Functions of collocations in the prevention of linguistic errors among Arabic learners as a foreign language

Abstract This research investigates the significance of collocations in preventing linguistic errors among undergraduates studying Arabic as a foreign language in Nigeria. For this purpose, a pre-experimental design was employed, wherein one group served as the pre-test and post-test measures. An intact class of 35 third-year undergraduate students, who were enrolled in essay writing at the Department of Arabic, 2022–2023 session, from Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, Nigeria, were involved in the study, which lasted for a period of eleven sessions. The training session was based on a lexical approach. Therefore, essay writing was used to collect data after the treatment. The findings showed a significant increase in the mean score of the post-test. This implies that the incorporation of collocations in teaching Arabic to foreign language learners facilitated and motivated the participants to avoid linguistic errors. Therefore, this research suggests the integration of collocation in teaching Arabic to foreign language learners as an alternative writing method, especially in a Nigerian context. Furthermore, the research also offers theoretical and pedagogical implications and recommendations for future research.


Introduction
In the process of learning a foreign language, the significance of collocations cannot be overstated.They have the potential to enhance both accuracy and fluency in language learning, as posited by Wray (2002).Furthermore, McCrostie (2007) contends that the possession of a large number of collocations leads to effective communication through the utilization of words in their natural combinations.Moreover, the attainment of native-like proficiency in a foreign language is a distinctive hallmark of natural language learning (Vasiljevic, 2014).According to Lewis (1997, 44), "collocations are those combinations of words that occur naturally with greater than random frequency".Durrant (2009) posited that collocations comprise sets of two or more words that exhibit a greater than anticipated frequency of co-occurrence when compared to their individual frequencies.However, Lewis (1997: 51) refers to collocation as "a predictable co-occurrence of lexical items such as fast food, human errors, do homework, and make friends".Therefore, most of these definitions centre on the concept of combining multiple words in sentence structures into a single entity.According to Hill's (2000) research, collocations constitute 80% of written language.In foreign language learning, the study of collocations, in foreign language learning, has its roots in the theoretical framework of the lexical approach, which asserts the significance of comprehending collocations as lexical units rather than as isolated words (Lewis, 1993).
In this regard, many researchers have employed the phraseological approach to investigate the impact of collocations on simplifying the learning of various aspects of Arabic language skills, such as (Hindu, 2020;Khitab & Mursi, 2022;Nurul Alfia, 2021;Salam & Nur, 2020).On the other hand, a significant proportion of these studies have focused on specific textual materials and employed the phraseological approach to explore the role of collocations in determining the connotative meaning of these texts.This was done with the intention of facilitating the readers' comprehension of these texts, as seen in the work of (Al-Husaini, 2007; in the Al-Qur'an al-Kareem; Hamdullah, 2017;in the Nobel Hadith;Al-Husaini et al., 2015, Al-Jibril 2016 in the collections of Arabic poetry, Ibdah, and Ubabanah, 2020;Al-Amiri, 2013;Al-Hulawa, 2012 in prose literature).Nonetheless, the significance of collocations in foreign language learning has been investigated by Suleiman (2018) and Al-Dubyan (2016), who have presented a learning framework for collocations.Meanwhile, Nawi and Zainuddin (2018) utilized a questionnaire where they gathered the viewpoints of Arabic language instructors on the importance of collocations in the learning process of Arabic as a foreign language.Additionally, a number of researchers, including Safariah (2016), Sadik (2021), and Ahana et al. (2022), have employed the frequency error analysis approach to identify the weaknesses of participants in collocational usage and devise strategies to overcome such inadequacies.Despite the existence of many studies within the field of Arabic as a foreign language, there has been a notable lack of direct exploration into the impact of collocations on the prevention of lexical and grammatical errors among learners of Arabic as a foreign language.The observed gap may be attributed to researchers' inclination towards the flexible nature of the phraseological approach in collocational studies.According to Igaab and Abdulhassan (2018), the descriptive and analytical nature of the phraseological approach tends to attract researchers to this approach.This is due to the fact that the phraseological approach provides a comprehensive examination of collocations in foreign languages, thereby facilitating the description of patterns and structures of collocations.In addition, Alangari (2019) emphasizes that a contrastive analysis of the phraseological approach can facilitate the comparison of collocational patterns in both Arabic and English.This, in turn, can lead to the identification of similarities and differences that can be beneficial for language learning and translation purposes.As Awaj (2018) has duly observed, the utilization of the phraseological approach can furnish researchers with valuable insights into the challenges faced by foreign language learners and formulate strategies to alleviate them.Therefore, it is evident that the use of collocations in the prevention of lexical and grammatical errors is an area that has not been fully explored.
