luận văn tiếng anh :the difficulties in rewriting English sentences of firstyear students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering at Hung Yen University of Technology and Education

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Foremost, I would like to gratefully and sincerely thank to my supervisor – Mrs. Trịnh
Thị Kim Dung, MA of Faculty Foreign Languages for her guidance, understanding, patience,
and most importantly, her relationship during my graduate studies at the Foreign Languages
Department of Hung Yen University of Technology and Education. Her mentorship was
paramount in providing a well rounded experience consistent my career goals. She is always
willing to give me valuable advices and suggestions. I will face many difficulties without her
help.
I would like to thank to the teachers in the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Hung Yen
University of Technology and Education for their useful lessons and whole-hearted advices. I
would also like to thank to all the authors of the books, magazines, and other materials listed
in the reference part for their ideas that have been used and developed in the study.
I would like to extend my special thanks to my family and friends who have
encouraged and supported me very much in the completion of this thesis. If there had not
been great help from them, the study could not have been completed.
Last but not least, I would like to thank the students who willingly took part in the
survey of this paper. For any errors or inadequacies that may remain in this work, of course,
the responsibility is entirely my own.

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DECLARATION
I certify that this thesis is the result of my own research and the substance of this thesis has
not been submitted for a degree to other universities or institutions.

Nguyễn Thị Hồng Nhung

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ABSTRACT
The study deals with finding the difficulties in rewriting English sentences of first –
year students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering at Hung Yen University of Technology
and Education .
In order to achieve the above mentioned objectives, the study presents the key
theories related to rewriting English sentences.The researcher carried out survey
questionnaires among 157 first-year students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY
to get their opinions. The definition ,the formation, the seating arrangement ,and the role of
the learners in rewriting English sentence lessons are also mentioned.
A survey on the use of rewriting English sentence exercises at Hung Yen University
of Technology and Education are conducted in the process of doing this study. The results of
such research showed that the data analysis as well as the interpretation of the results
obtained from the questionnaires is also given.
Last but not least, the study gives some difficulties and solutions to improve
students’ability in rewriting English sentences at Hung Yen University of Technology and
Education.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………
Declaration…….……………………………………………………………………..
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………
Table of contents………………………………………………………………………
List of abbreviations…………………………………………………………………..
List of charts and tables……………………………………………………………...
Chapter 1: Introduction………………………………………………………………
1. Rationale of the study……………………………………………………………….
2. Aim of the study…………………………………………………………………….

3. Research questions………………………………………………………………….
4. Scope of the study………………………………………………………………..
5. Methods of the study……………………………………………………………...
6. Design of the study. ………………………………………………………………
Chapter 2: Literature review………………………………………………………..
2.1. Overview of teaching English grammar………………………………………
2.1.1. Overview of writing…………………………………………………………….
2.1.1.1 Definitions of writing…………………………………………………………
2.1.1.2 The importance of writing…………………………………………………….
2.1.1.3 Writing errors…………………………………………………………………..
2.1.2.2 The importance of teaching grammar…………………………………………..
2.1.2.3 Grammatical error…………………………………………………………….
2.1.2.4 Grammar Rules…………………………………………………………………
2.2 Overview of the feature forms in rewriting English sentence exercises
2.2.1 Phrase structure rules…………………………………………………………….
2.2.2 Run-on sentences………………………………………………………………..
2.2.3 Parallel sentences structures……………………………………………………..
Chapter 3: Methodology and data…………………………………………………...
3.1. An overview on current situation of teaching and learning in rewriting
English sentences in Faculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY………………
3.1.1. Objectives of the English course in FAE, UTEHY ……………………………
3.1.2. Learners ………………………............................................................................
3.1.3. Teachers ………………………………………………………………………..
3.2 Research questions…………………. ……………………………………………
3.3 The subjects of the study…………………………………………………………
3.3.1 Student subjects………………………………………………………………..
3.3.2 Teacher subjects………………………………………………………………..
3.4 Data collection instrument………………………………………………………..
3.4.1 Questionnaire……………………………………………………………………
3.4.2 The interviews……………………………………………………………………

3.5 Procedures of data collection……………………………………………………..
3.6. Summary…………………………………………………………………………
Chapter 4: Data analysis, main findings and discussion…………………………..
4.1 The opinion of students in rewriting English sentences……………………….
4.1.1 The difficulty………………………………………………………………...
4.1.2 The importance………………………………………………………………
4.1.3 The frequency………………………………………………………....................
4.1.4 The New Headway textbook……………………………………………………
4.2 Current situation of learning in rewriting English sentences at FAE, UTEHY

