A CRITICAL INVESTIGATION OF COMPOSITION WRITING ERRORS AMONG HUMSS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS AT LUCENA DALAHICAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

This study aimed to identify the common grammatical errors in composition writing among senior high school students enrolled in the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) strand at Lucena Dalahican National High School. Using a cluster sampling method, The study included one section of HUMSS students from Grades 11 and 12 who have previously submitted written compositions in their English courses. The primary objective was to identify and analyze grammatical errors at the morphological and syntactic levels using Corder's (1981) Error Analysis framework, categorizing errors into ommision, addition, substitution, permulation, and semantic and discourse-level issues. Additionally, the study employed content analysis to examine one selected composition from the participants., focusing on error patterns and structural coherence issues. A structured questionnaire gathered demographic data and insights into the strategies students use to avoid errors. The findings revealed that most learners fell within the satisfactory to very good range in their English grades, yes Filipino remained the preferred language of communication across both grade levels. Strategies commonly employed in writing included the use of grammar-checking tools, translating thoughts from Filipino to English, and planning ideas before writing. Grade 12 students reported greater engagement in feedback-seeking and revision practices compared to Grade 11 students. Among the types grammatical errors identified, omission and substitution errors were the most prevalent, particularly the missing use of articles, plural markers, and incorrect subject-verb agreement. Discourse-level errors such as weak paragraph coherence and repetitive ideas were also widespread, suggesting challenges in organizing ideas logically. Despite access to digital tools and learning strategies, consistent structural and semantic lapses persisted in learners' compositions. It is recommended that teachers should integrate focused grammar instruction into writing activities to reinforce syntactic and morphological accuracy. Schools should provide regular writing workshops and peer-review sessions to enhance students' editing and revision skills.