THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines ENGLISH LANGUAGE GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE AND DISCOURSE COMPETENCE OF 3rd YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS OF THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY: BASIS FOR INTERVENTION EXERCISES A Dissertation Proposal Presented to The Faculty of Graduate School Batangas State University Batangas City, Philippines In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Major in English By: NGUYEN THI HONG CHUYEN (JENNY) i THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS .i LIST OF TABLES III CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM Introduction Statement of the Problem Scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study Significance of the Study II REVIEW OF LITERATURE .11 Conceptual Literature 11 Research Literature 38 Synthesis 45 Theoretical Framework 49 Hypothesis .51 Definition of Terms 52 III RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURE 55 Research Environment 55 Research Design .60 ii THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Subjects of the Study .60 Data Gathering Instrument 62 Data Gathering Procedure .64 Statistical Treatment of Data 65 IV PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA V SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION .114 Summary 114 Conclusion .123 Recommendations 124 BIBLIOGRAPHY 125 APPENDICES 132 A Letter of Requests 133 B Questionnaires 139 C Documentations 148 CURRICULUM VITAE 154 iii THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines LIST OF TABLES Table Title Page Distribution of the Respondents of the Study Level of Grammatical Competence of Students in Parts of Speech Level of Grammatical Competence of Students in Morphology Level of Grammatical Competence of Students in Syntax Level of Grammatical Competence of Students in Vocabulary Meaning Level of Discourse Competence of Students in Cohesive Devices Level of Discourse Competence of Students in Transitional Phrases Level of Discourse Competence of Students in Coherence Level of Discourse Competence of Students in Connectors 10 Level of Discourse Competence of Students in Choice of Words 11 Validated Students’ Skills Employed in Teaching the Basic English Course 12 Students’ Skills and their Frequency of Use 13 Students’ Skills and their Degree of Importance iv THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines 14 Students’ Level of Grammatical and Discourse Competencies and their Performance as Assessed by English Teachers 15 Bases in the Design of Integrative Learning Exercises on Morpho-Syntactic Competencies THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM Introduction In Vietnam, students are required to learn English through compulsory programs and as a requirement in school and universities and in most countries in the world Many students take English course because of its utility value as lingua franca or a world language Most of them fail to learn the language successfully This situation also applies to students in other countries where learning a foreign language is also compulsory Students enrolled in the English courses have either high dropped out rates or failed students at the end of the term This situation is true to countries like the United States and Australia where students literally drop out in their foreign language studies, while in countries like China, Japan and Vietnam students either mentally withdraw or look for strategies that will help them to learn the English language In the last decade, the use of English as the main foreign language taught and employed in communication with foreigners, has dramatically increased in Vietnam According to the Ministry of Education, the number of off-shore students exceeds 60,000 in Vietnam nowadays and Vietnamese students who want to work and study abroad are increasing THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines However, English language teaching in Vietnam still utilizes the traditional teaching model where students are taught English just for passing examination purposes only and teachers just give lecture mainly to help students achieve this goal The result is that students not have the ability to communicate effectively with others in English This is referred to as dumb English or deaf English in Vietnam Obviously students’ overall skills are not enhanced, especially for students at the college and university level In order to improve the situation based on need analysis, Vietnam Ministry of Education states that the aims of Vietnam English Language Teaching (ELT) at general educational level expressed in the new curriculum are that at the end of the upper secondary level, students will be able to use English as means of communication at a certain level of proficiency in four macro skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing and to be able to read materials at the same level of their textbook, using a dictionary, to have a mastery of basic English phonetics and grammar, to have acquire the minimum of around 2,500 vocabulary items of English; to attain a certain level of understanding of English and American cultures, to become aware of cross cultural differences in order to become better communicators, to better inform the world of the Vietnamese people, their history and culture and to take pride in Vietnam, its language and culture (MOET 2007) THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines To promote the English language teaching and learning at tertiary level in recent years, Vietnamese government has encouraged the private tertiary institutions to carry out advanced programs in which English is required to be the medium of instruction They have also encouraged tertiary institutions to teach in English in fundamental science subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and