Exploring Difficulties in Using Verb Tenses in EFL Writing:A Case Study in an Ecuadorian Language Institute

Abstract

Abstract:This study examined the difficulties A2 teenage learners face when using English verb tenses in EFL writing. Its general objective was to identify and analyze the most frequent tense-related errors and describe students perceptions of tense difficulty. A mixed-methods case study was conducted with 35 students at a private language institute in Ecuador aged 13 to 15. A pre-test, post-test, three writing tasks in the classroom and a student questionnaire were used to collect data. The tests and the writing tasks enabled the researcher to identify typical errors of the students as well as to compare their results. The student questionnaire investigated which tenses the students found particularly difficult, and which strategies they applied when uncertain about which tense to choose. The findings show that the most common type of error was auxiliary omission/misuse, followed by other tense errors (wrong tense selection as well as verb form errors in general). Students had most trouble with Present Perfect, Past Continuous and may/might. These results suggest that explicit practice and feedback on auxiliary use may help learners overcome these persistent difficulties.