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4.2.1 Students’ difficulties in rewriting English sentences…………………………….
4.2.2 The assessment of pre-rewiting English sentences………………………………
4.2.3 Students’ mistakes in rewriting English sentences………………………………
4.2.3 Students’ activities to improve in rewriting English sentences…………………..
4.2.3.1 Students’ practicing……………………………………………………………
4.2.3.2 Techniques before rewriting English sentences……………………………….
4.2.3.3 Techniques after rewriting English sentences…………………………………
4.2.3.4 Activities for improving in rewriting English sentences………………………
4.3 Main findings and discussion…………………………………………………….
4.3.1 Opinions of students about rewriting English sentences………………………..
4.3.2 Current situation in studying the rewrite English sentences…………………….
Chapter 5: Recommendation for improving rewriting English sentences
5.1 Techniques to improve the grammar……………………………………………
5.2 Techniques to improve sentence structure……………………………………..
Chapter 6: Conclusion………………………………………………………………..
6.1. Summary of the study……………………………………………………………
6.2. Limitations and suggestions for further study…………………………………
References……………………………………………………………………………..
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………….
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

FAE: Faculty of Automobile Engineering
UTEHY: Hung Yen University of Technology and Education
S: student
Ss: students
LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES
Table 3.2.1: The interview results of students’ assessment in rewriting English sentences
Table 3.2.2: The interview results of students’ assessment on the importance of rewriting
English

sentences

Table 3.2.3: The interview results of students’ opinions about the frequency in rewriting
English sentences
Table 3.2.3: The interview results of students’ opinions about the suitableness of the New
Headway textbook
Table 3.2.5: Students’ difficulties in rewriting English sentences
Table 3.2.6: Students’ mistakes
Table 3.2.7: Students’ techniques before rewriting English sentences
Chart 3.2.1: Students’ assessment on the difficulties in rewriting English sentences
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Chart 3.2.2: Students’ opinions on the importance of rewriting English sentences
Chart 3.2.3: Students’ opinions about the frequency of rewriting English sentences
Chart 3.2.4:Students’ opinions about the suitableness of the New Headway textbook
Chart 3.2.5: Students’ opinions about the assessment of pre-rewriting English sentences
Figure 3.2.6: The frequency degrees of students’ rewriting English sentences
Chart 3.2.7: Students’ techniques after rewriting English sentences
Chart 3.2.8: Students’ opinions about the activities for improving in rewriting English
sentence

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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Rationale
Nowadays, English is very popular in the world and even become the most
international language. English is used in global commerce, communication, education and so
on. Many countries consider English a national language,such as the Philippines, Hong Kong,
Singapore (as a second language). English has been considered very important in every
country, and English is a language of progressive science and technology, trade and cultural
relations. English is so powerful that it has been used when negotiating with very prominent
personalities with regards to international meetings.
In our country, English plays a vital part in integrating into the world. Vietnam took
part in WTO, so Vietnamese companies will trade with companies in other countries. As a
result, English has been a compulsory subject at schools, colleges and universities.
Moreover,it would know about the importance of English teaching and learning if we
understand the relations among language, grammar and vocabulary. Therefore, the goals of
English language teaching are not only to help the students learn language, but also more
importantly to use language fluently. Besides, English began to be used widely in education
and in daily-life activities. It is obviously seen that many Vietnamese students have a little
experience of writing since leaving secondary schools or colleges when they presenting
written work in a daily life. Moreover, they may be very anxious about having to write
essays, letters and curriculum vitaes.
Because of the importance of learning English, Vietnamese students hope to improve
the four language skills but they rarely have opportunities to use English outside the class.

Most writing programs are still taught using the traditional model, emphasizing accuracy of
grammatical structure and vocabulary. Besides, the formative tests in most writing programs
stress objective-type questions, which require sentence completion, reordering sentences,
reordering words and error correction. Students have very few actual chances to
communicate and widen knowledge.
Therefore, using the four language skills, is essential to English non-major students at
Faculty of Automobile Engineering (FAE) at Hung Yen University of Technology and
Education (UTEHY) in particular. Because the students must take the B1 including the four
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language skills, writing seems to be the most difficult but really important skill among the
four skills. Moreover, writing skill include rewriting English sentences and writing letters
accounts for 30 over 100 marks; separately writing English sentences accounts fot about ten
marks with five rewriting sentences. When students pass the B1 exam, they will develop four
skills, and they can speak fluently and get better jobs in foreign companies. However, all
students find that they had more difficulties rewriting English sentences with grammar
structures and vocabulary because this course require students to write letter and rewrite
English sentences. Thus, its is very important to find out the effective methods in rewriting
English sentences for all English non-major students as well.
In conclusion, in order to find appropriate methods, techniques to rewrite English
sentences better, a study entitled: “The difficulties of first-year students at Faculty of
Automobile Engineering, Hung Yen University of Technology and Education in rewriting
English sentences and some suggested solutions” is conducted because of all above
mentioned reasons.
1.2 Aims of the study
This study is aimed at investigating the reality of difficulties and solution in rewriting
English sentences of the first-year students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY.
To be specific, the aims of the study are:
+ To clarify of the importance of grammar and vocabulary in rewriting English

