Error Analysis of a Sample of Kuala Kangsar University Students’ English Placement Writing Test

Error analysis is a linguistic that focuses on identifying and describing the learner’s error in target language learning. This study grammatical mistakes frequently made by students who took their English placement test after enrolment at Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah. Samples from writing were collected. The errors identified, recorded, categorized analyzed. findings of this shed light most occurring types sample Malaysian ESL learners higher learning institutions. From this, researcher can determine learners’ problem areas. It found are inflexion verbs according to tense number. Students also using past participle for perfect tenses passive sentences. Many these mainly technical, which did not affect intended meanings. These reveal students' difficulties mastering verb forms due significant differences between Malay systems. To certain extent, participants influenced native structure transfer them when L2. Lack familiarity with exposure usage be attributed errors. Frequently need treated necessary intervention instructors, suitable strategies practised prevent fossilization.