An Investigation of English Writing Errors Encountered by Certificate in Law Students in Tanzanian Institutions: The Case of Institute of Judicial Administration Lushoto

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the English academic writing errors that encountered by a certificate in Law students in Tanzania. These problems arise because the students are not adequately familiar with the English language and they do not have enough practice of it. This article highlights the main reasons behind the problems of writing and recommends some solutions to overcome them. The skill of writing is not only important but also an important productive skill hence it must be taken into consideration in any learning and teaching programme.The study employed structural accuracy and communicative potential (Dar & Khan, 2015 as its theoretical framework. Data for the study was collected via questionnaire and interviews from four selected institutions offering Certificate in Law programme in Tanzania. The findings of the study reveals that students face problems in relation to content, organization of ideas, and language use. Finally, the study recommends to those institutions on the appropriate remedies that can be undertaken as the certificate students are seen as potentials for further learning stages in a law carrier. Keywords: writing problem, errors, L1, L2, certificate in law