some specialized subjects in the senior years It is suggested that work start at the two national universities namely; Hanoi National University and Vietnam National University; three regional universities such as Thai Nguyen University, Hue University and Danang University and other pivotal universities in Vietnam with twenty percent of the students being involved in these advanced programs This percentage will be increased and expanded so that finally all advanced programs will be applied throughout the tertiary educational system In Vietnam, English is the most important foreign language since the implementation of the reform and opening up policy One of the major goals for English teaching is to develop communicative competencies of the learners It is the initial and ultimate goal of English teaching Communication on the other hand is considered the essence of English teaching THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines In language teaching, the ability to communicate should be cultivated Students should learn how to use a language in their daily communication in order to demonstrate their mastery of a language Different language skills included under communicative competence are linguistic, socio-linguistic, discourse, strategic and pragmatic competencies The expression, interpretation and negotiation of meaning between two interlocutors or between a text and its readers is referred to as language learning It is believed that one of the main goals of both English language teaching and communicative English teaching in Vietnam nowadays is to develop students’ communicative competence, as more students will regard English as a communicating tool after graduation If students can use the English knowledge, skills and cultural aspects they have learned to communicate with people of different cultural backgrounds in real language contexts, they are then using English as a communication tool The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has set a target of boosting foreign language teaching in high schools At the start of Academic Year 2011-2012, students at specific schools will have to study mathematics and information technology in English Despite the significance of English language, majority of the Vietnamese students remain handicapped in the use of English It was even reported by the THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines MOET in 2011 that English language competence of Vietnamese students was rapidly deteriorating This implies that the government, in particular the education sector can hardly address such perceived deterioration of English It was also reported by the MOET of Vietnam and the AETS or the American Educational Testing Service that fifty one point seven percent (51.7%) of Vietnamese students who graduated from college in 2009 had substandard English skills There are several reasons cited why English language teaching in Vietnam becomes a problem Reasons include the deterioration in students’ English competence and less opportunities for students to practice English in the classroom Most of the English classes are still adopting the traditional teaching in which teachers the talking while students are merely listening and note taking so that the chance to speak diminished Most college graduates in Vietnam have deteriorating English because during their college days, they spend only at least one and half year of English language studies So that when they embark on a more complex academic work which demands the use of English as well as the language skills, they fail because of lack of knowledge 138 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Appendix B Questionnaire Appendix A Questionnaire on English Language Grammatical and Discourse Competence of 3rd Year College Students of TNU: Basis for ELT Strategies and Intervention Exercises Guide in answering the questionnaire Welcome! You are currently participating in a descriptive research on English Language Grammatical and Discourse Competence of 3rd Year College Students of TNU: Basis for ELT Strategies and Intervention Exercises Below you will find a list of questions that will test your skill on Language Grammatical and Discourse Competence Follow carefully the instructions for each test section Do not forget to fill in your personal data Do not leave any questions unanswered as this will invalidate your answer sheet If you need further clarification, not hesitate to ask your examiner Thank you! I Personal Data Respondents Name: Age: _ Gender: Parent’s Educational Attainment: Place of origin: _Type of High School: _ Exposure to English media: (Please put a check mark corresponding to the rating of your choice.) Rating Least exposed (1) Moderately exposed (2) Highly exposed (3) Extent of exposure Type of media Television Radio Internet Newspaper Magazines Books Pamphlets Others, specify II Assessment of Grammatical Competence Grammatical Competence 1.1.Parts of Speech In the spaces provided before each number, write N if the underlined word is used as a noun, P if it is used as a pronoun, A if it is used as an adjective, ADV for adverb, V for verb, C for conjunction, P for preposition, I if it is used as interjection _ Hiromi entered medical school last fall _ Don’t walk under the bridge _ We frequently arrive before the door is unlocked _ That is a prize composition 139 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines _ Oh, what a surprise this is! 1.2.Morphology Underline the roots in the following words and write the letter of their correct meanings from the given options on the space provided before each number Symphony A form B sound C hold Hydrant A water B over C light Synonym A far B across C together Bibliophile A friend B well C lead Rupture A all B drive C break 1.3.Syntax Give the syntax of the underlined nouns Write S if the underlined