Aims and objectives of the study 1
Aims of the study 1
To help teachers and students gain an insight into multi-word verbs in English
To facilitate the teaching of multi-word verbs to Vietnamese learners of English.
Objectives of the study 1
To identify the students‟ common types of error in using English multi-word verbs
To find out the causes of error committed by Nguyen Hue Gifted High school students when learning and using multi-word verbs
To work out possible solutions to the problem identified.
Significance of the study 1
This study aims to enhance teaching quality for educators while also benefiting students directly The findings will provide a foundation for addressing common errors students make when using English multi-word expressions.
- 2 - verbs Furthermore, the study will make some contribution to the field of teaching methodology.
Scope of the study 2 5 Organization of the thesis 2
• English multi-word verbs in terms of: (1) structural organization, (2) Meanings and usages, (3) Integrity, motivated and non-motivated idiomaticity
This article examines the types of errors made by 50 twelfth-grade students at Nguyen Hue Gifted High School when using English multi-word verbs By identifying these common mistakes, the study aims to provide targeted suggestions for improvement in students' understanding and usage of multi-word verbs in English.
The study has three main parts as follows:
This part introduces the rationale, the aims, the objectives, the significance, the scope and the organization of the thesis
This part consists of four chapters:
Chapter 1 provides literature review focusing on the issues related to multi-word verbs in
English, error and error analysis in second language learning
Chapter 2 presents the methodology applied in this work It also includes an overview of the context of the study
Chapter 3 discusses the findings of the study based on the test and interview results
Chapter 4 offers possible solutions to errors commonly made by students at Nguyen Hue
Gifted High school Some suggestions for teaching and learning English multi-word verbs are also provided
This part summaries all the major issues in the previous parts with conclusions drawn from the findings Some recommendations for further research are also included
Literature Review 3 1.1 An overview of multi-word verbs in English 3 1.1.1 Definition of multi-word verb 3
Error and Error Analysis 16
In language teaching literature, various definitions of errors have been presented by experts John Norrish in his book (1983 Language Learners and their errors, p 7) calls a
„systematic deviation‟, when a learner has not learnt something and consistently „gets it wrong, an „error‟
We, for the purpose of this study, adopt the definition of error by Richards stated in
Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (2002, p 184)
Errors in the speech or writing of second language learners occur when they use linguistic items—such as words, grammatical structures, or speech acts—in ways that fluent or native speakers perceive as incorrect or indicative of insufficient mastery of the language.
Error analysis, as defined by Richards, refers to the examination of mistakes made by second and foreign language learners Originating in the 1960s, this approach serves several purposes: it helps identify the strategies learners employ in their language acquisition, uncovers the underlying causes of their errors, and provides insights into common challenges faced by learners, which can be beneficial for teaching and the development of educational materials.
Jack.C.Richards & Richard Schmidt (2002 Longman Dictionary of language
A number of different categories for describing errors have been identified According to Corder, S.P (1973 Introducing Applied Linguistics), errors fall into four categories:
Errors in writing can arise from various issues, including the omission of essential elements, the addition of unnecessary or incorrect components, the selection of inappropriate elements, and the misordering of elements Additionally, Corder categorizes these errors within the linguistic levels of morphology, syntax, and lexicon, highlighting the complexity of language use and the importance of understanding these sub-areas to improve writing accuracy.
John Brian Heaton divides errors into two main types: Global and Local errors
According to him: “Those errors which cause only minor trouble and confusion in a
Local errors refer to specific clauses or sentences that do not significantly disrupt the reader's understanding, while global errors affect the overall sentence structure, leading to confusion or a complete failure to convey the intended message.
J B Heaton (1998 Dictionary of Common Errors, p.154) Richards, Jack C (1984 A Non-Contrastive Approach to Error Analysis, p.172-188) distinguishes three major types of errors: Interlingual errors, Intralingual errors and Developmental errors
Richards, J.C (1992 Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics) defines
Interlingual errors arise from language transfer, influenced by the learner's first language These errors can manifest at various levels, including phonological, morphological, grammatical, and lexico-semantic, as elements of the native language are transferred into the target language.
