English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Students’ Speech Errors: Implications for English Language Teaching

Roniel Sanchez Fortuna (Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University)

Formosa Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (FJMR)
Vol. 4 No. 3 (2025): March 2025

This study identifies, categorizes, and analyzes speech errors committed by EFL students and explores their implications for English teaching. Data were collected through content analysis, following a qualitative descriptive design, and recorded via an audio recorder and a speech log over one month. The study revealed that speech errors were categorized into twelve types: anticipation, perseveration, substitution, metathesis (exchange), addition, blends, shift, omission (deletion), malapropism, spoonerism, sound-exchange errors, and native language interference errors. To improve students' speaking skills, English teachers may design lessons that enhance fluency and accuracy while encouraging EFL learners to develop self-repair strategies to minimize repeated errors. Additionally, they are encouraged to conduct further research on effective error correction strategies to improve teaching practices.