ELTWeekly Vol. 5 Issue#17 | May 20, 2013 | ISSN 0975-3036
Introduction:
Language is one of the most wonderful creations of man. If there had been no languages, it would have been difficult for a man to communicate his views to his fellow human beings, there could not be educational activity, no law making, no preaching, no lecturing and nothing like talking, singing, writing and exchanging views and there could not be a chance for the existence of a book. So it is essential for the human beings to learn language.
English language is treated as second language in India. The study of English was started and in India almost two centuries ago and got the place of curriculum during the British rule, since than English continues to be the national link language in India. Language is an important tool of communication to express one’s ideas, views and feelings. When an individual comes to know something that he did not know before, there occurs learning. English language in the most likeable language in the world, though it is the second language.
Second language teaching:
In teaching a second language for example, English to a Bengali speaker, the goal is instrumental or communicative. The cultural and literary goals are minimized. In the present-day context in India, the learner of English may have to use English for purpose of communication(oral or written), is her/her day life in the office, in the market place, in the Bank, and sometimes even in social gatherings. English is used as a secondary vehicle of communication with in one’s own culture and social context.
Foreign Language Teaching:
Many foreign languages are taught in India e.g. French, German, Spanish, Japanese and so on. For Example, French or German is taught to a Punjabi-speaking learner, the goal is limited. The learner is not going to use French or Germany for day- to day communication in India: if he/she goes to France or Germany, he/she has to use the language in its own cultural context. so, the literacy or cultural factors is the dominant one in foreign language teaching/learning and the ‘instrumental’ or secondary communicative function is rather limited or minimal. In FLT (Foreign Language Teaching) the cultural aspects get the focus.
Language Teaching Methods:
Language teaching means imparting language skills rather than imparting language structures .The learner must be in a position to use the language in the real life. Language is considered as a communication and it appears as an aspect of other subject rather than a separate subject. Its content becomes an essential part of any subject which in given in linguistic expression. Language should be presented in such a way as to reveal its character as communication.
The importance of language has not on its grammar but also on the functional aspect of language. In India English Language is taught as a major second language .The main aim of language teaching is to make the learner to get proficiency in English which has been taught to them. They should be in a position to use the language correctly in a real life apart from class room.
At the second language is learnt deliberately through formal classroom teachings, teaching methodology plays as important role. To teach English as a second language, various methods are used .The various methods used are,
1) Grammar Translation method
2) Direct method
3) Linguistics method and
4) Communicative method
Grammar Translation Method:
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, language learning was felt to be associated with two major procedures namely, grammar recitation and dictionary thumbing. The main aim of this method is to teach the second language through translation method. To learn the foreign languages, the learners were advised to comprehend on the parts of speech of languages and to memorize rules. This method is mostly used in the vernacular schools.
Direct Method:
The main idea of the direct method is to make the learners acquire second language in the same way as he learns the fires language .This method is against the traditional grammar translation and it avoids the significance of reading and writing.
By pointing out the pictures the words are taught to the learners. The second language is taught without the notice of the language.
Linguistics Method:
At the time of the world war, the problems of teaching foreign language and English to carry out communicative process the linguists developed the ‘pattern practice method’ based on language teaching and learning. This method showed an outcome of the developed structuralism in linguistics. But this method had its own drawbacks. The learners trained more about different patterns of structures but they were not able to use it is their daily life.
Communicative Method:
Communicative method of teaching English as a second language needs two factors: viz: communicative knowledge and communicative abilities .Normally the learners use the communicative abilities as they have developed in their first language. For the benefit of students learning the target language the English language teachers are responsible to exploit the communicative abilities.
Aim:
The main aim of this paper is to realize the difficulties faced by the Second language learners in English Prepositions on certain areas –in/on/at/-Refers to time, place and difference between to/at/in/ into, then other expressions Where On and By is used as well as difference between on time /in time and at the end /in the end are discussed in a detailed way.
Objectives:
This study tells about the learners’ problems to commit error in English prepositions and at the same time certain strategies are mentioned by the teacher to the learners how to overcome such error, if they want to speak and write English effectively.
Scope of the study:
The study is mainly based on the learners’ difficulties in English Prepositions. The teacher has made a General study in the English class room while teaching Technical English to the Engineering students. However, Communication plays a significant role in every one’s life. In this sense, at the time of speaking and writing, the parts of speech especially Prepositions play a crucial role to the learners of Second language. Therefore the teacher observed the problems and pointed out how it can be rectified by the learners as well as the reason to commit such error by the learners is also mentioned.
Structural Analysis of few prepositions:
Here I have focused on few Prepositions where students or informants face problems and get confusion on certain part in preposition like-at /on /in-refers to Time and at/on/in-refers to place and then difference between on time/in time; at the end/in the end. However the teacher has mentioned about where to/at/in/into is used as well as the other uses where on/in/at is to be used. Then the ‘By’ in many expressions is discussed in a detailed way.
This short paper discuss about the learners difficulties on few prepositions which is often used by the second language learners at the time of speaking and writing English language.
