An Exploration of Common Concord Errors among First-Year Undergraduates in a Tertiary Institution in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the level of performance of first-year undergraduates in Concord assignments and essay writing at a tertiary institution in Ondo State. It examined the most common errors in Concord usage among first-year undergraduates in the study area. It also determined the underlying causes of Concord errors among first-year undergraduates in the study area and examined means of addressing them. These were with a view to improving first-year undergraduate assignments and essay skills in Concord aspect of grammar in the study area. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The study population comprised 3,150 first-year undergraduates admitted in 2024/2025 session in a tertiary institution in Ondo State. The sample for the study consisted of 500 first-year undergraduates selected using proportionate sampling technique. Two instruments were used for data collection. They are: Performance Test Scores in Concord Assignments and Essays (PTCAE) and Questionnaire on Concord Assignment and Essays (QCAE). Data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentage and mean. The results of the study showed that the level of performance of first-year undergraduates in Concord assignments and essays in a tertiary institution in Ondo State was moderate at 50.4%.  The results also indicated that the most common errors in Concord usage were: Error with singular subject and plural verb (x̄ = 3.31). Error with plural subject and singular verb (x̄ = 3.03) and confusion with each and every (x̄ = 2.90). In addition, the results revealed the most underlying causes of Concord errors among first-year undergraduates in the study area with: mother tongue interference (x̄ = 3.04), weak foundation from secondary school (x̄ = 3.03) and limited exposure to standard English (x̄ = 2.5). Finally, the results showed that explicit teaching of Concord rules (x̄ = 3.00); use of error analysis (x̄ = 2.92); and providing corrections feedback (x̄ = 2.91) as the most viable remedies in addressing first-year undergraduates’ assignment and writing skills in concord in the study area. The study concluded that Concord is an important aspect of English grammar, and errors in its use remain a compelling difficulty challenge for Nigerian undergraduates; hence, these errors have significant implications for the academic journey and communicative competence of first-year undergraduates in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.