“ Intralingual errors are those which reflect the general characteristics of rule learning, such as faulty generalization, incomplete application of rules, and failure to learn conditions under which rules apply”
“ Developmental errors illustrate the learners‟ attempt to build up concepts and hypotheses about the target language from their limited experience of it in the classroom or textbook”
Richards, J.C (1974 “A Non-Contrastive Approach to Error Analysis”, p 174-175)
This study aims to utilize Richards' error classification theory to predict and analyze students' mistakes in using English multi-word verbs, as the theory effectively addresses various types of errors and their underlying causes.
Distinction between „error‟ and „mistake‟
Richards explains that learners often make mistakes in writing or speaking due to factors such as lack of attention, fatigue, or carelessness, which can be self-corrected when attention is drawn to them In contrast, an error reflects a deeper issue, as it involves the incorrect use of language that a fluent or native speaker would recognize as a sign of incomplete learning Errors occur when learners are unaware of the correct usage, making self-correction impossible.
Richards, J.C (2002 Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistic, p.184)
1.2.4 Possible causes of errors in second language learning
Learners' errors can arise from various factors, and according to Richards' theory, they can be categorized into three types: interlingual, intralingual, and developmental Each type of error has distinct causes that contribute to the challenges learners face in language acquisition.
Traditionally, the notion of interference is understood as negative transfer “Where two languages are similar, positive transfer would occur, where they are different, negative transfer, or interference would result.”
Interlingual errors occur when learners' native language (L1) interferes with their second language (L2) acquisition, as noted by Richards (1971) These errors arise when there are notable differences or similarities between L1 and L2 structures Consequently, learners may inadvertently transfer linguistic elements from their first language to their second, leading to inaccuracies in their language use.
She married *with a foreigner (= Chị ấy kết hôn với một người ngoại quốc.) or She informed me*about that new (= Cô ấy thông báo cho tôi về tin đó.)
Along with the differences between L1 and L2, the lack of common knowledge and linguistic competence at a certain stage of learning is another source of L1 interference
1.2.4.2 Causes of intralingual and developmental errors
Four types of intralingual errors - developmental errors have been identified by Richards, J.C (1974 A Non-Contrastive Approach to Error Analysis, p.174-179) as follows:
“Over-generalization covers instances where the learner creates a deviant structure on the basis of his experience of other structures in the target language.” [174]
The failure to recognize the limitations of established structures often leads to the inappropriate application of rules in contexts where they are not relevant This oversight is closely linked to the broader issue of generalizing deviant structures.
“The learners apply rules incompletely because they are so interested in achieving efficient communication that they do not need a mastery of L2 rules Another reason for
- 19 - their imperfect application of rules is the use of questions in classroom as elicitation techniques.” [178]
Learners often encounter intralingual errors due to misunderstandings in rule-learning at different levels Additionally, developmental errors arise from their incorrect grasp of distinctions within the target language.
According to Richards, “These errors are sometimes due to poor presentation or presentation based on the contrastive analysis of English and another language or on contrasts within English itself”.
Summary 19
This chapter is divided into two main sections: the first focuses on the definition, classification, and characteristics of multi-word verbs in English, while the second addresses key issues related to error definitions, types of errors, and their sources and causes Building on these theoretical foundations, the study aims to identify and propose potential solutions for the common errors made by students at Nguyen Hue Gifted High School.
Research Methodology 20
The context of the study 20
Nguyen Hue Gifted High School, established in 1947, is a prestigious educational institution situated in the heart of Ha Dong town, Hanoi As one of the oldest and largest schools in the area, it has consistently served as a trusted choice for both students and parents in the district for many years.
Nguyen Hue Gifted High School currently employs around twenty English teachers, predominantly female, aged between 25 and 45 Approximately two-thirds of these educators graduated from the English department at Hanoi Foreign Language Teacher Training College Notably, some of the more experienced teachers transitioned from teaching Russian to English Overall, the faculty is characterized by their youth, creativity, strong training, experience, and enthusiasm for teaching.
Nguyen Hue Gifted High School primarily serves students aged 15 to 18, most of whom reside in the town center These students have been studying English since their primary school years.
Many students from rural areas attend 20 schools where they have been learning English since grades 6 to 9 Despite this exposure, their English proficiency remains low as they often prioritize their major subjects over English Furthermore, the new syllabuses for other subjects are perceived as overloaded, which has negatively impacted students' ability to learn English effectively.
At Nguyen Hue Gifted High School, English is a mandatory subject within the curriculum, with the syllabus and textbooks, including "Tiếng Anh 10," "Tiếng Anh 11," and "Tiếng Anh 12," approved by the Ministry of Education and Training.
