Does Grammar Instruction Make a Difference: Evidence from AAU

Abstract

This is a report of an exploration into the state of the linguistic ability of first year students. Use of verb forms (tense and agreement) as an element of grammar in the English language is investigated through a short pre- and post-course test. The test yielded information on the performance of the students before and after attending the College English course at Addis Ababa University (AAU). The results show a significant difference in the performance of the students. In other words, the students performed significantly better on the post-test at the end of the semester than they did on the pre-test. Thus, it appears that the finding of the study has a reassuring implication on the teaching/learning of College English.