DATA ANALYSIS 1

Data Analysis

Shuting Shen & Yini Chen

Colorado State University

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DATA ANALYSIS 2

Data Analysis

The analysis data comes from a Spanish speaker’s spontaneous speech. The data is

divided into two parts, both parts are about the use of negative sentence structure. In this data

analysis, we will classify the syntax errors that occur in the data collected and discuss them. In

addition, we will compare the data of the two parts to find the similarities and differences

between the two groups of data.

In Table 1, we sorted the syntax errors of the first part of the data. There are four types of

syntax errors in the first part of the data. The use of the negative particle (no or not) has the

highest error rate.

Table 1
Overview of syntax errors in the first part of the data

Syntax Errors Examples

The negative particle (no or not) is positioned
before the verb or object being negated.
a) I no understand.
b) No is have pronunciation.
c) I no remember.
d) No eat meat.
e) I no speak English very nice.
f) I no make, no can repeat the (oraction), no?
g) I no speak English very nice, no?

The negative element “don’t” is used but not a) I don’t can explain.
marked for person, number or tense. It is even b) People don’t can pass the jungle.
used before modal verbs.

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DATA ANALYSIS 3

The negative element “don’t” is marked for a) I don’t saw.

person, number and tense. However, the
auxiliary and the verb may both be marked for
person, number and tense.

Tag Question a) I no make, no can repeat the (oraction), no?

b) I no speak English very nice, no?

In Table 2, we sorted the syntax errors of the second part of the data. There are four types

of syntax errors in the second part of the data.

Table 2
Overview of syntax errors in the second part of the data

Syntax Errors Examples

The negative particle (no or not) is positioned a) He no eat cookie.

before the verb or object being negated. b) I no come.

The negative element “don’t” is used but not a) The dog don’t can bark.
marked for person, number or tense and is
even used before modals.

The negative element “don’t” is marked for a) She don’t saw him.
person, number and tense. However, the
auxiliary and the verb may both be marked for
person, number and tense.

The negative element is positioned after a) She is don’t crying.

auxiliary verbs (are, is, etc.) and modals (can,
may, etc.) However, the negative element
don’t is used and continues to be unmarked for
person, number or tense.

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DATA ANALYSIS 4

By comparing the two parts, we can find that both parts have problems in the use of no,

not and don't; however, errors in the use of tag questions only appears in the first part. In the

second part, there is a problem in the use of the verb "be" to express the negative form.

Conclusion

It is important for ESL students to know how to structure a sentence. As students age and

progress in English, it will become more and more difficult to correct grammar problems. For

example, in the study of a Spanish-speaking student in this data analysis, he often put the

negative particle (no or not) on a verb. This indicates that for him, the rules of using negative

particles are not clear. Therefore, in our English teaching process, it is necessary to help students

master the use rules of negative words correctly.