common errors in reported speech made by 11th graders at an upper secondary school in ho chi minh city

VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE OF ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Nguyễn Lê Văn COMMON ERRORS IN REPORTED SPEECH MADE BY 11 TH GRADERS AT AN UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL IN HO CHI MINH CITY MA THESIS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE HO CHI MINH CITY, 2020 VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES GRADUATE OF ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Nguyễn Lê Văn COMMON ERRORS IN REPORTED SPEECH MADE BY 11 TH GRADERS AT AN UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL IN HO CHI MINH CITY Field: English Language Code: 8.22.02.01 Supervisor: Lê Hương Hoa, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, 2020 DECLARATION BY AUTHOR I declare that this thesis “Common Errors in Reported Speech Made by 11th Graders at an Upper Secondary School in Ho Chi Minh City” is carried out by my own and I am the sole author of this thesis To the best of my knowledge of Reported speech grammar, I use some other author’s works to give two minitests for my study, and this thesis is submitted after a carefully checking progress in order to fulfill the requirements of the M.A degree Author’s signature Nguyễn Lê Văn Approved by SUPERVISOR Lê Hương Hoa, Ph.D Date: ……………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is completed with lots of working hours and is contributed by a large amount of enthusiasm, effort and assistance from many people Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Dr Lê Hương Hoa for the all support of my research, for her patience, motivation, and immense knowledge Her guidance helped me in all the time of doing research and writing this thesis I also would like to send my special thanks to Dr Đặng Nguyên Giang, who gave me important help with some ideals and documents Additionally, I am so grateful for Mai Lan Hương, who wrote wonderful books which are loved by millions of teachers and students in Vietnam Her works are filled by deep feelings in the different ups and downs motions, especially during the process of my research It is the source of inspirations for me to fulfil this task Finally, I want to be grateful to my family for all, who are always supportive and enthusiastic during the progress of writing this thesis Thanks to all ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DECLARATION BY AUTHOR i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT vi LIST OF TABLES viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS USED IN THE THESIS ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aims of the Study 1.3 Scope of the Study 1.4 Significance of the Study 1.5 Research Questions 1.6 Research Methods 1.7 Structure of the Study CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Previous studies related to reported speech 2.2 Errors 2.2.1 Classification of errors 2.2.2 Sources of errors 10 2.2.3 Error analysis 15 2.3 Reported speech 16 2.3.1 Definitions 16 2.3.2 Types of reported speech 17 iii 2.3.3 Changes of direct speech when turning into reported speech 21 2.3.4 Summary of reported speech used in the textbook “Tiếng Anh 11” 31 2.4 Chapter summary 34 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 35 3.1 Research setting 35 3.1.1 An overview of Nguyễn Hiền Upper Secondary School 35 3.1.2 The teachers’ background and their teaching conditions 35 3.1.3 The students’ background 36 3.2 Methodology 38 3.2.1 Research questions 38 3.2.2 Subjects of the study 38 3.2.3 Data collection instruments 40 3.2.4 Data collection procedures 45 3.2.5 Data analysis 45 3.3 Chapter summary 45 