An Evaluation of Grammatical Concord in Written Assignments of Level 100 Students in a South African University

An Evaluation of Grammatical Concord in Written Assignments of Level 100 Students in a South African University

Ernest Kwesi Klu & Ndishunwani Vincent Demana

Issue: Vol.6 No.14 Article 55 pp. 4154 – 4163
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561455| Published online 30th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

This study investigates the use of grammatical concord in the written assignments of first-year students at a South African university. Using purposive sampling and Critical Discourse Analysis, selected student texts were analysed to assess proficiency in grammatical concord, with a particular focus on subject-verb agreement, tense concord, and concord with relative pronouns and specific expressions. The findings reveal a general lack of proficiency, which is attributed to weak language foundations acquired during primary and secondary education. The study recommends that more engaging and context-based pedagogical methods, such as grammar instruction in context, use of substitution tables, and consistent practice, be adopted to enhance students’ mastery of English grammar.

Keywords: Grammatical Concord, Subject-Verb Agreement, ESL, Pedagogy, Error Analysis, South Africa

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Ernest Kwesi Klu is a Professor of Educational Linguistics and English Language. He has lectured at the University of Namibia, Medical University of Southern Africa and currently at the University of Venda. He has published extensively in his fields of specialization. He has also supervised numerous post-gradute students. He has served as HoD and also Vice Dean. He has collaborated with colleagues in Africa and Europe. He is currently at the forefront of honing the research and supervision skills of emerging academics. He serves as Editorial board member for several academic journals.

Ndishunwani Vincent Demana is a lecturer in the Department of English, Media Studies, and Linguistics at the University of Venda, South Africa. He supervises postgraduate students and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals. His research focuses on English language teaching, academic writing, second language acquisition, and multilingual language use. With over fifteen years of experience in higher education, he is dedicated to advancing language education and supporting student success.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Klu, Ernest Kwesi, and Ndishunwani Vincent Demana. “An Evaluation of Grammatical Concord in Written Assignments of Level 100 Students in a South African University.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 14 (2025): 4154 – 4163, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561455.