sentences
+ How to help the students have better understanding about rewriting English sentence
exercises for the first year students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY.
+ To find the factors causing the difficulties for students in the rewriting English
sentence exercises of the first year students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY.
+ To recommend practical suggestions for improving rewriting English sentences of the
first year students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY.
1.3 Scope of study
To improve the effectiveness in rewriting English sentences of the first year students
at UTEHY, the researcher intends to investigate the difficulties in rewriting English sentences
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of the first year students at UTEHY then giving some methods for improving it.Because of
the limitations of time and knowledge, the shortage of reference materials, this study can not
cover the whole issue of writing skill. It only focusses on exploring common classroom
activities used by students’ attitudes towards those activies.
Moreover, the study could not touch upon all the students at UTEHY. It is confined to
the first year students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY only.
1.4 Research question
The above aims of the study are to answer the three following research questions:
1. What are the difficulties in rewriting English sentences of the first-year English non-

major students atFaculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY ?
2. What are students’ attitudes towards rewriting English sentence exercises atFaculty of

Automobile Engineering, UTEHY?
3. How to motivate for students in rewriting English sentence lessons at Faculty of

Automobile Engineering, UTEHY?

1.5 Methods of study
In order to examine the situation of the study, the research used the following
methods: questionnaires and informal interviews are also includimg. To collect the data for
researching, the author use both quantitative and qualitative methods including questionnaires
for students and interview questions for students. The interview questions and the
questionnaires were designed based on the main aims of the study. After getting the results,
the author used the tables and charts for presenting the collected data. The interview results
which were recorded carefully and the tape script will be used as another data for the
analysis, comment, discussion and recommendation.
1.5.1 Questionnaires
A survey research with quantitative method is used and considered the most suitable
to obtain the aim. The study targets at analyzing the outcome with numbers and figures.
Therefore, the data were collected by means of questionnaires which were designed and
handled to a defined population. The answers are completely objective, not controlled by the
researcher.
1.5.2 Interviews
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Interview has long been accepted as an important feature in language teacher
education and supervision. By interviewing in different writing classes in the department of
foreign language, UTEHY, some interviewing data will be collected and analyzed to support
the process of interpreting data.
1.6 Design of the study
The study consists of six chapters, organize as follows:
Chapter 1: Introduction- Gives information about the topic of this paper, background to the
study, the reasons for choosing topic, the aims of the study, the scope of the study, methods
of the study and an outline of the thesis in this paper.
Chapter 2: Literature review- Discusses the relevant theories related to writing, grammar
and effective techniques of teaching grammar.

Chapter 3: The study
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Methodology and data – Mentions to the methods of the study, the participants of the

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study, data collection instruments and procedures of data collection.
Data analysis and results –Analysises the data collected in order to find out the fact of
teaching grammar for thefirst-yearstudents at Faculty of Automoble Engineering at

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UTEHY.
Recommendations for improving rewriting English sentenses - Gives some suggested
techniques to help students improve the rewriting English sentences.

Chapter 4: Conclusion- Provide some effective techniques in rewriting English sentences
for the first-yearstudents at Faculty of Automoble Engineering at UTEHY. Some brief
information about the limitations of the study and suggestions for further studies will be also
added here.

