In applied linguistics, what term describes the field that collects and assesses learners' errors to analyze what learners get wrong and how to address it in the classroom?

In applied linguistics, what term describes the field that collects and assesses learners' errors to analyze what learners get wrong and how to address it in the classroom?

• A. Error analysis
• B. Global error
• C. Pre-systemic error
• D. Passive knowledge

Answer: (A)

Error analysis examines learner language by collecting and analyzing the errors learners make in order to see what they are getting wrong and design classroom practices to address those gaps. It treats errors as evidence of learners’ developing interlanguage and aims to identify patterns, frequencies, and sources of those errors so instruction can target the underlying issues. In practice, this means collecting written and spoken samples, classifying errors (such as form, usage, or pronunciation), and linking them to teaching implications—whether the problems arise from the learners’ native language (interlingual) or from overgeneralizing rules within the target language (intralingual). This approach is specifically about diagnosing and informing teaching based on systematic error data, not about broad concepts like global errors, pre-systemic factors, or what learners can understand but not produce.