Unit 29 - Categorising learners’ mistake

How do we categorise learners’ mistakes?

Mistakes are either errors or slips. There are two main reasons why learners make error: L1 interference and the stage of the learner’s development. Mistakes result in problems of accuracy.

Categories	Examples	Descriptions
Inaccuracy: pronunciation	There was a terrible flood. /flu:d/	Incorrect pronunciation of /flᴧd/
Inaccuracy: grammatical	We swum in the lake every summer. He have taken more than 100 photos last week. News are reported 24 hours a day. I’m pleased that you are interested of the story. Do you come from the Canada?	Wrong/incorrect verb form Unnecessary auxiliary used as part of the wrong tense/ wrong subject-verb agreement Wrong/incorrect subject-verb agreement Wrong/incorrect (dependent) preposition Unnecessary article
Inappropriate style/ register	Give me a cup of coffee. (used in a café to order a coffee)	Inappropriate register
Inaccuracy: lexical	My grandfather is a senior man.	Wrong/incorrect adjective
Inaccuracy: punctuation	Where does he live	Inaccurate use of full stop
Inaccuracy: spelling	The leafs were a beautiful colour.	Wrong/ incorrect spelling (plural leaves)

Reference:

Spratt, M., Pulverness, A., & Williams, M. (2012). The TKT Teaching Knowledge Test Course Modules 1,2 and 3 (Vol. Second edition). United Kingdom: Cambridge English.