Error analysis in the interlanguage of beginning Spanish students

This study analyzes the errors committed in the interlanguage of beginning eighth grade Spanish students in written production. Developmental errors were extracted from examinations and categorized as errors of lexicon, morphology, syntax, or orthography. These errors were then sub-classified in an attempt to arrive at an accurate interpretation and description of the error. The final step in this error analysis consisted of explanations for the possible causes of the errors. The analysis focused on developmental errors attributed to the target language itself such as overgeneralization in addition to the use of communication strategies in production. A review of literature on error analysis and related topics precedes the research findings of this study