In this regard, the current research examines the impact of collocations on the prevention of lexical and grammatical errors among learners of Arabic as a foreign language at the Department of Arabic, Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, Nigeria.Many researchers studying Arabic as a foreign language have demonstrated the significant role of collocations in reducing lexical and grammatical inaccuracies among foreign Arabic language learners.To mention a few, for instance, Ibdah and Ubabanah (2020) highlighted in their research that collocations serve as a safety valve against making linguistic errors.They form a fixed linguistic structure that prevents substitution, deletion, or addition during language production, thereby facilitating a seamless and enjoyable learning experience.Fulanun yusharu ilaihi bil banan, (he is popular).This means that the learners' retention of these sentences within the frame of collocations serves to facilitate language production in its original collocational structures rather than as isolated individual words.According to Hafiz (2004), collocations protect learners from linguistic errors such as the use of Akbar an (bigger than) instead of Akbar min (bigger from), Ghayyara al-nuqud (he substituted the money) instead of Sarrafa al-nuqud (he changed the money).Al-Usaili and Al-Mu'jami Fi Ta'lim Al-Lugha Al-Arabiyyah (2019) and Ismail (2017) further added that collocations provide an opportunity for foreign language learners to attain linguistic fluency and grammatical correctness in the early stages of their learning process.As posited by the theory of the lexical approach, the utilization of collocations has the potential to mitigate both lexical and grammatical errors, as expounded upon by Lewis (2000).This enables foreign language learners to produce written and spoken language with fewer lexical and grammatical errors due to its association with native-like fluency and accuracy in language production (Durrant & Schmitt, 2010;Li, 2014;Lixia, 2010;Nation & Webb, 2011).Additionally, the learning of collocations aids in the process of word selection, ultimately resulting in the formation of grammatically sound sentences.This statement is echoed by Carter and McCarthy (1988) who noted that collocations instil in students a sense of expectancy with regard to which sorts of language can follow from what has preceded.As an illustration, Hafiz (2004) posited that Ala ( ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻰ‬ ) is expected to follow ittalaʿa ( ‫ﺍ‬ ‫ﻃ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫ﻊ‬ ), example: ittalaʿa ala (to see), Bi ‫)ﺏ(‬ follows ataha ( ‫ﺃ‬ ‫ﺗ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﺡ‬ ), example: ataha bi (to fall), Ila ( ‫ﺇ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﻰ‬ ) follows anaba ( ‫ﺃ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﺏ‬ ), example: Anaba ila (to return to), and Fi ( ‫ﻓ‬ ‫ﻲ‬ ) follows baraʿa ( ‫ﺑ‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﻉ‬ ), example: bariʿa fi (to excel in).Hence, collocations are of great value to non-native speakers of a language, particularly those who aspire to enhance their proficiency in foreign language learning.Furthermore, the significance of this research is reflected in its role in highlighting an effective method for instructing Arabic as a foreign language in its natural and prefabricated structures as produced by native Arabic speakers.For instance, ( ) Qllaba al-umura raʿsan ala aqib (Shaking things up), in which learners are expected to comprehend the sentence structure without changing the Fataha )) to Kasra( ) or Damma ( )to Fataha )) .To achieve the aforementioned objective, the researchers have classified the lexical and grammatical collocations into three distinct groups.This classification was based on the categorization of words in the Arabic language, specifically those pertaining to nominal collocations, verbal collocations, and particle collocations.To learn Arabic vocabulary, the experimental group will be provided with instructions on the use of collocation in the lexical approach which emphasizes on the use of multi-words as a single lexical item.In contrast, while the control group will be trained on the use of the grammar and translation method which prefers the use of individual words and their translation in the target language (Eisa, 2020).The first section provides background on the research, its significance, and its objective.While the second section discusses the methods used in data collection and analysis.The third section presents the findings of the study.Lastly, the final section discusses the meaning of these findings, their implications, limitations, and conclusions.