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CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Overview of teaching English grammar
2.1.1 Overview of writing

2.1.1.1 Definitions of writing
Writing has been defined in various ways by different researchers.
Firstly, according to Brannon at (1982, p.2) defines writing as a creative art, not as an
assembly line operation of locking words together into sentences and bolting sentences
together into paragraph in accordance with a predefined plan. Moreover, Byrne, (1988, p.1),
writing can be considered as an art of forming graphic symbols, that is, letters or the
combination of letters on one level, writing can be said to be the act of forming these
symbols, or more clearly the act of making marks on the flat surface of some kinds.
However, in language teaching and learning process, Tribble (1996, p.3) defines
writing as a language skill that involves “not fusta graphic representation of speech, but the
development and presentation of throughts in a structured way”. According to Murray, (1987,
p.29) and Perl (1979, p.43), writing as a creative discovery procedure characterized by the
dynamic interplay of content and language: the use of language to explore beyond the known
content.
From another point of view, writing is a language skill which is difficult to acquire
(Tribble, 1996, p.3). Tribble also impresses that writing normally requires some form of
instruction and that it is not a skill that is readily picked up by exposure (1996,p.11). Tayor
( 1984, p.4) express that the act of writing, upon examination ,and turn out to be a complex
process where in writers use language as a tool to discover and clarifying meaning on
experience in order to say exactly what they mean.
In short, in most languages, writing is a complement to speech or spoken language.
Writing is not a language but a from of technology. Within a language system, writing relies
on many of the same structures as speech, such as vocabulary, grammar and semantics, with
the added dependency of a system of signs or symbols, usually in the form of a formal
alphabet; an art that writers want to communicate with certain groups of audience to express
oneself efficiently. Through the mastery of writing, individuals come to be fully effective in
intellectual organization, in the management of everyday affairs, in the expression of ideas
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and arguments. Therefore, academic writing requires conscious effort and much practice in
composing, developing and analyzing ideas.
2.1.1.2 The importance of writing
As you know, both in studying and working in our modern life, writing brings a lot of
function, it can be considered as a instrument for communication. When someone wants to
imply a message or a purpose, he or she can make a piece of writing. According to Nunan ,
(1991, p.84), writing is:
Primarily for action: public signs (on roads and station), products labels and
instructions (on food, tool, or toy purchased), receipes, maps, television and radio guides, bill,
menus, telephone directories, etc. For social contact: personal correspondence, letters,
postcards, greeting cards.
Primarily for information: newspapers and magazines, non-fiction books including
textbooks, public notices, advertisements, guidebooks and travel literatures, etc.
Primarily for entertainment: light magazines, comic strips, fiction books, poetry and
drama, film subtitles, game including computer games.
- Nunan (1991, p.84) –
Besides, writing also plays an important role in school. We are able to share ideas,
arouse feelings, persuade and convince other people. White (1981, p.1) gives some reasons
why writing merits a place in the language syllabus:
Writing remains the commonest way of examining student performance in English
(all public examinations include a composition). Consequently, ability to write remains a key
to examination success.
In the eyes of both parents and students, ability to write may be associated with
evidence of having learnt the language. Writing is tangible- parents and students can see what
have been done and what have been achieved. So it has high “face validity”.
In the classroom, writing may be used as one of a number of techniques to help add variety
and interest to lesson.
Teachers may use writing as a testing device to provide feedback on what students
have learnt. Students’ writing can provide useful evidence of success of failures in learning,
of confusions and errors.

Writing requires thought, discipline and concentration. It is relatively a permanent
form and readers judgeus by our style, contents and logics. So writing English demands care
and thought.
- White (1981, p.1) 14


Moreover, Raimes dicussed about this issue with some opinions:
Firstly, writing reinforces the grammatical structures, idioms and vocabulary that we
have been teaching our students.
Secondly, when our students write, they also have chance to be adventurous with the
language, to go beyond what they have just learnt to say, to takes risks.
Lastly, when they write, they necessarily become very involved in the new language,
the effort to express ideas and the constant used of eyes, hands and brain are a unique way to
reinforce learning.
Moreover, Khoii (2011, p.493) emphasizes on the importance of writing skill in the
field of second and foreign language learning and teaching, learning to write fluently and
correctly seems to be of prime importance as a gate-keeping activity. Therefore, writing has
many important roles not only in studying but also in many fields in life.
2.1.1.3 Writing errors
According to Bartholomew (1980, p.255) “errors can be only understood as evidence
of intention”. In addition to that, he views errors as “one of the most marked characteristics of
sentences or utterances, which deviate from the norm of language”. Richards (1984, p.4) find
that errors can be seen as evidence of language transfer, they are “inter-systemic
interference”. In addition, Choon (1993) have the opinion that: there are some categories of
errors such as semantic error (wrong words, wrong form, etc...) , grammatical errors (tense,
preposition, etc,…) global and local error. She suggested that “the system of classifying
errors should be flexible” (p.2) and adds that teacher can learn and decide what should be
focused more in there syllabus after analyzing the specific and common language problem
their students have; she advised teacher to conduct Error Analysis at the beginning of the
course when the items have not been fully learnt and remedy these first.

