Challenges Posed by the Inconsistencies in Rule-Based Application of the English Language: A Study of Second-Language Learners and Speakers in Nigeria

Abstract

English occupies a central role in Nigerian education, governance, and public life, yet its structural irregularities present persistent challenges to second-language learners and speakers. This study investigates inconsistencies in the rule-based application of English grammar and their effects on second-language learners and speakers in secondary schools and universities in Nigeria, with particular attention to phonological, morphological, and syntactic dimensions of the problem. Guided by Corder’s (1967) Theory of Error Analysis and Selinker’s (1972) Interlanguage Theory, the study adopts a qualitative research design, employing interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and open-ended survey questions as instruments for data collection. Data were gathered from 100 participants at Federal University Otuoke and among secondary school students in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Thematic analysis of the data reveals that irregular grapheme–phoneme correspondences, inconsistent tense and number marking, and the presence of grammatical exceptions create significant cognitive overload among learners, manifesting in systematic errors that reflect interlanguage development and fossilisation. The study further identifies mother-tongue interference, pedagogical inconsistency, and sociolinguistic pressures as compounding factors. Findings are interpreted through the lens of Error Analysis and Interlanguage theory, both of which illuminate the developmental, rather than merely deficient, character of learners’ errors. The study recommends context-sensitive, exception-aware instructional approaches, improved teacher training, and enhanced provision of learning resources as targeted responses to the documented challenges.