Grammatical Errors by Sudanese Undergraduate EFL Students An Explanatory Study

This study investigates the grammatical errors made by Sudanese undergraduate students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the Faculty of Arts, University of Khartoum. The primary objective is to identify and analyze the most frequent grammatical and syntactical errors in their written English and explore the underlying causes of these errors. To address these objectives, the study utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods, focusing on written samples of students' work to identify recurring error patterns. It aims to pinpoint areas of grammatical concord errors, particularly in sentence structure, verb tense usage, and subject-verb agreement. The findings shed light on the specific difficulties faced by EFL students in Sudan, providing insights into the factors such as first language interference, inadequate teaching methods, and insufficient exposure to the target language. This study aims to contribute to enhancing EFL teaching practices by addressing the root causes of grammatical errors in order to improve students’ proficiency in English. Further research could explore the impact of first language interference in more detail, focusing on specific grammatical areas influenced by the students’ native language.