An analysis of the illocutionary acts used in the compositions written by first- and fourth-year students of the department of English of the College of Arts in Basrah university

الملخص EN

The present study pragmatically analyzes narrative compositions written by first-and fourth-year students in the department of English/ College of Arts.

It explores the types of illocutionary acts used in each composition in order to find out whether students try to make their narratives varied and interesting by using descriptins and dialogues side by side with reporting.The study has come out with the conclusion that fourth–year students tend to use more description and dialogue than first-year students .But the use of description is exaggerated by some of the fourth-year students.Therefore, the structure of their narrative compositions is changed into that of descriptive ones .Since first-year students have received little practice in writing, they mainly resort o using the illocutionary acts of reporting.

They do not always attempt to include other types of illocutionary acts in their compositions by using descriptions and / or dialogues.Significantly, both first-and fourth-year students failed to write long and well-built dialogues.