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 46 4.1 Results and analysis from questionnaires 46 4.2 Results and analysis from two written mini-tests 55 4.2.1 Results and analysis from the first test 55 4.2.2 Results and analysis from the second test 56 4.2.3 Results and analysis from two written mini-tests 58 4.3 Chapter summary 84 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 86 5.1 Recapitulation 86 iv 5.2 Concluding Remarks 88 5.3 Pedagogical Implications 89 5.4 Limitations and Suggestions for Further studies 92 REFERENCES 93 APPENDIX 1: TEST I APPENDIX 2: TEST IV APPENDIX 3: QUESTIONNAIRES VII APPENDIX 4: INTERVIEW XII APPENDIX 5: WEBSITES OF REPORTED SPEECH XIII APPENDIX 6: PERCENTAGE CHARTS FROM QUESTIONAIRES XIV APPENDIX 7: RESULT TABLES OF TWO WRITTEN MINI-TESTS XX v ABSTRACT English grammar is regarded as the most important factor to students’ learning English, in which reported speech grammar is one of the biggest points that is often used in tests and exams at schools, especially in entrance examinations However, 11 graders’ ability still have many limitations and need much more instruction from their teachers at an upper secondary school The findings of the study are concerned with recognizing common errors that students usually make when changing indirect speech statements into reported speech ones, and providing some solutions in order to help them avoid making errors in performing this kind of grammar point Besides, the research also helps teachers give useful pedagogical implications in improving the quality of lectures included in the textbook “Tiếng Anh 11” as well as lessons on reported speech grammar In addition, teachers can apply some suggested exercises in this study for their lessons In this research, the researcher used two instruments, including the questionnaire and two written mini-tests for students The subjects involved in this study were 23 students of a class including 14 school-girls and schoolboys who are 11 graders at an upper secondary school in Hồ Chí Minh City They were invited to participate in the survey questionnaire as well as doing two written mini-tests Besides, some English teachers in the school also took part in to give best advices in an interview for learning reported speech During giving the instruments, there were 23 participants handed in the questionnaire and the vi mini-tests to the researcher in total, and five teachers teaching English for 11 graders finished the questions in the interview Hopefully, the findings of the research will help both teacher in giving effective teaching lessons and students in learning and mastering reported speech grammar point vii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 9: Groups of students depending on their performing levels in English subject 69 Table 15: Comparison between groups through two written mini-tests .77 Table 18: The order of ascending difficulty of changes 84 viii 27 19 2 10 14 11 1 10 23 16 1 11 22 17 1 10 12 29 24 2 10 13 18 17 14 23 14 2 15 28 24 2 10 16 15 11 17 20 11 2 10 18 25 21 1 10 19 25 12 2 10 20 24 18 2 10 21 20 13 2 22 26 22 2 10 23 23 14 2 22.09 16.17 1.65 1.3 1.52 9.39 65.22 76.10 93.91 Average 52.13 % 73.62 59.90 82.61 71.41 Table 3: Pronoun changes between two written mini-tests Ss Count of right items First test (26) Second test (30) XXII % 24 19 92.31/ 63.33 14 11.54/ 46.67 22 25 84.62/ 83.33 22 21 84.62/ 70.00 21 23 80.77/ 76.67 21 20 80.77/ 66.67 19 24 73.10/ 80.00 20 27 76.92/ 90.00 21 14 80.77/ 46.67 10 18 23 69.24/ 76.67 11 20 22 76.92/ 73.33 12 23 29 88.46/ 96.67 13 23 18 88.46/ 60.00 14 19 23 73.10/ 76.67 15 21 28 80.77/ 93.33 16 20 15 76.92/ 50.00 17 16 20 61.54/ 66.67 18 18 25 69.24/ 83.33 19 17 25 65.39/ 