Tense–Aspect Errors among Vietnamese Undergraduates with English as a Minor: Patterns and Explanations

Abstract

This study investigates systematic patterns of tense–aspect errors among Vietnamese undergraduates majoring in other disciplines while pursuing English as a minor at the Academy of Journalism and Communication (AJC), Vietnam. It further examines the linguistic and cognitive factors underlying these recurring errors. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-method design, the study draws on data from written production tasks, a grammar test, and semi-structured interviews involving 120 second-year undergraduates (aged 19–20) with English proficiency ranging from A2 to B1 (CEFR). The findings reveal systematic error patterns, particularly in the use of past tense, perfect and progressive aspects, and auxiliary verbs. Quantitative analysis shows that misuse of past tense forms and omission of auxiliary verbs constitute the most frequent error categories, while qualitative evidence indicates that learners rely heavily on temporal adverbials and rule-based strategies when selecting tense–aspect forms. These findings are interpreted through cross-linguistic influence, cognitive processing constraints, and interlanguage development, highlighting the effects of the typological differences between Vietnamese and English. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of tense–aspect acquisition in Vietnamese EFL contexts and offers pedagogical implications for grammar instruction in languages where the first language lacks grammatical tense morphology.