The performance of Iraqi EFL University students in using participles : an error analysis

Abstract EN

This Study deals with participles as one of the common and essential constructions in the English language on the one hand, and as a problematic area for English foreign language learners on the other hand..

A participle is a form of a verb that can be used in compound tenses of the verb.

There are two participles in English: the past participle, which usually ends in '-ed', and the present participle, which ends in '-ing'..

So, Iraqi EFL students face difficulties in using them properly in context.

The Formations of participle constitute a problem to those students because they are formed in many ways.

This study aims to (1) Identify and analyzing the errors which students made in using participle.

and (2) Give a clear rationale for the possible causes for such errors.

To achieve these aims the following hypotheses have been put: (1) Most of the students encounter difficulties in producing participles.,(2) Most of them cannot identify the function of participles., and (3) Most of them flunk to acquire the proper use of participles..

To verify these hypotheses, the researcher designs a test and apply it to students of second years to find out the difficulties the encounter with this sort of participle and analyze the results on the bases of which conclusions have been drawn.This study is limited to fifty students in second year at the Department of English in College of Basic Education ,University of Babylon