Volume : 8, Issue : 6, JUN 2022

GRAMMAR DIFFICULTIES IN ENGLISH ENCOUNTERED BY THAI STUDENT NURSES AT PRINCE OF SONGKHLA UNIVERSITY, HATYAI, SONGKHLA, THAILAND

SARAH A. GALANG

Abstract

“Sawasdee” is the first common greeting a tourist will hear when she steps into “Siam” the Land of Smiles-Thailand. This word is often used for both hello and goodbye different from that of English. Thailand has captured the hearts of people all over the world; by just coming to the kingdom is like stepping into a new world.

English in Thailand is not a medium of instruction in the schools, colleges and universities in a general sense. Specifically, the study was conducted to find out the difficulties in English encountered by the respondents in grammar. There were 145 respondents.

In the difficulties encountered in grammar specifically in sentence patterns, respondents have difficulties in subject + verb + object + complement which has the highest frequency followed by subject + linking + verb + complement. In subject-verb agreement respondents have difficulty with singular collective nouns used as the subject of the sentence requiring singular verb form and plural indefinite adjectives or pronouns such as few or both as subject which require the plural verb form. In the verb tenses and tense forms however, got the highest frequency in item number 7 with past progressive (was giving) followed by future-perfect tense.

In the levels of difficulties, respondents find it “moderately difficult” in verb tenses and tense forms. Subject- verb agreement is “less difficult” except for students from private schools who find it “moderately difficult”.

There is “no significant” association encountered in sentence patterns in all variables while there is “significant” association in subject-verb agreement and verb tenses and tense forms.

Keywords

DIFFICULTIES, GRAMMAR, STUDENT NURSES, PSU (PRINCE OF SONGKHLA UNIVERSITY) THAILAND.

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