Research method 20
The main research methods employed for the study are:
• Statistical methods are used to find out and classify the students‟ errors
• Descriptive methods are used to describe the actual errors committed by the students
This study aims to examine and analyze frequent errors made by students at Nguyen Hue Gifted High School in their use of multi-word verbs The research seeks to address specific questions related to these common mistakes.
What are the common types of errors made by students at Nguyen Hue Gifted High school in using multi-word verbs?
What are the causes of the common types of errors made by students at Nguyen Hue Gifted High school in using multi-word verbs?
What are the possible solutions to students‟ errors in using multi-word verbs in English?
The main instruments employed to gather data in this study are:
For the aims of the study, the instrument is in the written form of six different exercises Each exercise consists of 5 different items to be done
Exercise 1: is a multiple-choice test Each item is given 4 choices but only one is the right answer This exercise is used for checking if the students can choose the right particle for the certain verb in different contexts
Exercise 2: is matching and filling in the blanks With the given verbs, particles and different situations, the students are required to match each verb with the right particle and then apply those combinations to the right situation with the correct form of the multi- word verbs This exercise was designed to check if the students are able to distinguish different particles combined with different verbs in different contexts
Exercise 3: focuses on word ordering Each item of the exercise is a complete sentence with jumbled words The students are required to put all those words in the correct order This exercise is to check if the students can make syntactically correct sentences
Exercise 4: is a kind of guided sentence production The exercise has 5 given complete sentences with 5 guided words in brackets The students are required to make new sentences staying the same meaning as the given ones Its aim is to find out how the students use multi-word verbs in different contexts
Exercise 5: The students are required to transform some sentences into the passive if they are possible The exercise is used to discover if the students ignore rule restrictions of multi-word verbs
Exercise 6: Translation test is based on the similarities and differences between
The task for the students involves translating five Vietnamese sentences into English, utilizing the specified word in brackets This exercise aims to assess the extent to which students may be influenced by their native Vietnamese language when using multi-word verbs in English.
A short interview was conducted between the researcher and students to discuss their learning of multi-word verbs, taking place immediately after the collection of the students' papers This 10-minute conversation included targeted questions aimed at gaining insights into their understanding and experiences.
1 Which exercise was the most difficult for you? Why?
2 What sorts of difficulties did you come across when doing the exercises? Why?
3 How did you get the knowledge of multi-word verbs?
The answers to these questions were partly used as a basis for finding out the causes of errors collected from the students‟ works
The subjects for this research were 50 students of the 12 th form at Nguyen Hue Gifted High school (aged 17-18) These students have been learning English for at least 7 years
(4 years at lower secondary school with Tieng Anh 6, 7, 8, 9 and 3 years at upper secondary school with Tieng Anh 10, 11, 12)
The students in the 12th form have demonstrated a solid understanding of basic grammatical categories from their textbook Selected for their consistent attendance and achieving a minimum score of 5 in the first semester exam, they participated in a study focused on grammar exercises related to English multi-word verbs.
The data of the study were collected after first semester examination of the school year
In the academic years of 2009 and 2010, selected students participated in a collaborative data collection process They completed a test in class, supervised by their teacher, within a 60-minute timeframe Following this, interviews were conducted immediately after the collection of the students' work.
In this study, the techniques employed in the analysis process are the ones elaborated by Coder (1974) with five stages as follows:
identify errors in the corpus
classify and describe the identified errors
explain the causes of the errors
evaluate error gravity ranking of the errors
Rod Ellis (1994 The Study of Second Language Acquisition, p 48)
After collecting the students' works, the researcher meticulously reviewed them to identify and classify various types of errors A table was created to present the quantity and percentage of each error type based on a specific formula Following this, a detailed analysis of the errors was conducted to uncover their underlying causes Explanations for the incorrect usage of multi-word verbs were provided for each instance, drawing on the background knowledge from Chapter 1, as well as various grammar books and dictionaries.
This chapter presents an overview of the English teaching and learning environment at Nguyen Hue Gifted High School, focusing on a study involving 50 twelfth-grade students Data collection methods included a written grammar test and student interviews, aimed at addressing three specific research questions.
