and lexical collocation. Both types of collocation will be discussed in detail includ ing the examples of each type of collocational errors so that the first
research question can be answered here.
1. Grammatical Collocation
In all of the incorrect grammatical collocation, the errors were cases of selection or addition of incorrect preposition. The categories of grammatical
collocation and the number of the errors are presented in figure 4.1
2 4
6 8
10
1 preposition in
preposition on preposition at
preposition to preposition around
preposition with preposition from
preposition for preposition of
Figure 4.1: The Grammatical Collocation Category
a. Collocational Errors in Using the Preposition in
There were 9 sentences in which the wrong use of the preposition in found in the students’ composition. The examples of the sentences are:
When she had aware, she had been lying in the bed in hospital lying + on
… president’s assistant was called by strange people in his phone on + phone
The cruelty occurred in their domestic, especially in home at + home
… my body is pain said Miss. Anas be + in + pain
In the first sentence above, the students put wrong preposition after the word lying
. The students put the preposition in instead of the preposition on. The word lying
cannot collocate with the preposition in. In the second example, the students also put the wrong preposition in. The appropriate preposition to be used here is
the preposition on. The preposition in cannot collocate with the word phone. Therefore, the appropriate combination will be on the phone. In the third example
the students should put the preposition at instead of in. The preposition in cannot collocate with the word home. The appropriate combination is at home. In the last
example, the student should put the preposition in before the word pain. Therefore, the appropriate combination is in pain.
b. Collocational Errors in Using the Preposition at
There were 7 students made errors in using the preposition at. Some of the examples of the sentences are:
…there was an active bomb at one of the White House room in + room
Mooi and her friends were having lunch at the 5
th
floor of … on + floor
He found the bomb at the first acid box. in + box
Some students put wrong preposition in the three sentences above. In the first example, the students should use the preposition in instead of at. The
preposition at is usually used to indicate a place. The appropriate combination in the first example is in room. Te preposition at cannot collocate with the word
room . In the second example, the student should put the preposition on before the
word floor. The appropriate combination is on the 5
th
floor . The preposition at
cannot collocate with the word floor. In the last example, the student should use the preposition in instead of at. The appropriate combination in the third sentence
will be in the first acid box.
c. Collocational Errors in Using the Preposition on
