Prepositional Errors Among Malay MUET Band 3 Students: An Error Analysis Approach

Abstract

This study examines the prepositional errors produced by MUET Band 3 undergraduates at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia using an error analysis framework. A written test adapted from various books was administered to 30 Malay L1 respondents. A total of 354 prepositional errors were identified and analysed across spatial (place, position, direction) and temporal (time) categories. Errors were classified into subtypes of wrong selection, omission, and unnecessary insertion. Findings show an almost equal distribution between spatial (50.8%) and temporal (49.2%) errors, with wrong selection accounting for 94% of all errors. The prominence of these errors indicates strong L1 transfer influences and incomplete mastery of English prepositional systems, which differ significantly from Malay. The study provides pedagogical implications for English language instructors in Malaysia, highlighting the need for focused instruction on prepositional usage and cross-linguistic contrasts.