Linguistic Competence in English of Grade 7 Students in Don Leon Mercado Sr. Memorial National High School, San Juan West District, Division of Batangas

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Linguistic competence constitutes knowledge of language, but that knowledge is tacit, implicit. This means that people do not have conscious access to the principles and rules that govern the combination of sounds, words, and sentences; however, they do recognize when those rules and principles have been violated. This kind of competence is possessed by native speakers of a language. It is distinguished from linguistic performance as to how speakers would deliver and say the words. Competence is one of the characteristics of a native speaker. It is their ability to comprehend and be understood by people using the language. Everything that relates to the English language must be known by somebody to be called competent.

METHODS

On this study, the descriptive method was used to survey the existing conditions that concern the linguistic competence and level of performance of Grade 7 students in Don Leon Mercado Sr. Memorial National High School. The respondents of the study were 175 students from Don Leon Mercado Sr. Memorial National High School, Division of Batangas.

RESULTS

Most of the respondents were classified as poor as to their final grade in English seven. There is a need for them to spend more time in studying English to improve their level of linguistic competence. Respondents' level of linguistic competence as to content and function words were both classified as Average. Their scores were not that far from each other, so it arrived in almost the same results.

DISCUSSIONS

The intervention activities were created based on the findings on the level of linguistic competence of the respondents in grammar as to content and function words. It is necessary for the learners to undergo activities to improve their literacy skills and be more equipped in facing K to 12 Program.