Error Types and Strategy in the Acquisition of Simple Past Tense: A Study on Chinese Fifth-Grade ESL Learners’ Writing

Abstract

Today in China, learners start to learn English at increasingly early ages. However, for fifth graders, simple past tense is still difficult in writing. This study investigated simple past tense errors in a writing assessment from three participants. It also examined if the correction feedback strategy is effective. All three participants are Chinese nonnative speakers in fifth grade. A specific writing assessment including a paragraph writing task and a blank-filling task was given to the participants. Both the assessment and the revised version were collected and analyzed in order to answer the following questions: (1) What are the most common types of errors on simple past tense made by Chinese fifth grade ESL learners? (2) Is the feedback strategy effective? The results showed that the four most common errors in their writing are not doubling the final consonant before adding -ed, changing -y to -i in verbs ending in vowel+y, using simple past tense verbs in a general question and not realizing to use simple past tense in a sentence without definite past adverbials of time. Also, the revised assessment analysis result revealed that the strategy is effective for participants to identify their errors and give the correct answers. The findings may have useful implications for ESL teachers in understanding ESL learners' difficulties in simple past tense learning and provide an appropriate and effective feedback strategy for ESL teachers.