Research design
This research employed a pre-experimental design, wherein one group was used for pre-test and post-test measures.In this design, prior to the introduction of the treatment, the dependent variable is measured.Later, the treatment is introduced, and the dependent variable is measured once again to detect the effect of the treatment.According to Kothari (2004, p. 41), "The effect of the treatment would be equal to the level of the phenomenon after the treatment minus the level of the phenomenon before the treatment".Moreover, after the administration of the pre-test, the researchers introduced the learning of collocations through a lexical approach to serve as a treatment that lasted for the period of eleven sessions in six weeks, two hours per session.Upon the completion of the intervention, the researchers conducted a post-test with the aim of evaluating the impact of the intervention and arriving at a conclusive determination.

Participants & sampling
This research was conducted in the Department of Arabic at Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, Nigeria.An intact class of 300-level undergraduate students of Arabic who enrolled in the essay writing course was purposely selected for the study in the 2022/2023 session.The total number of participants in this class was 35, comprising 28 males and 7 females, ranging in age from 18 to 44 years old, and all of whom are native Nigerians hailing from the Hausa ethnic group.According to Etikan, Abubakar, and Alkassim (2015), the application of an intact class is the widely employed sampling technique known to be used for studying an entire population in an educational setting.Therefore, it is imperative to acknowledge that the selection of the participants was carried out using the purposive sampling method for a number of reasons.Firstly, the decision to opt for an intact class was based on the fact that random sampling was not feasible in an educational setting where the class had already been predefined, such as this study.Therefore, the researchers were unable to manipulate the sitting arrangement.Secondly, the participants were found to encounter lexical and grammatical errors in their essay writing due to their insufficient knowledge of collocations, which has been highlighted by Yusuf (2017) and Usman (2017).Thirdly, the study employed essay writing as a means of collecting data to evaluate the participants' language proficiency.It is noteworthy that the essay writing course is exclusively taught in the class in which the sample was used.Fourthly, the researchers took into consideration the participants' prior experience in studying Arabic as a foreign language during their first three years of study, in view of the fact that collocations are relatively advanced in language learning and require a more comprehensive background due to their complexity.Therefore, the objective of this study will only be achieved through the use of this particular group as sample since the data was collected through essay writing which is only taught at this level.However, a notable limitation of this design lies in the absence of randomization in the sampling methodology, thereby hindering the ability to generalize its findings.
In consideration of ethical standards, after obtaining permission and an approval letter from the head of the department where the data was collected, the researchers proceeded to the participants.The participants were provided with an information sheet detailing information about the project, data storage, their rights, and their involvement.Furthermore, the participants were also given the opportunity to withdraw from the study at their discretion at any point they deemed fit.Then, the participants were asked to fill out a consent form if they willingly desired to participate in the research.To ensure full anonymity, pseudonyms were assigned to each participant.

Instruments & materials
The research used essay writing as a means of data collection before and after the training.The objective of the instrument is to enable the researchers to assess the students' collocational competence before and after the training.According to Ta'ima (1986), the process of essay writing involves addressing a specific question, which prompts foreign language learners to compose a written expression or a topic that addresses the question.Therefore, the choice of the topic for the essay writing in the pre-and post-tests was based on the content of the language composition course as stated in the participant's syllabus.However, Al-Naqa (1985) believes that the choice of a topic for essay writing should be aligned with the related issues of the student's daily life and their experiences.Additionally, Khatir et al. (1998) emphasized that the topic should be within the scope of the student's experiences.In the same vein, Lewis (2000) suggested that it is the responsibility of the teacher to provide the learners with the required vocabulary before constructing an essay writing.Therefore, the researchers conducted a six-week training programme, comprising two sessions per week, where sixty lexical and grammatical collocations were provided to prepare the participants for the post-test.It is noteworthy that the sixty collocations were extracted from the book of Abubakar Abdul-Alim Kaifa Taktubu Mauduʾa Insha'in.Additionally, the researchers classified the lexical and grammatical collocations into three groups according to the Arabic classification of the word.