In addition, Gower and Walters (1983, p.147) suggested about a distinction between
an error and a mistake. A mistake is really a slip of the tongue or the pen. The student is able
to correct it himself, either completely unprompted or with the guidance of the teacher and
other students. An error is much more ingrained. The student might believe what he is saying
is correct, not know what the correct form should be and know what the correct form should
be but can not get it right. There are many kinds of errors: semantics errors, grammartical
errors, global and local errors. Therefore, Hence, that is why the error correction is paid so
much attention to in the process of teaching writing. Generally, the definition of error is
always given in connection with that of mistake.
2.1.2 Overview of teaching English grammar
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2.1.2 .1 Definition of Grammar
Throughout history, Grammar is simply defined by the linguists. David Crystal
defined Grammar as “Grammar is the business of taking a language to pieces, to see how it
works”. Linguistics tries to codify or describe Grammar in term of Language Branches. They
define Grammar in term of phonology as sounds of language. In Morphology, they describe
Grammar as structure and forms of words. In syntax, they define it as an Arrangement of
words into larger units. In Semantics, they describe it as Meaning of language. In Pragmatics,
they define it as Functions of language and its use in context.
Chomsky in ON Nature and Language defines grammar as the grammar of a natural
Language is a systematic description of Linguistics abilities of its native speaker, and those
abilities would enable any native speaker to speak and understand his/her language fluenntly.
Part of these linguistics abilities could be characterized as a native intuition or Grammatical
Competence about the sentence well formedness and sentence structure of his/ her mother
tongue. That’s to say, a native speaker of a natural language is able to tell whether a given
sentence in his/ her mother tongue is well formed or not, and whether a given sentence in his/
her mother tongue can be well formed in different senses, we are concerned with its syntactic
well formedness. He also points out that a native speaker grammatical judgment not only

holds for the sentence that he or she has never said or heard before, but also holds for those
that he or she has never said or heard before. In other words, a native speaker of a natural
language. (Chomsky, 1972)
The analysis and comparison of the grammatical structures of related languages.
Contemporary work in comparative grammar is concerned with “a faculty of language that
provides an explanatoty basic for how a human being can acquire a first language... In this
way, the theory of grammar is a theory of human language and hence establishes the
relationship among all languages.”(R. Freidin, Principles and Parameters in Comparative
Grammar. MIT Press, 1991). The generative grammar stored in the brain that allows a
speaker to produce language that other speakers can understand. “All humans are born with
the capacity for constructing a Mental Grammar, given linguistic experience; this capacity for
language is called the Language Faculty (Chomsky, 1965) - Grammar is the mental system of
rules and categories that allows humans to form and interpret the words and sentences of their
language. “A grammar formulated by a linguist is an idealized description of this Mental
Grammar.”(P.W. Culicover and A. Nowak, Dynamical Grammar: Foundations of Syntax II.
Oxford Univ, Press, 2003).

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According to M.” Ángeles Escobar Álvarez, (2011, p.14), “Grammar is the system of
a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the “rule” of a language; but in fact no
language has rules. If we use the word “rule”, we suggest that somebody created the rules
first ang then spoke the language, like a new game. Neverheless languages did not start like
that. Language started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and
sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we
call “grammar” is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.”
According to Thombury, (1999, p.13), grammar is:
A description of the rules for forming sentences, including an account of the meanings
that these forms convey; and Grammar adds meanings that are not easily inferable from the

immediate context. While Swan in his book, Practical English Usage (2005, p.xix), defines
grammar as the rules that show how words are combined, arranged and changed to show
certain kinds of meaning.
It is probably a correct saying that there are very few inflexions in English grammar.
Ithas grown up as an easy and simplified language. Thus, Sir Philip Sidney towards the end
of his essay The Apologyie for Poetrie states that “Nay, truly, it hath that praise, that it wants
not grammar; for grammar it might have, but needs it not; being so easy in itself, and so void
of those cumbersome differences of cases, genders, moods, and tenses; which, I think, was a
piece of the tower of Babylon's curse, that a man should be put to school to learn his mother
tongue” (Sidney). And he has accepted the criticism that English has little grammar. On such
an issue, George Perkins Marsh, American