noun is used as subject, PN for predicate nominative, NA for nominative in apposition, NE for nominative of exclamation, DO for direct object, IO for indirect object, OA for objective in apposition, OP for object of the preposition, RO for retained object, OC for objective complement, CO for cognate object Write all the answers on the spaces provided before each number _ The child laughed a merry laugh _ The school choose Anthony leader _ Helen showed her brother her new game _ Father met Dorothy, my friend, at the station _ Prayer! It is a ladder that reaches to God 1.4.Vocabulary Meaning Match the underlined word in Column A with their meanings in Column B Write your answer on the space provided before each number A _1 We should all start the day without dallying activity _2 In all its majesty, the mountain loomed in the distance _3 This summer my friends and I will go on a holiday spree _4 He had become a banker of middling rank _5 The army suffered an ignominious defeat B A outburst of an B humiliating C ordinary D greatness E comfortable F any delay DISCOURSE COMPETENCE 2.1 Cohesive Devices Read the paragraph and identify the cohesive devices which the writer used to achieve coherence Write all your answer on the spaces provided below A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages Yet he dismisses without notice his thought because it is his In every work of genius we 140 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines recognize our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty A Synonym: a gleam of light: B Reference (personal pronouns): man: C Reference (personal pronoun): thought: D Reference (personal pronoun): we: _ E Reference (personal pronoun): thoughts: F Synonym: rejected : 2.2 Transitional Phrases In the paragraph below underline the letter of the correct transitional expressions to create a smooth and logical flow from the given options The surest way to give yourself insomnia is to take a major problem to bed with you (1.) (Consequently, At first, In back of), you lie there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to figure out a solution Then you toss and turn (2.) (In the end, For instance, After a while), you tell yourself that you can’t solve the problem tonight, but you keep on trying anyway (3.) (Meanwhile, Alongside, Later), the clock keeps tickling You begin to think about how tired you’re going to be tomorrow if you don’t get to sleep (4.) (For instance, Soon, However), that only makes you more tense (5.) (Eventually, On the contrary, At once) you doze off- only to awaken a few hours later wondering why you’re sleeping so poorly 2.3 Coherence The order of the sentences below is not logical In the space provided, write the sentence letters in the order in which they should be arranged to form a coherent paragraph A Order of sentences should be: (1.) (2.) (3.) (4.) (5.) a These record album covers have become a form of pop art and are often collected for themselves b An eye-catching album cover can lead to instant fame for an album which otherwise might not have been a big seller c Before you know it, the fad has caught on d When more than a million albums are sold, public relations firms begin printing posters of the cover e Buttons and bumper stickers, based on the design of the posters, contribute to the growing fad 2.4 Connectors Choose the correct conjunctions from the given options in the following sentences Write your answer on the space provided before each number _1 The dog barked (A for B and C so) wagged his tail _2 I go to the museum (A though B although C whenever) I get a chance _3 I arrived late; (furthermore, finally, indeed) I forgot my books _4 (So that, Wherever, Until) yesterday, Jim didn’t even know my name _5 She wore a simple (or, yet, nor) elegant dress 2.5 Choice of Words The paragraph below contains errors in the choice of words Underline the incorrect word and write the correct word in the space provided below 141 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines The new job offer was attractive Mary didn’t know whether to except it Consequently, she sought the advise of her parents They adviced her to except the job if her working wouldn’t effect her studies She was all together pleased with their advise , for she had real wanted to work Now, she would be able to save the necessary capitol with which to open a small dress shop latter on The sight of the new shop had all ready been fixed Mary felt that the coarse of events was working real well for her Her personnel worries were being solved in an awfully satisfactory way 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 142 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Questionnaire on Teacher’s Assessment of the English Language Grammatical and Discourse Competence of 3rd Year College Students of TNU: Basis for ELT Strategies and Intervention Exercises I Demographic profile of the teachers Respondents Name: Age: _ Gender: Place of origin: Civil Status: _ Educational qualification: Years of teaching experience: _ II Assessment of the English Language Grammatical and Discourse Competence of 3rd Year College Students (Validation) Please indicate whether the following student skills are examples of Grammatical and Discourse Competence skills Place a check-mark on the space corresponding to the rating of your choice Student Skills Grammatical Competence Parts of Speech The student is able to identify the different parts of speech in a sentence correctly 1a The student is able to recognize that the underlined words in the sentence: Hiromi entered medical school last fall; are Adjective and Noun respectively Morphology The student is able to correctly recognize the application of morphology in a sentence 2a The student is able to recognize that the correct meaning of the word symphony from the given choices: A form, B sound, and C hold; is