Procedure for data collection
Upon receiving authorization from the university where the training was conducted, the researchers proceeded to administer a pilot study to determine the suitability of the instrument designed for data collection.

Inter-rater reliability
A pilot study was conducted on a group of fifteen students who closely resembled the real study sample.To avoid bias and uphold the credibility of the study, two Arabic language teachers were used as raters.The raters possess over a decade of experience in teaching Arabic as a foreign language, especially in the area of language skills, from the Department of Arabic Language, Umaru Musa Yar'adua University.Prior to evaluating the essay writing, the researchers provided the raters with instructions on how to utilize the marking scheme.To evaluate the collocations used in the essay writing, the raters checked and counted the collocations used in the essay writing.A total of 20 marks were allocated to each group, meaning that each collocation attracts one mark.The aggregate is 60 marks.
Following the evaluation of the essay, the researchers ran an inter-rater reliability test to determine the extent of consistency between the scores of the two raters.A high agreement was detected between the scores of the raters (F = 21.040,p = .000,95% CI [.752-969).The average measure of ICC was.909, which indicates a high level of agreement between the first and second rater.
After confirming the suitability of the marking scale through the existence of a high agreement between the first and second rater, the researchers turned to the real study.

Training sessions
At the first meeting, the participants were briefed about the objective of the training and their participation.The participants were given an information sheet that contained information about the project, the storage of data, their rights, and their involvement.Subsequently, pseudonyms were assigned to each participant to safeguard their anonymity.
Then, the researchers proceeded by administering a pre-test to the participants on the topic ) Huquq al-Tariq ala al-Jalis, (the rights of the road upon a seated person).The test was assessed based on the marking scheme used by the raters.The objective of the test was to evaluate the participants' level of collocational knowledge and competence prior to the treatment, with a specific emphasis on nominal, verbal, and particle collocations.
The training programme was conducted over a period of six weeks, comprising eleven sessions, with two sessions per week.The sessions were designed to provide the participants with skills in the method of learning collocations based on the lexical approach.The training programme was structured into three distinct phases according to McCarthy and O'Dell's (2008)  ) fala ulawwithu hawaha wala ma'aha (I do not pollute its air or water) were searched and identified.Then, the second phase, which similarly lasted for three sessions, involved the recording and construction of sentences using collocations.In this phase, the researchers provided the participants with guidance on how to incorporate the previously identified collocations from phase one into various sentence structures.For instance, participants, consisting of both males and females, were in their third year of study and ranged in age from 18-44 during the academic year 2022-2023.A purposive technique was employed in selecting the sample, which comprised 28 males and 7 females, all of whom belonged to the Hausa ethnic group in Nigeria.The following table shows the demographic data of the participants.
Upon the completion of the data collection phase, the researchers proceeded to check the reliability and normality of the data prior to conducting inferential analysis.The outcomes of the reliability and normality tests confirmed that the data was indeed reliable and demonstrated a normal distribution.Subsequently, the researchers ran a statistical analysis using a paired t-test, which allowed the comparison of the mean scores and standard deviations to arrive at a conclusion.The following table presents the results of the pre-test and post-test of the participants: Table 2 displays the result of the pre-test, wherein the mean score of the participants was (32.25) with a standard deviation of (5.20).While the mean score result of the participants' posttest showed an increment to (39.42) with a standard deviation of (4.34) compared to the pre-test.Therefore, this means that the use of collocations played a significant role in the prevention of lexical and grammatical errors in the participants' essay writing.