Findings and Discussion 24 3.1 Scoring and evaluation of students’ performance in doing test 24
Number and types of students’ actual errors 26 3.3 Errors and their causes 28
In the data-collecting process, it is crucial to address certain key aspects Firstly, any slips resulting from carelessness or performance errors, often influenced by psychological factors like fatigue and lack of attention, were systematically eliminated Secondly, all unanswered items, or those left blank, were excluded from the analysis to ensure data integrity.
The study identifies 26 significant errors in the use of multi-word verbs, categorized into two main groups: semantic errors, which relate to the meaning of these verbs, and morpho-syntactic errors, which pertain to their form, structure, and grammar Semantic errors are further divided into two subtypes: misselection of particle and misselection of verb In contrast, morpho-syntactic errors encompass five subtypes: omission of particle, misselection of particle, application of unnecessary particle, misordering, and dogmatic application of passive transformation The findings are summarized in Table 4.
Types of errors Subtypes of errors
Sample Sentences of the errors
- We have decided to call *on the match (off)
- I have to look this word *for in my dictionary (up)
- Martin isn‟t very happy in his job because he doesn‟t get *by his boss
- They live *with the money her father gives them (on)
- I‟ll send someone to *deal for the parcel on Thursday (call)
- Don‟t you think the manager should *call with this problem (deal)
- Pleasant memories are brought ^ by your story (back)
- We apologized ^ Huong *because we broke down her bicycle
(apologized to Huong for breaking)
- You‟ll just face up ^ the facts (face up to the fact)
- He explained this *with/for his parents (explained this to)
- You‟ll just face up *with the facts (face up to the fact)
- The poet described *about/on the beautiful nature in his poem
- Her latest book discusses *about the problems of disabled
- I thanked *to/ for Mary for her gift on my birthday
- We apologized ^ Huong *about breaking down her bicycle
- I‟ve written *down them (written them down)
- He‟s looking them carefully *at (looking at them carefully)
- Drink your milk *quickly up (Drink up your milk quickly)
- The police prevented *leaving from me (prevented me from leaving)
7 Dogmatic application of passive transformation
- *After lunch was called by us (No passive)
- * The victims with food and clothing have been provided (The victims have been provided with food and clothing)
- * These screaming children can‟t be put up with (No passive)
TABLE 4: Numbers of errors committed by the subject students
The analysis of student errors identified a total of 461 mistakes, with the most prevalent categories being the misselection of particles related to multi-word verbs, misselection of verbs, omission of particles, and repeated misselection of particles.
(related to form, structure, and grammar of multi-word verbs), application of unnecessary particle, misordering and dogmatic application of passive transformation
As can be seen in Table 4, the semantic errors were outnumbered by the morpho-syntactic ones Out of 461 errors, 74 % display morpho-syntactic nature in comparison with only 26
Table 4 highlights the significant prevalence of errors among the seven subtypes analyzed Notably, misselection of verbs accounts for the highest percentage, with 96 errors (21%) Following closely, unnecessary particle application errors total 80 (17%), while misselection of particles due to grammatical rule deviations comprises 76 errors (16.5%).
The analysis identified three primary types of errors: omission of particles, misordering, and dogmatic application of passive transformation, with occurrences of 73 errors (16%), 58 errors (12.5%), and 55 errors (12%), respectively Notably, the subtype of misselection of particles that impacts sentence meaning was infrequent, accounting for only 23 errors (5%) out of a total of 461 errors observed.
The analysis indicates that student performance is influenced by three primary types of causes: intralingual, interlingual, and mixed causes, as identified by Richards (1984) A detailed breakdown of the errors and their respective causes is provided in Table 5.
Types of errors Subtypes of errors Intralingual causes
7 Dogmatic application of passive transformation
TABLE 5: Taxonomy of errors and their causes
An analysis of 581 errors revealed that 62% (361 errors) stemmed from intralingual causes, while 24% (140 errors) were attributed to interlingual sources Additionally, a significant portion of the errors resulted from a combination of interlingual influences and over-generalization.
The analysis reveals that 14% of errors, primarily caused by the unnecessary use of particles, indicates that the influence of Vietnamese is less significant compared to the internal complexities of the English language when students utilize multi-word verbs Additionally, the predominance of intralingual errors over interlingual ones can be attributed to a substantial number of unanswered questions (120), highlighting students' linguistic incompetence Figure 2 illustrates the various causes of errors made by students during the test.