This paper deals mainly on at/on/in (Time) and (place) and difference between to/at/in/into and By expressions.
1. Comparison – at/on /in (Time)
The tabular column is shown below with Brief Explanation.
| Prepositions | Usage | Examples |
| At | Used for Fixed Time-At night
At the moment. At the week end. At the same time.
|
I don’t like going out at night.
Will you be here at the week end. Mr. Benn is busy at the moment. Liz and I arrived at the same time. |
| In | Used for a period of time(in the morning) | I’ll see you in the morning. |
| On | Used for a day or date for the part of a certain day/date | I’ll be at home on Sunday morning.
|
2. at, on, time(place)-Basic English Usage in Prepositions. Different kinds of prepositions takes its respective rules. Here are some general rules mentioned in the tabular Column.
| Prepositions | Usage | Examples |
| At | Used with a small village, an address, certain point.
You can use often ‘at’ for building also.
At the station /at the air port.
At somebody’s house
Use at and in–think of place as a point or station on a journey. |
Who is that man standing at the bus stop/at the door/at the window-refers certain point.
I’ll be at work until 5.30 but I’ll be at home all evening-refers to an address(at home, at school, at university, at college)
We went to a concert at the Royal Festival Hall. The meeting took place at the company’s head quarters. Don’t meet me at the station, I can get a taxi.
I was at judy’s house last night.
We stopped at (or in) a small village on the way to London. |
| On | On is used for things at rest.
On the ceiling On the wall On the door On the table On her nose On a page
On the left/ on the right/on the ground floor/ on a map/on a list/on a farm.
On a bus/on a train/on a plane/on a ship. |
I sat on the grass
Have you seen the notice on the notice board/on the door?
Have you ever worked on a farm.
The bus was very full. There were too many people on it. |
| In | It is used with a country, a large city, a square, a street, a corner, a room, a forest, a field, or any enclosed space.
In a line ,in a room , in a queue, in a street, in a photograph, in a picture, in a mirror, in the sky, in the world, in a book, ‘ in the corner of a room.
In a bed, in hospital, in prison.
In-thinking about the building itself.
In with cities, towns and villages |
We were in Italy, we spent a few days in Venice(not at Venice)
Whom the woman in that photograph? (not on that photograph)
Mark isn’t up yet .He is still in bed.
The rooms in judy’s house are very small
Tom’s parents live in Chennai. |
Difference between to/at/in/into
To– It is used for movement.
e.g. They are going to France.
In /at– for position.
e.g. They live in France.
I’ll see you at the party.
Been to– I’ve been to Italy four times but I’ve never been to Rome.
Get and Arrive.
‘Get to a place’
Arrive– ‘arrive in’ or ‘arrive at’ not arrive to.
e.g. when did they arrive in London.
Home- not to Home e.g. I’m tired. Let’s go Home (not ‘go to Home)
Go into
‘get into (a room/a building/a car etc means ‘enter’
Note: we say ‘enter a building/enter a room’ etc. (not ‘enter into)
Other uses where on/in/at is used.
1. On holiday, on business, on a trip, on a tour etc only ‘on’ is used
e.g. Tom’s away at the moment .He is on holiday in France.
2. Other expression with on.
The ‘on’ is used for other expression like ‘on television/o the radio/on the phone/on strike/on diet/on fire.
3. Then, ‘in’ is used for other expressions like- in the rain, in the sun, in the dark, in bad weather etc. in ink/ in Biro etc.
4. We say on –at the age of/at speed of/ at a temperature of …etc
e.g. Jill left school at 16 or Jill left school at the age of 16.
‘By’ – By is used in number of different way.
‘By’ in many expressions to say how we do something.
Something by post, by cheque, by credit card or happen by mistake, by accident, by chance.
e.g. we hadn’t arranged to meet. we met by chance.
In these expressions we use By+ noun with out ‘a’ or ‘the’.
e.g. we say by chance.
We use ‘By’– to say how some body travels.
By car / by train/ by plane/ by boat/ by ship/ by bus/ by bicycle etc.
e.g. Liz usually goes to work by bus.
You cannot use by if you say ‘my car’/the train/ a taxi etc.
Something is done by somebody/something– ‘By’ is used.
e.g. Have you ever been bitten by a dog’.
Compare By & With
The door must have been opened with a key. (Not By a key)
By also means next to/ beside.
e.g. come and sit by me.(= beside me)
Difference between on time/ in time and At the end/ in the end.
Here the difference between on time/in time is:
On time=punctual, not late. If some thing happens On time, it happens at the time which was planned.
e.g. The 11.45 train left on time (= it left at 11.45)
In time (for something/to do something) = soon enough.
e.g. will you be home in time for dinner?(soon enough for dinner)
Difference between At the end/in the end.
At the end (of something)- at the time when something ends)
e.g. I ‘m going away at the end of January.
In the end= Finally.
We had a lot of problems with our car. In the end we sold it and bought another one.
Error Analysis in prepositions.