philologist, in his Lectures on the English

Language (1866) which was published more than a century ago is of the opinion that English
language as “having no grammar” (Marsh, p.73 ).
Grammar challenges but brings more benefit such as: for teaching concepts on
subject, verb, clause and phrases, for teaching the translation method, for teaching bilingual
method, and for teaching structural approach and traditional Methods.
It is said that knowing a language is not the same thing as knowing about it. Knowing
a language means mastering over its four basic skills, viz., “(a) Listening, (b) Speaking, (c)
Reading and (d) Writing” (Kohli, p.32). Here, the listening and the reading are passive skills
whereas the speaking and the writing are active skills. The Knowledge of the language makes
us to know the meaning of isolated words or sentences or the rules of grammar. Talking about
the language does not mean knowing language and using it. If we consider language as
speech, as the linguists do, then knowing a language means to use its grammatical patterns as
well as proper usage.
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2.1.2.2 The importance of teaching grammar
Grammar is important because it is the language that makes it possible for us to talk
about language. Grammar names the types of words and word groups that make
up sentences not only in English but in any language. As human beings, we can put sentences
together even as children--we can all do grammar. But to be able to talk about how sentences
are built, about the types of words and word groups that make up sentences - that is knowing
about grammar. And knowing about grammar offers a window into the human mind and into
our amazingly complex mental capacity. People associate grammar with errors and
correctness. But knowing about grammar also helps us understand what makes sentences and
paragraphs clear and interesting and precise. Grammar can be part of literature discussions,
when we and our students closely read the sentences in poetry and stories. And knowing
about grammar means finding out that all languages and all dialects follow grammatical
patterns.
Grammar rules facilitate clear and concise communication. Errors in verb tense,
sentence structure, contractions, punctuation, spelling and word usage detract from your
intended message. Being an effective communicator helps you make a positive impression on
others, which impacts your overall happiness, social life and employment opportunities. Your
verbal skills and self-confidence contribute to your public persona. In fact, the American
Psychological Association suggests that the first few minutes of meeting someone shapes the
course of the relationship such as: carrer success, professional communication, personal
communication, academic achivement.
Therefore, the value of grammar teaching is important in English language teaching
field. Grammar is the base of English language. It is not acquired naturally, but learning, it
needs be instructed. Grammar operates at the sentence level and governs the syntax or word
orders that are permissible in the language. It also works at the subsentence level to govern
such things as number and person agreement between subject and verb in a sentence. To
grammar learning, some students may have a more analytical learning style than others, but if
one hope to use English language accurately and fluently, it is necessary for him to receive
grammar rules instruction. Grammar is not different from anything else, it is likely that
students will learn at different rates. In a short word, grammar teaching is necessary in

English language teaching.
2.1.2.3 Grammatical Error
Grammatical error is a term used in prescriptive grammar for an instance of faulty,
unconventional, or controversial usage, such as a comma splice or misplaced modifier.
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“The expression ‘grammatical error’ sounds, and is, in a sense, paradoxical, for the reason
that a form can not be grammatical and erroneous at the same time. One would not say
musical discord. Because of the apparent contradiction of terms, the form grammatical error
should be avoided and ‘error in construction,’ or ‘error in English,’ etc., be used in its stead.
Of course one should never say,’good grammar’ or ‘bad grammar.”’
(J. T. Baker, Correct English, Mar.1, 1901)
2.1.2.4 Grammar Rules
In the Longman Active Study Dictionary ‘rule’ is defined as:
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A principle order which guides behavior, says how things are to be done etc, or
The usual way that something happens
With regard to grammar, the first type of rule is often called precriptive rule and the
second a descriptive rule. For many people, grammar instruction is traditionally
associated with the first type of rules – that is, prescriptions as to what should be said
or written:

+ Do not use different to and never use different than. Always use different from.
+ Never use the passive when you can use the active.
+ Use shall for the first person and will for second and third persons.
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Second and foreign language is primarily concerned with descriptive rules, that is,

with generalizations about what speakers of the language actually do say rather than
with what they should do. Thus:

+ You do not normally use ‘the’ with proper nouns referring to people.
+ We used to with the infinitive (used to do/ used to smoke, etc) to say that something
regularly happened in the past bt no longer happens. (from English Grammar in Use by
Raymond Murphy). Until recently most so called descriptive rules were based in hunches and
intuitions.
2.2 Overview of the feature forms in rewriting English sentence exercises
Rewrite sentences without changing the meaning
2.2.1 Phrase structure rules
In generative-transformational grammar theory, phrase structure rules illustrate
mathematically our knowledge of how the basic units of a sentence are assembled. The
theory of phrase structure rules states that there is a limited number of rules that are carefully
ordered:
+ There is a limited number of rules which serve to reflect the linguistic competence and
knowledge of a native speaker.
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+ These rules are arranged in an order: rule 1 must preceded rule 2, which must precede rule
3, etc.
+ The rules can be illustrated in phrase structure trees
+ These rules can be equated mathematically in phrase structure rules.
According to this theory, you can take a sentence and mathematically divide it into
parts. Chomsky explains that phrase structure rules are are basically "rewriting" rules. For
instance, a sentence can be rewritten as a noun phrase plus a verb phrase. In the notation of
transformational grammar, this rule is written as:
S --> NP + VP "a sentence consists of a noun phrase followed by a verb phrase"
A sentence can be further illustrated by a phrase structure tree, like this:

Starting with this base, we can begin to build rules which will allow us to generate an
infinite number of sentences.
2.2.2 Run-on sentences
A RUN-ON SENTENCE (sometimes called a "fused sentence") has at least two parts,
either one of which can stand by itself (in other words, two independent clauses), but the two
parts have been smooshed together instead of being properly connected. Review, also, the
section which describes things that can happen between two independent clause.It is
important to realize that the length of a sentence really has nothing to do with whether a
sentence is a run-on or not; being a run-on is a structural flaw that can plague even a very
short sentence: “The sun is high, put on some sunblock”. An extremely long sentence, on the
other hand, might be a "run-off-at-the-mouth" sentence, but it can be otherwise sound,
structurally. When two independent clauses are connected by only a comma, they constitute a
run-on sentence that is called a comma-splice. The example just above (about the sunscreen)
is a comma-splice. When you use a comma to connect two independent clauses, it must be
accompanied by a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) “The sun is high, so put on
some sunscreen”.
Run-on sentences happen typically under the following circumstances:
-

When an independent clause gives an order or directive based on what was said in
the prior independent clause.
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-

When two independent clauses are connected by a transitional expression

-

(conjunctive adverb) such as however, moreover, nevertheless.
When the second of two independent clauses contains a pronoun that connects it to
the first independent clause.

2.2.3 Parallel sentence structures
Parallelism in sentences refers to matching grammatical structures. Elements in a
sentence that have the same function or express similar ideas should be grammatically
parallel, or grammatically matched. Parallelism is used as a rhetorical and stylistic device in
literature, speeches, advertising, and popular songs.
“I sighed as a lover, I obeyed as a son” – Edward Gibbon
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” – Joseph Addison
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” – John F.
Kennedy
Parallelism lends balance and grace to writing. It can make a sentence memorable.
Even in prose not destined for greatness, parallelism is important.
+ Faulty parallelism
A failure to create grammatically parallel structures when they are appropriate is
referred to as faulty parallelism. In the following examples, note the difference between
correct parallel structure and faulty parallelism.
What counts isn’t how to look but how you behave.
Not What counts isn’t how you look but your behavior.
+ Parallel structure in a series
When your sentence includes a series, make sure you have not used different
grammatical structures for the items. The elements would remain parallel even if the phrases
following the gerunds were changed or omitted. The length of the items in the series does not
affect the parallel structure. It doesn't matter what grammatical structure you choose for your
series as long as you keep it consistent.
When you use words such as to, a, an, his, her, or their with items in a series, you can
use the word with the first item, thus having it apply to all the items; or you can repeat it with

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each item. If you choose to repeat it, you must do so with all the items, not just some of them.
When you are comparing items in a sentence, obviously parallelism will be important. Make
sure that the elements you are comparing or contrasting are grammatically parallel.
In antithetical constructions, something is true of one thing but not another. But
not and rather than are used to set up these constructions. As with comparisons, both parts of
an antithetical construction should be parallel.
+ Parallel structure with correlative conjunctions
Errors in parallel structure often occur with correlative conjunctions: either …or;
neither …nor; both …and; not only …but also; whether …or. The sentence structure
following the second half of the correlative conjunction should mirror the sentence structure
following the first half.
The scientists disputed not only the newspaper article but also the university's official
statement. (parallel: phrase with phrase). The scientists disputed not only the newspaper
article but also they disputed the university's official statement. (faulty parallelism: phrase
with clause). Be sure that any element you want to repeat appears after the first half of the
correlative conjunction. Look at the position of as in the following examples. In the second
sentence, as appears before either and is repeated after or, which makes the construction not
parallel.
They acted either as individual citizens or as members of the committee.
NOT They acted as either individual citizens or as members of the committee.
In the following example, the last sentence, we expected appears before the first half of the
correlative conjunction and should not be repeated after the second half.
We expected not only to be late but also to be exhausted.
OR We expected to be not only late but also exhausted. (better)
BUT NOT We expected not only to be late but also we expected to be exhausted.
+ Parallel structure with verbs
When you have more than one verb in a sentence, be sure to make the verbs parallel