The following table illustrates the differences between the pre-test and post-test: Table 3 revealed that the difference in mean scores between the pre-test and post-test was found to be (−7.17)with a standard deviation of (2.45).The t-value was (−17.280), with a significant difference of (.000).This result suggests that the treatment provided to the  participants was effective, as the p-value was less than alpha (0.05), indicating the existence of a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test.
Moreover, the researchers delved into a comprehensive breakdown of the participants' progress in collocation based on knowledge and competence.This was done by comparing the mean scores of collocation components used in the study, such as nominal, verbal, and particle collocations.Thus, the outcomes of the analyses are presented in the following table : Table 4 shows the result of a quantitative analysis of the data, demonstrating a significant improvement in the participants' performance with respect to all categories of collocations in the post-test.For instance, the nominal collocation mean score indicated an increase from (11.02) in the pre-test to (13.83) in the post-test.Similarly, the mean score of verbal collocations increased from (11.11) in the pre-test to (13.14) in the post-test, while particle collocations experienced an increase from (10.14) in the pre-test to (12.48) in the post-test.Therefore, these improvements in all the categories of the collocation components used in the study would be attributed to the effectiveness of the treatment administered to the participants.
The following figure provides more information on the participants' scoring details in both the pre-test and post-test in relation to collocation categories.
The above figure serves as an illustration of the impact induced by the treatment administered, resulting in the existing difference between the pre-test and post-test outcomes in the partici-

Discussions
This study examines the impact of collocations on the prevention of lexical and grammatical errors among undergraduate students of Arabic as a foreign language at Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, Nigeria.To achieve this objective, a pre-experimental design was employed, wherein one group served as the pre-test and post-test measures.An intact class of 35 undergraduate students who had enrolled in an essay writing course in their third year at the Department of Arabic, 2022-2023 session, from Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, Nigeria, was purposively selected as a sample of the study.Following the selection process, the selected participants went through a comprehensive six-week training program.The programme consisted of a total of eleven sessions, held twice a week.The focal point of these sessions was to impart knowledge to the participants regarding the method of learning collocations based on the lexical approach.At the end of the training sessions, data was collected through an essay-writing task.
After the data analysis, the main results obtained from comparing the mean scores of the pretest and post-test revealed a significant increase in the mean score of the post-test.This implies that the participants' essay writing exhibited fewer lexical and grammatical errors in aspects of using collocations.Therefore, the results suggest a positive impact of collocations in the lexical approach towards preventing lexical and grammatical errors in essay writing among Nigerian Arabic learners, as hypothesized by the study.Moreover, the pre-test result showed a low mean score for the participants, whereas the post-test revealed an increase in the mean scores.This substantiates the effectiveness of collocations in minimizing linguistic errors.Thus, the observed increment in the mean score of the post-test can be attributed to the impact of collocations on preventing lexical and grammatical errors in the participants' essay writing.These findings indicate that it would be beneficial to the students learning Arabic as a foreign language at Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, Nigeria, to receive instruction on Arabic essay writing through the use of collocations in the lexical approach.
Thus, the current research findings align with the previous research findings that demonstrated the enhancement of language proficiency and accuracy through the use of collocations, resulting in a reduction in lexical and grammatical errors.For instance, Ibdah and Ubabanah (2020) carried out a collocational study on Ibn Faris's book, ( ) Mutakhayur Al-alfaz, wherein they analyzed the various collocational types used in the book and their sources.Therefore, the researchers' findings suggested that collocations could prevent lexical and grammatical errors in learning Arabic as a foreign language as well as being a source of fluency and language politeness.The research findings were further strengthened by the study of Al-Usaili and Al-Mu'jami Fi Ta'lim Al-Lugha Al-Arabiyyah (2019), which focused on the significance of lexical grammar in the field of teaching and learning Arabic.In this regard, the researcher proposed that the adoption of a pedagogical approach based on lexical grammar is highly recommended as it offers a favourable platform for Arabic learners as a foreign language to attain linguistic fluency and grammatical accuracy in the early stages of their educational journey.