83.33 20 24 11.54/ 80.00 21 20 20 76.92/ 66.67 22 23 26 88.46/ 86.67 23 20 23 76.92/ 76.67 Average 18.87 22.09 72.58/ 73.62 XXIII Table 4: Tense changes between two written mini-tests Count of right items Ss First test (28) Second test (27) % 19 18 67.86/ 66.67 13 10 46.43/ 37.04 22 22 78.57/ 81.48 21 14 75.00/ 51.85 21 11 75.00/ 40.75 22 11 78.57/ 40.75 20 22 71.43/ 24 19 85.71/ 70.37 17 11 60.71/ 40.75 10 23 16 82.14/ 59.26 11 16 17 57.14/ 62.96 12 25 24 89.29/ 88.89 13 21 17 75.00/ 62.96 14 24 14 85.71/ 51.85 15 24 24 85.71/ 88.89 16 11 25.00/ 40.75 17 19 11 67.86/ 40.75 18 20 21 71.43/ 77.78 19 17 12 60.71/ 44.44 20 18 14.29/ 66.67 XXIV 81.48 21 18 13 64.29/ 48.15 22 23 22 82.14/ 81.48 23 11 14 39.29/ 51.85 Average 18.74 16.17 66.93/ 59.90 Table 5: Adjective changes between two written mini-tests Ss Count of right items First test (10) % Second test (2) 70.00/ 50.00 0 0/ 80.00/ 100 90.00/ 100 10 100/ 100 80.00/ 100 90.00/ 100 8 80.00/ 50.00 80.00/ 100 10 80.00/ 100 11 60.00/ 50.00 12 10 100/ 100 13 90.00/ 50.00 14 80.00/ 100 15 90.00/ 100 16 90.00/ 50.00 XXV 17 60.00/ 50.00 18 90.00/ 50.00 19 70.00/ 50.00 20 0/ 50.00 21 10 100/ 100 22 80.00/ 100 23 80.00/ 100 Average 7.57 1.65 75.70/ 82.61 Table 6: Unchanged with the reporting verbs between two written mini-tests Ss Count of right items % First test (2) Second test (2) 100/ 50.00 0/ 50.00 0 0/ 0/ 100 0/ 50.00 0/ 100 0/ 50.00 0/ 100 0/ 50.00 10 1 50.00/ 50.00 11 0/ 50.00 12 0/ 50.00 XXVI 13 0/ 100 14 50.00/ 100 15 0/ 50.00 16 0 0/ 17 50.00/ 100 18 0/ 50.00 19 100/ 50.00 20 0/ 50.00 21 0/ 100 22 0/ 100 23 0/ 100 Average 0.3 1.3 15.00/ 65.22 Table 7: Modal verb changes between two written mini-tests Ss Count of right items % First test (5) Second test (2) 60.00/ 100 0 0/ 3 60.00/ 100 60.00/ 100 2 40.00/ 100 40.00/ 2 40.00/ 100 60.00/ 100 XXVII 60.00/ 50.00 10 40.00/ 50.00 11 2 40.00/ 100 12 60.00/ 100 13 60.00/ 50.00 14 1 20.00/ 50.00 15 2 40.00/ 100 16 20.00/ 100 17 1 20.00/ 50.00 18 60.00/ 100 19 60.00/ 100 20 0/ 100 21 20.00/ 100 22 80.00/ 100 23 60.00/ Averag e 2.17 1.52 43.40/ 76.10 Table 8: Adverb changes between two written mini-tests Count of right items Ss First test (6) Second test (10) % 10 83.33/ 100 10 50.00/ 100 XXVIII 10 100/ 100 4 66.67/ 80.00 5 10 83.33/ 100 10 83.33/ 100 10 83.33/ 100 10 100/ 100 50.00/ 80.00 10 83.33/ 90.00 11 10 66.67/ 100 12 10 100/ 100 13 50.00/ 90.00 14 83.33/ 90.00 15 10 100/ 100 16 16.67/ 90.00 17 10 100/ 100 18 10 83.33/ 100 19 10 100/ 100 20 10 0/ 100 21 83.33/ 80.00 22 10 100/ 100 23 66.67/ 60.00 Average 4.52 9.39 75.36/ 93.91 XXIX Table 10: Count of the right changed items of The tutorial students between two written mini-tests Ss First test/ Second test Count of the right changed items (77/73) Pronou Tense n (28/27) (26/30) Adjective Unchange d (10/2) (2/2) Modal Adverb (5/2) (6/10) 3/14 13/10 0/0 0/1 0/0 3/8 21/14 17/11 8/2 0/1 3/1 3/10 13 23/18 21/17 9/1 0/2 3/1 3/9 16 20/15 7/11 9/1 0/0 1/2 1/9 20 3/24 4/18 0/2 0/1 0/2 0/10 Average 14 12.4 5.2 1.4 % 53.85 45.92 52.00 0.00 28.00 33.33 The first test 35.52 The second test Average 17 13.4 1.2 1.2 9.2 % 56.67 49.63 60.00 50.00 60.00 92.00 64.38 Table 11: Count of the right changed items of The weak students between two written mini-tests Ss First test/ Count of the right changed items (77/73) Pronou Tense Adjective Unchange XXX Modal Adverb Second test n (26/30) (28/27) (10/2) d (2/2) (5/2) (6/10) 21/20 22/11 8/2 0/2 2/0 5/10 11 20/22 16/17 6/1 0/1 2/2 4/10 Average 20.5 19 4.5 % 78.85 67.86 70.00 0.00 100 75.00 The first test 65.21 The second test Average 21 24 1.5 1.5 10 % 70.00 75.00 75.00 75.00 50.00 100 74.17 Table 12: Count of the right changed items of The medium students between two written mini-tests Ss