by not shifting tenses unnecessarily. Also, don't shift from an active to a passive verb.
Kate prepared the speech on the plane and delivered it at the conference. (parallel: both verbs
are active)
Kate prepared the speech on the plane, and it was delivered by her at the conference. (faulty
parallelism: active verb followed by passive verb)
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Sometimes sentences use a single verb form with two helping verbs. Look at the
following example.
Robert has in the past and will in the future continue to support the measure. (incorrect)
To support belongs with will continue, but not with has. If you read the sentence without and
will in the future continue, you will see this: Robert has in the past to support the measure.
Rewrite the sentence to include a participial form for has.
Robert has in the past supported, and will in the future continue to support, the measure.
OR Robert has supported the measure in the past, and he will continue to support it in the
future.

CHAPTER 3
THE STUDY
3.1 Methodology and data
This study, as indicated in Chapter one, was intended to find out the difficulties in
rewriting English sentences of first – year students at Faculty of Automobile Enginerring at
UTEHY. In this section, the data collected from the questionnaire and interview were
presented and interpreted.

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3.1.1 An overview on current situation of teaching and learning the rewriting English

sentences in Faculty of Automobile Enginerring (FAE), UTEHY.
3.1.1.1 Objectives of the English course in FAE,UTEHY
Faculty of Foreign Languages used to be a section of foreign language teaching
English as a non- language major course in which two stages of teaching and learning are
focused: the stage for general English and the stage for English for specific purposes. Since it
was developed into a faculty, another stage has been established aiming at training students
of non - major English. That is helping all students at Faculty of Automobile Enginerring at
UTEHY finish successfully B1 Course with fours skills (such as: listening skill, speaking
skills, reading skill and writing skill).
The English course for them, therefore, lasts eight terms with different subjects in
English. The four English skills are taught during four year together with a system of very
professional textbooks “New Headway” composed by John and Liz Soars.
The main goals of English teaching and learning in FAE are very clear. At the end of
the course, students are required to obtain:
- The ability to communicate with foreigners both in spoken and written English.
- The ability to understand and use the professional terms and structures…
3.1.1.2 Learners
Being students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering at this university, they had to
pass a very challenging university entrance examination. The students here come from all
parts of the country but almost all of them come from rural areas in the northern provinces
part of Vietnam. Although their level of English is really not quite high, their ability of
English is quite the same.That is, most of the students have learnt English for at least 7 years
at secondary and high schools. However, they are not good at grammar, speaking as well as
pronunciation, they were not taught carefully because they essentially studied Math, Physics
and Chemistry to take the University Entrance Examination. It means that they know a little
or nothing about doing grammar exercises, they can not speak fluently and most of them do
not feel confident in communicating in English. The students are between 20 and 21 years
old, both males and females but females make up for a majority in the target population.

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3.1.1.3 Teachers
A very important factor to make the learning and teaching of English better is
teachers. In the section of major English of the foreign language department, there are
38teachers of English. One special point making the section different from the others is the
young ages of the teachers. Almost all of them are the graduates from many well-known
universities of the English majors in Hanoi such as Vietnam national university, Hanoi
University, or Hanoi Foreign Trade University, etc. Almost all of teachers have MA degrees
but many of them are either attending their MA courses so they are quite busy teaching and
learning together.
3.1.2 Research questions
The study has to answer the following questions to achieve its aims:
1. What are the difficulties in rewriting English sentencesfor the first-year English non-

major students atFaculty of Automobile Engineering, UTEHY ?
2. What are students’ attitudes towards rewriting English sentence exercises atFaculty of

Automobile Engineering, UTEHY?
3. How to motivate for students in rewriting English sentence lessons at Faculty of
Automobile Engineering, UTEHY?
3.1.3 The subjects of the study
3.1.3.1 Student subjects
The author chose randomly 157 first – year students among 180 first- year students at Faculty
of Automobile Engineering for the study. They are age from 19 to 20. Among them, 99% are
males and 1% is female. Most of them have learnt English for 7 years at secondary and high
schools. The study was conducted at Campus 1, UTEHY. The subjects of the study were
mainly about 180 first – year students from K11 when they were in the first semester of their
academic year 2013 – 2014 at UTEHY.
3.1.3.2 Teacher subjects

The subjects of the study are eight teachers of English at our university who have been
teaching English to students at Faculty of Automobile Engineering,UTEHY. All of them are
very experienced in English speaking teaching. They are age from 26 to 47, five of them got
M.A. degrees, and the others are attending their MA courses.
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