Similarly, Ismail (2017) conducted an experimental study on the application of the lexical chunk approach in teaching English writing composition to 48 KPTM diploma students.The results indicated a decline in both grammatical and lexical inaccuracies in their writing after receiving treatment through the use of the Lexical approach.Therefore, the previous studies supported the current study's findings regarding the role of collocations in the prevention of lexical and grammatical errors.Moreover, the researchers have observed that the use of collocations in teaching writing produced a positive result in the participants' written compositions and coherent texts.This finding was further corroborated by a study conducted by Al-Hulawa (2012), which revealed that the integration of collocations in writing tasks contributes to the coherence and interconnection of the text through linking concepts, semantics, and pragmatics, where these elements interact together to produce a coherent text.In support of this view, McCrostie (2007) reiterates that a learner who has a large number of lexical units, such as collocations, can communicate effectively.Another finding of the current research was that it has succeeded in raising the participants' awareness regarding the learning of collocations.According to Hill (2000), the theory of the Lexical approach does not advocate for teaching all the collocations to foreign language learners but rather emphasizes highlighting the nature of collocations in foreign language learning, thereby increasing the learners' awareness of collocation usage.Another noteworthy finding was that the post-test results similarly indicated the significant role of collocations in preventing language interference in the participants' writing task as compared to the pre-test result.Therefore, these findings can be substantiated by the findings of Li's (2014) and Lixia's (2010), which revealed that learning collocations can reduce the negative transfer of the native language, improving writing in terms of word choice, use of good language, fewer grammatical errors, construction of correct sentences, discourse cohesion, and expression.The attainment of fluency results in a reduction of language interference.As stated by Lewis (1997), chunks, including collocations, have a significant role in facilitating language production and are key to achieving fluency.Hill (2000) reaffirmed that mastering the use of collocation will lead to more fluidity when it comes to communication, whether written or spoken.Nation and Webb (2011) describe collocations as a source of fluency and accuracy in language production.Therefore, fluency is a means of preventing language interference in foreign language learning.Accordingly, the current research findings proved the theory of lexical approach used in this research, which suggests that collocations reduce lexical and grammatical errors (Lewis, 2000).In addition, the findings have demonstrated the existence of ready-made collocations in our mental lexicon, as elucidated by Lewis (2000), which can be easily retrieved without relying on grammar to construct a sentence, because grammar enables us to construct a sentence when we are unable to find the ready-made collocations in our mental lexicon.Furthermore, it is noteworthy to highlight that the current findings possess a unique attribute in comparison to the previous research outcomes.Specifically, the present study was conducted in the Nigerian context, where Arabic is regarded as a foreign language as opposed to English.Additionally, the previous research endeavours were not designed to showcase the impact of collocations on the prevention of lexical and grammatical errors, a feature that the current study has successfully addressed.The relevance of collocations in curbing lexical and grammatical errors has been demonstrated in the present study, which can undoubtedly assist Arabic language learners in their learning process.Therefore, the result of the current research is a valuable contribution and addition to the existing literature on Arabic language learning as a foreign language based on empirical findings.It is important to know that much of the previous research primarily focused on investigating the grammatical errors in collocations without providing any viable solutions to the outcome of these issues.
Nonetheless, the current research has some limitations that prevent the researchers from generalizing their findings.For instance, the lack of randomization and using an intact class without a control group.The study was conducted with only 35 undergraduate students who enrolled in an essay-writing course in a department.This did not allow for a control group.The inclusion of a control group could have helped the researchers avoid bias and ensure that the significant difference between the pretest and the post-test was due to the effect of the treatment rather than other possible factors.To minimize the effect of the absence of a control group, the researchers used a pre-test measurement prior to the training sessions.Fortunately, the sample size is adequate, which serves as an additional control measure to get reliable results.Another limitation was that the study was carried out solely on undergraduate students from the northern part of Nigeria.Therefore, it is imperative to note that the results cannot be generalized to cover the entire population of students from another part of Nigeria, nor can they sufficiently cover other levels of education in the university.Moreover, another limitation to the generalization of the results was that of time constraints.The study was only conducted over a period of 10 weeks.A study with a more extensive treatment duration may have revealed different results.
