Error Analysis on the Reflective Essays of Grade 11 Students in Albay Division

Abstract

This study analyzed the grammatical and mechanical errors in the reflective essays of Grade 11 students in the Albay Division and identified the writing challenges that informed the development of self-paced interventional learning materials. A descriptive mixed-method error-analysis design was employed using the reflective compositions of 147 Grade 11 students from Mauraro High School during School Year 2025–2026. Students produced 150–200-word reflective essays within one hour, while a questionnaire-checklist, interviews, observation, and documentary review supported the identification of writing challenges. Errors were identified, described, and explained following the study’s error-analysis procedure and were summarized using frequency, percentage, and rank. Subject–verb agreement was the most frequent grammatical error (19%), followed by run-on sentences (18%), while articles and pronoun usage each accounted for 10%. For mechanical correctness, punctuation was the dominant error (54%), followed by capitalization (28%) and spelling (18%). The leading challenge was limited understanding of reflective essay structure (15%), followed by difficulty expressing ideas clearly and insufficient self-motivation and time for writing practice (14% each). Based on these findings, the study developed Write as You Speak (WAYS), a self-paced package of QR-coded grammar and mechanics lessons with step-by-step explanations, interactive activities, self-assessment, and reflective writing tasks. The findings show that targeted instruction in sentence construction, punctuation, and reflective organization is necessary to strengthen students’ written accuracy, confidence, and independent learning.