process, writing demands that the writer coordinate several dimensions at a time, including grammar. Particularly in dealing with tenses, a good number of English-major EFL learners find it challenging to maintain a consistent tense during a writing task. They are usually unaware of the fact that tense shifts are necessary in some contexts but unnecessary in others. Students need to know that when they cast an essay in one tense, they need to remain consistent throughout. The researchers developed and administrated a grammatical error detection and correction test to 270 Jordanian English-major undergraduates with the aim of assessing their ability to detect and correct unmotivated tense shifts. Descriptive (percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t test and One-Way ANOVA) were used for data analysis using SPSS 20. The results revealed that the easiest tense type to identify was the simple past while the most difficult was the simple present. As for correction, the easiest was the simple past whereas the most difficult was the present perfect. The results also showed significant differences associated with students' GPA, academic level and perceived grammatical knowledge.