The use of lexical cohesion elements in the writing of ESL learners

Goodluck C. Kadiri; Uche Lebechi Igbokwe; Udodirim Ngozi Okebalama; Cajetan Ikechukwu Egbe

doi:10.1515/rela-2016-0014

Authors

Goodluck C. Kadiri University of Nigeria
Uche Lebechi Igbokwe
Udodirim Ngozi Okebalama
Cajetan Ikechukwu Egbe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1515/rela-2016-0014

Keywords:

cohesion, lexical elements, English as a Second Language, writing

Abstract

This study investigated the use of lexical elements of cohesion in the essay writing of students of English as a Second Language. Two hundred essays of final year students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka were collated and analyzed by the researchers in order to identify the lexical elements used to achieve cohesion in writing. The result showed that students used three lexical elements as postulated by Gutwinski in varying degrees in their writings. These include: repetition, synonyms, and lexical sets (collocations). Students tended to use more of repetitions and made minimal use of synonyms and lexical sets to achieve cohesion in writing. This has led to poorly written essays by students. It also implies that lexical cohesion elements should be taught in schools to enable students use them appropriately in writing.

References

Beaugrande, R. and W. Dressler. 1981. Introduction to Text Linguistics. New York: Longman.
Google Scholar

Crystal, D. 2008. A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. 6th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Google Scholar

Fatimah, S. N. and M. M. Yunus. 2014. The Use of Lexical Cohesion among TESL PostGraduate Students in Academic Writing. Journal of Education and Human Development 3(2). 847-869.
Google Scholar

Gutwinski, W. 1976 Cohesion in Literary Texts: A Study of some Grammatical and Lexical Features of English Discourse. The Hague: Mouton de Gruyter.
Google Scholar

Halliday, M. A. K. 1994. An Introduction to Functional Grammar 2nd edition. London: Edward Arnold.
Google Scholar

Halliday, M. A. K. and H. Ruqaiya. 1976. Cohesion in English. London: Longman. “Theoretical Framework for the Study of Cohesion” Available from: http://docs.ksu.edu.sa [Accessed on:] 17 Jul 2009.
Google Scholar

Hung, D. M. and V. T. A. Thu 2014. Vietnamese Learners’ Attention and Use of Cohesive Devices in English Essay Writing at Dong Thap University. Asian Journal of Educational Research 2(2). 1-14.
Google Scholar

Kadiri, G. C. 2014. Cohesion, Interlanguage and Emergent Texture in the Written English of University of Nigeria, Nsukka Students. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Google Scholar

Murphy, T. 2001. The Emergence of Texture: An Analysis of the Functions of the Nominal Demonstratives in an English Interlanguage Corpus. Learning Language and Technology 5(3). 152-173.
Google Scholar

Otagburuagu, E. J. et al. 2007. Teaching English Language Skills: A foundation Course in Educational Linguistic. University of Nigeria, Nsukka: Anyi-P & Sons printing press.
Google Scholar

The West African Senior School Certificate Examination November/December 2003 Chief Examiners’ Report.
Google Scholar

Widdowson, H. G. and A. Davies. 1975. Reading and Writing. In J. P. B. Allen and S. P. Corder (eds.), Techniques in Applied Linguistics. London: O.U.P.
Google Scholar

Xi, Y. 2010. Cohesion Studies in the Past 30 years: Development, Application and Chaos. The International Journal- Language Society and Culture 3.1. Available from: www.educ.utas.edu.au/users/tie/JOURNAL [Accessed:] 11 Feb 2013.
Google Scholar