This is a General Analysis made to see the performance of the students in Grammar and at the same time the reason for the error. Therefore the teacher has selected one of the parts of speech i.e. preposition where most of them get confuse.
The learners of second language commit error in prepositions especially on at/on/in, this is due to the less practice in Grammar and less knowledge about its rules. Therefore an adequate measure is to be taken by the English teachers in the English class room to the weak learners. There are so many reasons lies behind the learners which have to be identified by the English teacher in order to eradicate the problems faced by the learners.
The following exercises were given to the students in order to identify the problems faced by them in prepositions.
The informants were asked to put the correct prepositions in right places.
[At/on/in-Time]
Exercise-1
1. Mozart was born in Salzburg————- 1756.
2. I’ve been invited to a wedding————– 14 February.
3. —————– Saturday night I went to bed ————- 11o’clock.
Expected answer
1.in,2.on,3.on,at.
As a English professor I observed that the majority of the students confuse between in and on because they did not know that the preposition in- is to be used only for longer period of time and on- for days and dates. As far as the calculation most of the students wrote on instead of in for the first one; and instead of on wrote in. However ‘At’ is used for the time of day. This shows that they have to focus more attention on Grammar during English periods.
Exercise-2
at/on/in-place
The students were asked to put the correct prepositions at/on/in which refers to place. However most of the students feel difficult to identify the correct preposition.
The following questions were given to the students to check their performance.
- I like that picture hanging ————- the wall——— the kitchen.
- The man the police are looking for has a scar——— his right cheek.
- I wasn’t sure whether I had come to the right office. There was no name———– the door.
- When I’m a passenger in a car. I prefer to sit ——— the front.
- If you walk to the end of the street, you’ll see a small shop ————- the corner.
- I didn’t see you ———–the party on Saturday. Where were you?
- We stayed ———- a very nice hotel when we were ————– Amsterdam.
Expected answer
1. on, in 2.on, 3.at, 4.in, 5.at, 6.at, 7. at, in
The learners of second language did not know that the prepositions at/on/in refers to Time and place at the same time learners did not have adequate knowledge about the usages of at/on/in-time and place. So there is a chance for the learners to commit error if they did not know the difference between in/on /at-usages i.e. where it is to be used. In Exercise 2, the second sentences naturally confuse the learners to commit error and wrote in for on, because of the poor /weak in grammar and less confident about the Rule. This portrays their inadequate learning on the grammatical category of prepositions.
Compare To/at/in/into
The students often confuse to as well as in/at. They did not have adequate knowledge about the Rule in prepositions that is To is used for movement and in/at is used for position.
Exercise-3
1. when we got ———— the cinema, there was a long queue outside.
2. I arrived ————– Home feeling very tired.
Expected answer
1.to, 2.at.
The majority of the learners of second language use to give wrong answer for the first one. For e.g. Instead of To wrote into. This is due to the less practice in grammar because there is no interest in learning English Grammar in the English class and at the same time learners are not aware about the structural pattern of prepositions.
Exercise-4
- We didn’t go ———— Holiday last year. we stayed at Home.
- I’m going to Scotland—————- a short holiday next month.
- He got married————- 17, which is rather young to get married.
- When you write a cheque , you have to write the amount————— words &figures.
Expected answer
1.on, 2.for,3.at, 4.in.
The above sentences little bit confuse the learners if they did not have the knowledge about the expressions used in prepositions-on/in/at/for. Therefore in the English class proper training on grammar should be given to the students by the English teacher and make them interest to learn Grammar.
Exercise-5
- These photographs were taken ————– a friend of mine.
- These photographs were taken ————– a very good camera.
Expected answer
1. by, 2.with.
These two sentences are more or less seems to be same. So, naturally it will confuse the learners to commit error unless they did not know the Expressions used in ‘By’. However we use ‘By’ in many Expressions to say how we do something.
e.g. send some thing by post.
Do something by hand.
To say how somebody travels.
By fear/By train/By plane/By boat.
Something is done to somebody ‘By’ is used.
Somebody Done- e.g. The door must have been opened with a key (not ‘by a key’)
Causes of the error:
The students understood something about prepositions but not able to put the prepositions in their correct places. In some cases there are students who have not attempted, we can say that they have no idea about prepositions. The reasons are many. Some of the teachers concentrate more on completing the Grammar Exercises that on defining the parts of speech.
Remedial Measure:
1. Teacher should try to make the students understand the language but not to make them memorize every aspect of the language.
2. The students must utilize the given chance to speak in English at least in English periods.
3. The students must develop positive attitude towards learning English language and there should not be any hatred towards the language.
4. The teacher need to encourage the students to produce sentences of their own.
References:
1. Raymond Murphy. 1994 Intermediate English Grammar, Cambridge university press: New Delhi.
2. Krishnaswamy, N. Lalitha Krishnaswamy 2003 Teaching English Approaches, Methods, and Techniques, Macmillan Indian Limited: Bangalore.
About the author
R.Deepa (Pursuing Ph.D) works as an Assistant Professor in English at the Kalaivani College of Technology.