letter B Syntax The student is able to recognize the correct syntax in a sentence 3a The student is able to recognize syntax of the underlined words in a sentence: The Do you agree or disagree that the following skills are Strategic competence skills? Agree (1) Disagree (2) 143 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam child laughed a merry laugh; as subject and predicate nominative respectively Vocabulary Meaning The student is able to recognize the correct meaning of a word in a sentence 4a The student is able to recognize the meaning of the underlined word in a sentence: We should all start the day without dallying; as any delay Discourse Competence Cohesive Devices The student is able to recognize the correct application of cohesive devices in a sentence 5a The student is able to recognize the synonym of the underlined phrase in the sentence: A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages; as luster Transitional Phrases The student is able to recognize the correct application of transitional phrases in a paragraph 6a The student is able to identify the correct transitional expressions to create a smooth and logical flow in the paragraph: The surest way to give yourself insomnia is to take a major problem to bed with you (1.) (Consequently, At first, In back of), you lie there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to figure out a solution; as At first Coherence The student is able to recognize the correct order of sentences in a paragraph 7a The student is able to identify the correct order of the sentences in the paragraph: a These record album covers have become a form of pop art and are often collected for themselves b An eye-catching album cover can lead to instant fame for an album which BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines 144 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines otherwise might not have been a big seller c Before you know it, the fad has caught on d When more than a million albums are sold, public relations firms begin printing posters of the cover e Buttons and bumper stickers, based on the design of the posters, contribute to the growing fad; as : (1.) b (2.) a (3.) d (4.) e (5.) c Connectors The student is able to recognize the correct use of conjunction in a sentence 8a The student is able to identify the correct conjunction in the sentence: The dog barked (A for B but C so) wagged his tail; as but Choice of Words The student is able to recognize the correct choice of words in a sentence 9a The student is able to identify the correct choice of words in the sentence: Now, she would be able to save the necessary capitol with which to open a small dress shop latter on.; as capital and later respectively III Assessment of the English Language Grammatical and Discourse Competence of 3rd Year College Students (Frequency of use) Rate the frequency by which you think the students’ use their grammatical and discourse competencies based on the following skills Place a check-mark on the space corresponding to the rating of your choice Student Skills Grammatical Competence Parts of Speech The student is able to identify the different parts of speech in a sentence correctly Frequency of Assessment Always Often Sometimes Rarely Not (5) (4) (3) (2) at all (1) 145 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Morphology The student is able to correctly recognize the application of morphology in a sentence Syntax The student is able to recognize the correct syntax in a sentence Vocabulary Meaning The student is able to recognize the correct meaning of a word in a sentence Discourse Competence Cohesive Devices The student is able to recognize the correct application of cohesive devices in a sentence Transitional Phrases The student is able to recognize the correct application of transitional phrases in a paragraph Coherence The student is able to recognize the correct order of sentences in a paragraph Connectors The student is able to recognize the correct use of conjunction in a sentence Choice of Words The student is able to recognize the correct choice of words in a sentence IV Assessment of the English Language Grammatical and Discourse Competence of 3rd Year College Students (Degree of importance) Rank the following students skills in terms of degree of importance Place a check-mark on the box corresponding to the rating of your choice Student Skills Grammatical Competence Parts of Speech The student is able to identify the different parts of speech in a sentence Degree of Importance Very Moderately Slightly Less Not Important Important Important Important Important (5) (4) (3) (2) (1) 146 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam correctly Morphology The student is able to correctly recognize the application of morphology in a sentence Syntax The student is able to recognize the correct syntax in a sentence Vocabulary Meaning The student is able to recognize the correct meaning of a word in a sentence Discourse Competence Cohesive Devices The student is able to recognize the correct application of cohesive devices in a sentence Transitional Phrases The student is able to recognize the correct application of transitional phrases in a paragraph Coherence The student is able to recognize the correct order of sentences in a paragraph Connectors The student is able to recognize the correct use of conjunction in a sentence Choice of Words The student is able to recognize the correct choice of words in a sentence BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines 147 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Appendix C Documentations Study sites Thai Nguyen University of Education TN University of Medicine and Pharmacy TN University of Information and Communication Technology 148 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Photographs for Administration of Questionaires