2.3.2 Definition of Lexical Errors 9

2.3.3 Classification of Lexical Errors 9

2.4 Previous Researchers on Lexical Errors at Home and Abroad 12

2.4.1 Previous Researchers in China 12

2.4.2 Previous Researchers Abroad 13

3. Methodology 14

3.1 Research Questions 14

3.2 Subjects and Data Collection 14

4. Result and discussion 15

4.1 General Statistics 15

4.2 Specific description of lexical errors 15

4.2.1 Spelling Errors 16

4.2.2 Wrong Choice of Words 16

4.2.3 Collocational Errors 17

4.2.4 Calque 17

4.3 Analysis of the Causes of Lexical Errors Based on the Quantative Description 18

4.3.1Causes of Spelling Errors 18

4.3.2 Causes of Formal Misselections 19 

4.3.3 Causes of Mix-up of Part of Speech 19

4.3.4 Causes of Semantic Confusion 19

4.3.5 Causes of collocational errors 20

4.3.6 Causes of calques 20

4.4 Summary of the resaerch 21

5.1 Implications of Pedagogy 21

5.2 Limitation of the Study 23

5.3 Suggestions for Further Study 24

References 25

1. Introduction

1.1 Research Background

Writing, as one of the four basic skills in language learning, is usually considered to be the most difficult, just as Nunan (1991) refers that writing is a complicated process and being able to write well is usually considered to be the last skill in language learning; few people can feel relaxed and light-hearted when faced with a formal writing task. At the meanwhile, Sun (1995) regards writing as the last acquired skill because it is the most difficult. In this view, writing is fairly a challenging task especially for EFL learners. 

Many researchers emphasize on the difficulty of writing, but few list concrete reasons. Raimes (1983) attached importance to writing ability by three reasons: First, writing reinforces the grammatical structures, idioms, and vocabulary that we have been teaching our students. Second, when our students write, they also have a chance to be adventurous with language, to go beyond what they have just learned and to say, and to take risks. Third, when they write, they necessarily become deeply involved in the new language; the effort to express ideas and the constant use of eyes, hands, and brain is a unique way to reinforce learning.

As writing is of great significance in language learning, English Curriculum for Junior High Schools (2010) published by Ministry of Education refers that when students in junior high school finish English courses, they should be able to write short English essay independently and with basic required degree of coherence.