Figure 2: Causes of committed errors
In part B chapter 1 of the study, four key sources of intralingual errors are identified: over-generalization, ignorance of rule restrictions, incomplete application of rules, and false concepts hypothesized Understanding these sources is crucial for addressing language learning challenges effectively.
Over-generalization leads to errors in the rigid application of passive transformation While it is true that sentences with objects can be converted to passive voice, students often mistakenly identify "the victims" as the head noun modified by a prepositional phrase, resulting in incorrect passive transformations.
*The victims with food and clothing have been provided
In a study involving 50 students, 12 did not respond to a specific question, while 10 out of the remaining 38 students made an error Overall, a total of 51 similar errors were identified in the written exercises.
The second cause is students‟ ignorance of rule restrictions These errors were mostly found in ordering Here are some incorrect sentences from the students‟ papers
* I‟m going to put that expensive grey coat on I bought
* Drink your milk quickly up
The inadequate presentation of transitive phrasal verbs, particularly in exceptional cases, led to students' misunderstanding of rule restrictions, resulting in errors Out of a total of 361 intralingual errors, 58 errors, accounting for 16%, were identified across the exercises.
Learners often demonstrate a lack of understanding regarding rule restrictions, particularly in dogmatic passive transformation They frequently overlook the rule that all ditransitive verbs require two types of objects: direct and indirect Consequently, when forming the passive voice, they mistakenly treat the indirect object as the subject, leading to errors in their writing.
Food and clothing have been provided for the victims
There are few errors of this sort (only 5 cases)
The dogmatic passive transformation of the sentences: „*After lunch was called by us‟
Many errors in student writing stem from a lack of understanding regarding verb usage and sentence structure For instance, intransitive verbs cannot be converted into passive voice, and certain expressions, such as "put up with" and "catch up with," do not easily accommodate passive constructions This misunderstanding has led to the identification of 28 specific errors in students' works.
The source of incomplete applications of rules can be attributed to students' linguistic incompetence, as the researcher identifies unanswered questions as a reflection of their inability to apply linguistic rules effectively This indicates that students struggle to utilize the necessary linguistic knowledge to formulate their responses.
Summary 33
To sum up, this chapter has presented the data analysis, interpretation and discussion The analysis has brought to light some of the major sources of errors occurring in Vietnamese
At Nguyen Hue Gifted High School, 33 secondary school students exhibit difficulties in learning multi-word verbs These challenges arise from interference from their mother tongue, a lack of linguistic proficiency, and confusion among similar items in the target language.
Possible solutions to the students’ errors in using English 34
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE STUDENTS‟ ERRORS
IN USING ENGLISH MULTI-WORD VERBS
In this chapter, the researcher proposes potential solutions to the errors students make when using English multi-word verbs, based on findings from chapter 3 Additionally, practical suggestions for teaching and learning these verbs are offered to assist both teachers and students at Nguyen Hue Gifted High School in addressing the identified challenges.
4.1 Possible solutions to the students‟ errors in using English multi-word verbs
● In terms of linguistic elements
+ Semantic and morpho-syntactic features of English multi-word verbs are gradually introduced to help students get familiar with multi-word verbs in different functional contexts
Error correction serves as an effective method for teaching grammatical rules associated with multi-word verbs By highlighting students' mistakes, educators can clarify the correct grammatical structures and provide a range of examples to enhance understanding.
Providing systematic and well-structured grammar instruction linked to students' first language is advantageous, as it highlights language differences Additionally, allowing ample time for practice is crucial for their progress in mastering these concepts.
● In terms of error corrections
To effectively address students' errors, teachers must first identify the root causes of these mistakes By encouraging students to recognize their errors, teachers can motivate them to take ownership of their learning For instance, students can exchange their work with classmates, underline each other’s mistakes, and then independently correct their own errors, fostering a collaborative and self-directed learning environment.
+ Secondly, drill is recommended as a technique of dealing with errors Remedial instructions should be provided for the contents that students do not master
4.2 Suggestions for teaching and learning multi-word verbs in English
Teaching the most common multi-word verbs early in the learning process helps learners become familiar with this verb type Key examples of these multi-word verbs include phrases that enhance language comprehension and usage Introducing these verbs at the beginning lays a strong foundation for language skills.