to students University of Telecommunication and Information Technology Thai Nguyen University of Education TN University of Medicine and Pharmacy 149 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Photograph for asking permission to conduct the Study Thai Nguyen University of Education University of Telecommunication and Information Technology 150 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines TN University of Medicine and Pharmacy Photographs for Teachers Assessment Thai Nguyen University of Education University of Telecommunication and Information Technology TN University of Medicine and Pharmacy 151 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines CURRICULUM VITAE Name: NGUYEN THI HONG CHUYEN (JENNY) Address: Phan Dinh Phung Ward, Thai Nguyen city Mobile no 0913067879 E-mail add: maihong812003@yahoo.com PERSONAL INFORMATION Date of Birth : September 15th , 1981 Place of Birth : Thai Nguyen Province, Viet Nam Age : 34 Nationality : Vietnamese Religion : No Sex : Female Civil Status : Married Spouse : Cao Quy Duong Children’ names : Cao Tuan Long Cao Tuong Vi EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND Master of Arts 2003-2005 Major in English Latrobe University, 152 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam 1999-2003 BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Bachelor of Arts Major in English Thai Nguyen University WORK EXPERIENCE Lecturer Thai Nguyen University of Education 2003 - present [...]... language teaching strategies to enhance students’ grammatical and discourse competencies The study covered the three (3) Thai Nguyen Universities in Thai Nguyen City and made used of the 40 teachers teaching English and 30 0 3rd Year College students who were enrolled in the Academic Year 20 13- 2014 9 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines... morphology; 1 .3 syntax; and 1.4 vocabulary? 2 What is the discourse competence of student respondents relative to: 3 2.1 cohesive devices; 2.2 transitional phrases; 2 .3 coherence; 2.4 connectors; and 2.5 choice of words? How do English teacher assess the grammatical and discourse competencies of 3rd year college students? 4 How do the respondents’ grammatical and discourse competencies compare with English... competence and discourse competence of 3rd year college students of Thai Nguyen system Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions 7 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines 1 How may the grammatical competence of student respondents be described in terms of: 1.1 parts of speech; 1.2 morphology; 1 .3 syntax; and 1.4 vocabulary?... relative to cohesive devices, transitional phrases, coherence, connectors and choice of words Further, the study covers the assessment of the English teacher on the grammatical and discourse competencies of 3 rd year college students, the comparison of the respondents’ grammatical and discourse competencies and English teachers’ responses, the significant differences on students’ grammatical and discourse... Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study The study determines the English language grammatical competence and discourse competence of 3rd year college students of Thai Nguyen system This includes the grammatical competence of student respondents in parts of speech, morphology and syntax, and vocabulary meaning Included also in the study... language system that makes it possible for speakers to produce and understand an infinite number of sentences in their language and to distinguish grammatical sentences from ungrammatical sentences  13 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Competence is unaffected by grammatically irrelevant conditions like errors in speech Competence... factors and non- verbal communication factors Some of these components are often neglected in ESL education, thereby causing confusion or comprehension difficulties Language and culture as Alptekin (19 93) emphasized is interrelated and studying language needs to be aware of the culture of that language In addition, Guest (2002) explained that in culture, whether the language is for interactive or instrumental... the language that allows the user to know when, where, and how to use language appropriately Grammatical competence increases in importance as the learner advances in proficiency Richard and Schmidt (19 83) stated that since communicative competence focuses directly on the knowledge and skill required to understand and express accurately the literal meaning of utterances it becomes an important concern... grammatical or linguistic competence It is also referred to as the potential ability of the speaker based on the knowledge of his language as well as the system of rules that governs on individual’s tacit 23 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines understanding of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in the language used (Tan.course.NUS.Edu.SG/course/... whether and to what degree something is performed or actually done and what the doing entails All these indicate that linguistic competence is largely a part of communicative competence Fromkin et al (20 03) associated grammatical or linguistic competence with language activity which supported the creative aspect of 24 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic ... 114 Conclusion .1 23 Recommendations 124 BIBLIOGRAPHY 125 APPENDICES 132 A Letter of Requests 133 B Questionnaires 139 C Documentations 148... the three (3) Thai Nguyen Universities in Thai Nguyen City and made used of the 40 teachers teaching English and 30 0 3rd Year College students who were enrolled in the Academic Year 20 13- 2014 9... speech; 1.2 morphology; 1 .3 syntax; and 1.4 vocabulary? What is the discourse competence of student respondents relative to: 2.1 cohesive devices; 2.2 transitional phrases; 2 .3 coherence; 2.4 connectors;