A recent open letter to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) has highlighted a contentious issue with the English grammar question on the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). The letter, written by Osepetetreku Kwame Osei, argues that the question on grammatical name and part of speech is fundamentally flawed. According to Osei, the question cannot simultaneously ask about a word's use in a sentence and its grammatical name.
Osei explains that a word's grammatical name refers to its classification outside of a sentence, whereas its part of speech refers to its function within a sentence. He provides examples to illustrate the distinction, citing the word "beautiful" which can be classified as an adjective grammatically, but functions as a noun in a sentence. Osei contends that the current question format is inherently contradictory and should be revised.
The critic also recommends a book titled "Advanced Grammar For English Students" as a resource for WAEC and GES. The book, approved by the Ghana Council for Curriculum and Assessment (GaCCA) in 2014, addresses various English grammar phenomena, including the difference between grammatical name and part of speech. Osei believes that this book can serve as a valuable handbook for teachers and examiners.
Osei's concerns also extend to common errors found in popular English dictionaries, including the Oxford English Dictionary, Advanced Learners Dictionary, and MacMillan Dictionary For Schools. He claims that these dictionaries incorrectly classify certain verb conjugations, which motivated him to write the book. Specifically, he disputes the classification of sentences like "The boy has slept" as past tense.
The book aims to clarify the distinction between tenses and aspects in English grammar. Osei argues that sentences like "Kofi has eaten the bread" are often misinterpreted as containing a past participle, when in fact they do not. The book provides a comprehensive explanation of present and past participles.
Osei's letter concludes with an appeal to WAEC and GES to adopt "Advanced Grammar For English Students" as a reference for examiners and students. He believes that this will help standardize English grammar instruction and assessment in Ghana.
The English language is a crucial component of the Ghanaian education curriculum, and the accuracy of grammar questions is essential for fair assessment. Osei's criticisms and recommendations have sparked a necessary conversation about the quality of English grammar instruction and assessment in Ghana.
Key points
- The critic argues that the current English grammar question on the SSCE is flawed and should be revised.
- Osei recommends "Advanced Grammar For English Students" as a valuable resource for WAEC and GES.
- The book addresses common errors in English dictionaries and clarifies the distinction between tenses and aspects.