Look at Put off Listen to Look for
Take off Think of/about Look after Belong to
Laugh at Turn on Apply for Come in
● Idiomatic multi-word verbs should be taught in comparison with single-word verbs Further explanation should be given if the students cannot deduce their meaning
E.g Bring up the children: train/education
Look forward to sth/doing sth: anticipate sth with pleasure
To enhance students' understanding and proper usage of multi-word verbs, teachers should illustrate concepts with clear examples For instance, when teaching the distinction between transitive phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs, providing relevant examples can effectively clarify the differences.
They called on the man (V+ prep + NP)
They called up the man (V+ Part + NP)
Sentence (2) can be expressed in two different ways:
They called the man up or They called him up
Whereas, sentence (1) can be only changed in one way
They called on him not *They called the man on nor *They called him on
● The teacher should develop students‟ ability to guess the meaning of multi-word verbs in a certain context so that they can master the verb quickly by themselves For example:
He picked the paper on the ground up
He went to the airport to pick his friend up
He went to the travel agent to pick up the ticket
4.2.2 Suggestions for learning multi-word verbs
Learning multi-word verbs as cohesive units is essential for language acquisition Students should document each verb along with its meaning, translation in their native language, and an example sentence that illustrates its use in context Ensuring that the context remains consistent will aid in better retention and understanding.
Meaning To fall asleep, often when you don‟t intend to
Example He usually drops off in front of the television
If the verb has an object, it is useful to record the possible positions of the object
Grammar code V + n/ pro + adv; V + adv + n
Examples She tried out the new recipes/ She tried the new recipes out/ She tried them out
Many phrasal verbs are frequently used with particular nouns as subjects or objects It is a good idea to record these as follows:
To find out information To make up a story
To fill in a form To work out a solution
To break off a conversation To play down a problem
The particles used in multi-word verbs often have particular meanings which can help them to understand the meaning of the whole verb Match the meanings with the verbs
Entering Grow into, turn into, make into Changing Look into, dig into, delve into Persuading Break into, get into, check into Investigating Talk into, pull into, draw into
Sometimes it can help students to remember verbs if they record them in groups according to the topics they relate to Match the topics with the phrasal verbs
Computer Take off, check in, touch down
Travel Get carried away, fall out, get on with
Feelings Log on, boot up, mouse over
Students may find it easier to learn a word together with its opposite Match each phrasal verb with its opposite
To effectively learn English multi-word verbs, practice is essential Engaging in exercises not only reinforces what learners have studied but also aids in the correct and appropriate use of these verbs in communication.
The study thoroughly examined the errors made by 12th-grade students in the Natural Science program at Nguyen Hue gifted high school regarding their use of English multi-word verbs It is grounded in the theoretical framework provided by several key texts, including Michael Vince and Paul Emmerson's "First Certificate Language Practice" (1993), Jennifer Seidl's "Exercises on Phrasal Verbs" (1990), and the works of Douglas Biber and colleagues.
The article references key works in English grammar, including "Grammar of Spoken and Written English" (1999), "Grammar in Use" by Raymond Murphy (1994), and "A University Grammar of English" by Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum (1973) It also highlights the perspectives of renowned experts in error analysis, such as S.
P Corder (1967) and Jack C Richards (1974) conducted significant research on error classification, revealing various categories of errors and their underlying causes through error analysis techniques Ultimately, this study has successfully addressed the initial research questions posed at the beginning of the thesis.
The seven most common types of errors, ranked by frequency, include: misselection of verbs (21%), the application of unnecessary particles (17%), misselection of particles due to deviations from grammatical rules (16.5%), omission of particles (16%), and misordering.
(12.5%), dogmatic application of passive transformation (12%), misselection of particle affecting the sentence meaning (5%)
The study identified three primary causes of errors in descending order: intralingual transfers (62%), L1 interference (24%), and mixed causes (14%) The findings indicate that Vietnamese interference is not the predominant factor leading to errors in the use of multi-word verbs Instead, the main contributors to these errors are a lack of linguistic competence and the mutual interference within the elements of the target language.
To minimize students' errors in using English multi-word verbs, several effective strategies have been developed It is essential to gradually introduce the semantic and morpho-syntactic characteristics of these verbs during the teaching process, allowing students to become familiar with their use in various functional contexts Additionally, employing drills as a technique can significantly aid in addressing and correcting these errors.
While the findings provide valuable insights, it is crucial to further explore the errors associated with the use of English multi-word verbs in future research within specific domains.