Despite the limitations, the researchers remain hopeful that their findings will serve as a foundational stepping stone for further research aimed at improving the learning of Arabic in Nigeria through the implementation of collocations in the lesson contents.To minimize those limitations in future studies, the use of randomization and a control group should be applied, along with a larger sample size to ensure the generalizability of the findings.Additionally, a longer period of time should be applied to yield more precise findings.

Conclusion
The current research has addressed the issue of lexical and grammatical errors through the use of collocations in essay writing among undergraduate students of the Department of Arabic Language at Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, Nigeria.The study used an intact class of thirty-five (35) undergraduates in their third year of study who enrolled in the Arabic essay writing course.However, the researchers provided training to the participants on the application of lexical and grammatical collocations in essay writing through the lexical approach.Therefore, the study has established the effectiveness of collocations in facilitating the learning of Arabic as a foreign language in Nigeria by minimizing the occurrence of lexical and grammatical errors in the participants' essay writing compositions.The findings of this research suggest that instructors of Arabic as a foreign language in Nigeria should prioritize collocations during classroom instruction.Moreover, the current research has validated the hypothesis positing the utilization of collocations in learning Arabic as a foreign language.The implementation of this strategy leads to the enhancement of lexical competence, the attainment of fluency, and the reduction of lexical and grammatical errors.Therefore, this implies that the method effectively facilitates the attainment of lexical proficiency and grammatical accuracy at an early stage of learning Arabic as a foreign language.In addition, the method allows learners to express themselves in a few collocations.This is due to the fact that collocation serves as a means of improving fluency and preventing lexical and grammatical errors in Arabic as a foreign language (Figure 1).
The research findings hold significant implications, particularly for instructors of Arabic as a foreign language at Umaru Musa Yar'adua University Katsina, Nigeria.In addition, the study's findings provide a valuable method for policymakers and management at Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, as well as the Department of Arabic Language, to update their syllabus to align with the research's conclusions.Therefore, to incorporate collocations into the Arabic teaching method, the instructors should follow McCarthy and O'Dell's (2008) model of teaching collocations.The proposed model presents a threephase approach to collocation teaching.Therefore, the first phase is a searching process in which the instructors provide some guidance to students on how to search for and identify collocations in some texts.As Lewis (2000) suggested, the instructors should raise the students' awareness about the importance of collocations in foreign language learning, highlight the importance of collocations in preventing linguistic errors, and provide relevant examples of their usage in language to avoid such errors.In the second phase, which is the recording process phase, where the instructors provided students with guidance on how to incorporate the previously identified collocations from the phase one into various sentence structures.In the third and final phase, the instructors should focus on practical aspects of writing skills, such as forming paragraphs and essay writing, where the students should be encouraged to write an essay based on the number of collocations provided to them in phases one and two.This will assist the participants in achieving fluency.
On this basis, it is recommended that future research on collocations in Arabic as a foreign language should focus on language skills.Additionally, further research in corpus linguistics and translation fields is needed.It is important to note that this study does not mean that students should learn all collocations; rather, they should be made aware of the importance and nature of collocations in teaching and learning Arabic as a foreign language.
Huquq al-Tariq ala al-Jalis.(The rights of the road upon a seated person) During this study, the participants were asked to compose an essay consisting of 250-300 words.As such, the researchers anticipated that the participants would use a minimum of sixty collocations in their essay, including twenty nominal collocations model for teaching collocations.The first phase, which lasted for three sessions, focused on the search for collocations in the topic ( Huquq al-Watan al al-Muwatinin, (the right of the homeland to its citizens).During this phase, the researchers aimed to raise the participants' awareness of the nature of collocations in foreign language learning.This was achieved by searching and identifying collocations in the passage taught in the training sessions from the book of Abubakar Abdul-Alim Kaifa Taktubu Mauduʾa Insha'in.Where collocations such as (

Figure 1. Collocation categories in pre and post-test pants
' essay writing, in relation to the use of collocations as a preventive measure against linguistic errors.