A Study on the Errors of Thai High School Students in Using the Chinese “X Bi Y Z” Sentence

Abstract

            This study investigates the errors made by Thai high school students in Chinese "X比YZ" sentences. A survey of 127 students from 10 schools in Thailand identified five main error types: substitution, word order mistakes, omission, addition, and improper collocation. The most common error was omission, especially with the particles "的" and "得." The second most common was word order mistakes, particularly with "more/less/early/late" +verbs. These errors are mainly due to negative transfer from the native language, overgeneralization of target language rules, the complexity of "X比YZ" sentences, and inappropriate communication strategies. To reduce these errors, the study suggests targeted teaching strategies, addressing issues like native language interference, overgeneralization, sentence complexity, and communication strategies.