First test/ Second Count of the right changed items (77/73) Pronoun Tense Adjective Unchanged Modal Adverb (26/30) (28/27) (10/2) (2/2) (5/2) (6/10) 24/19 19/18 7/1 2/1 3/2 5/10 21/23 21/11 10/2 0/1 2/2 5/10 19/24 20/22 9/2 0/1 2/2 5/10 10 18/23 23/16 8/2 1/1 2/1 5/9 17 16/20 19/11 6/2 1/2 1/1 6/10 test XXXI 19 17/25 17/12 7/2 2/1 3/2 6/10 21 20/20 18/13 10/2 0/2 1/2 5/8 23 20/23 11/14 8/2 0/2 3/0 4/6 Average 19.13 18.5 8.13 0.75 2.13 5.13 % 73.56 66.07 81.30 37.50 42.5 85.42 The first test 64.39 The second test Average 20.88 14.63 1.88 1.38 1.5 9.13 % 69.58 54.17 93.75 68.75 75.00 91.25 75.42 Table 13: Count of the right changed items of The good students between two written mini-tests Ss First test/ Count of the right changed items (77/73) Second Pronou n test (26/30) Tense (28/27) Adjective Unchange d (10/2) (2/2) Modal Adverb (5/2) (6/10) 22/25 22/22 8/2 0/0 4/2 6/10 22/21 21/14 9/2 0/2 3/2 4/8 20/27 24/19 8/1 0/2 3/1 6/10 14 19/23 24/14 8/2 1/1 1/2 5/9 18 18/25 20/21 9/1 0/2 3/2 5/10 22 23/26 23/22 8/2 0/1 4/2 6/10 XXXII The first test Average 20.67 22.33 8.33 0.17 5.33 % 79.49 79.70 83.33 8.33 60.00 88.89 66.62 The second test Average 14.5 18.67 1.67 1.5 1.83 9.5 % 81.67 69.14 83.33 75.00 91.67 95.00 82.64 Table 14: Count of the right changed items of The best students between two written mini-tests Ss First test/ Count of the right changed items (77/73) Second Pronou n test (26/30) 12 Tense Adjective (28/27) (10/2) 23/29 25/24 10/2 15 21/28 24/24 Average 22/28.5 24.5/24 Unchange d Modal Adverb (5/2) (6/10) 0/1 3/2 6/10 9/2 0/1 2/2 6/10 9.5/2 0/1 2.5/2 6/10 (2/2) The first test 22 24.5 84.62 87.50 Average % 9.5 95.00 0.00 50.00 100 69.52 The second test Average 28.5 24.5 XXXIII 10 95.00 88.89 100 % 100 100 100 97.33 Table 16: students’ results in right changed items and correct statements 23 Ss Group Group Group Group Group Average % Count of right changed items (77/73) First test (77) 35 53 54 59.83 64 52.17 67.76 Second test (73) 43 49 50.63 57.67 67.5 52.13 71.41 Count of right sentences (25) First test (25) 10.8 15.25 15.69 16.92 19.75 14.72 58.87 Second test (25) 14.2 14 15.44 19.25 21.75 16.69 66.76 First test (77) 4.3 6.1 6.3 6.8 7.9 5.9 Second test (73) 5.7 5.6 6.3 7.7 8.7 6.7 Points (10) Table 17: The points students got from two mini-tests Ss First Count of right changed items test/ (77/73) Sentences (25) Count of right sentences XXXIV Points (10) Second test 60 51 15.5 14 6.2 6.6 19 35 11 1.2 4.4 61 61 18 20.5 7.2 8.2 59 49 12.5 18.5 5.0 7.4 59 49 16.5 15.5 6.6 6.2 58 45 17 13.5 6.8 5.4 55 61 16 17.5 6.4 7.0 61 61 22 20 8.8 8.0 52 37 13 12.5 5.2 5.0 10 57 52 18 17 7.2 6.8 11 48 53 13.5 14.5 5.4 5.8 12 67 68 20.5 21.5 8.2 8.6 13 59 48 19 17 7.6 6.8 14 58 51 15 15.5 6.0 6.2 15 62 67 19 22 7.6 8.8 16 38 38 6.5 12 2.6 4.8 17 49 46 16 13.5 6.4 5.4 18 55 60 15 20 6.0 8.2 19 52 52 16 15 6.4 6.0 20 57 18.5 0.0 7.4 21 54 47 15 15.5 6.0 6.2 22 64 64 19 21 7.6 8.4 XXXV 23 46 47 12.5 15.5 5.0 6.2 Average 52.17 52.13 14.72 16.69 5.9 6.7 % 67.76% 71.41% 58.87% 66.76% XXXVI ... Hương Hoa, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, 2020 DECLARATION BY AUTHOR I declare that this thesis ? ?Common Errors in Reported Speech Made by 11th Graders at an Upper Secondary School in Ho Chi Minh City? ??... the school ran as a normal school like over 100 upper secondary schools in the whole city But since 2011, it has turned into running on a new model – An advanced school integrating into international... SCIENCES GRADUATE OF ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Nguyễn Lê Văn COMMON ERRORS IN REPORTED SPEECH MADE BY 11 TH GRADERS AT AN UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL IN HO CHI MINH CITY Field: English Language Code: