STUDENTS’ ERROR IN USING SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE AT
SMK PGRI WLINGI IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT
THESIS
By:
PRITA KUSUMAWATI 08360192
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG
STUDENTS’ ERROR IN USING SIMPLE PRESENT
TENSE AT SMK PGRI WLINGI IN WRITING
DESCRIPTIVE TEXT
THESIS
This thesis is submitted to fulfill one of the requirements to achieve
Sarjana Degree in English Education
BY:
PRITA KUSUMAWATI (08360192)
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG
This thesis is written by Prita Kusumawati was approved on January 29th, 2013
By:
Advisor II Advisor I
This thesis was defended in front of the examiners of the Faculty of Teacher
Training and Education of University of Muhammadiyah Malang
and accepted as one of the requirements to achieve
Sarjana Degree in English Education
on January 29th, 2013
Approved by:
Faculty of Teacher Training and Education
University of Muhammadiyah Malang
Dean,
Dr. M. Syaifuddin, M.M.
Examiners: Signatures:
1. Riza Elfana, M.A. 1. ……….
2. Bayu Hendro Wicaksono, S.Pd., M.Ed., Ph.D. 2. ……….
3. Drs. Jarum, M.Ed. 3. ……….
MOTTO AND DEDICATION
MOTTO
Place your hopes high in the sky
but keep your work close to your good heart,
and see miracles begin to happen
(Mario Teguh)
DEDICATION
I dedicate this thesis especially to:
My beloved Mother and Father,
My younger brothers,
STUDENTS’ ERROR IN USING SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE AT SMK PGRI WLINGI IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT
ABSTRACT
In every learning process mistakes are always involved. However, mistakes are needed to improve the language skills and language acquisition. There are four language skills that have to be learned by the students of second language. They are speaking, listening, reading and writing. In fact, most students may speak well but they are not able to write well.
This research is aimed to find and analyze the error made by the students of SMK PGRI Wlingi in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text. The purpose of this study were 1) To know what errors are made by students of SMK PGRI Wlingi in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text, and 2) To know how the frequency of occurrence of the errors made by students of SMK PGRI Wlingi in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text. This research used both of descriptive qualitative and quantitative research design. To collect the data the researcher used test as the instrument. The type of the test was composition test. In this case to find out the frequency of occurrence of the errors the researcher used a formula. In analyzing the data, this research used descriptive analysis to describe the result of the computation.
The result of this research showed that: First, it was found that there were three kinds of error made by students in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text. They are: (1) Omission error, (2) Addition error, (3) Misformation error. Second, it was found that (1) the frequency of omission error was 66.67%. (2) The frequency of Addition error was 16.67%. (3) The frequency of misformation error was 16.67%. The frequency of the total of all error was 4.58%. The most dominant errors occurred in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text was omission error.
Key words:(Error, Simple Present, Descriptive Text)
Advisor I The Researcher
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
Alhamdulillahi rabbil ‘alamin, the researcher expresses her highest gratitude
to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala for blessing, love, opportunity, health, and mercy to
complete this thesis.
Shalawat is also sent to Prophet Muhammad shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam who
had delivered the truth to human beings in general and Muslim in particular.
In arranging this thesis, a lot of people have provided motivation, advice,
support, and even remark that had helped the researcher. In this valuable chance, the
researcher aims to express her gratitude and appreciation to all of them.
1. Mr. Jarum, M.Ed as the first advisor who has helped, given valuable advice,
motivation, experience, encouragement helped the researcher all the times of
study and analysis of this whole thesis.
2. Mrs. Santi Prastiyowati, S.Pd as the second advisor who has helped her
patiently finishes this thesis by giving suggestion, guidance, and correction
since the preliminary of manuscript until the completion of this thesis.
3. Her beloved family, especially her parents, Bapak Gunarso, BE and Ibu Sri
Wariastutik, thank you so much for their affection, advices, guidance,
instruction and help in all her life, their love is beyond any words. For her
dearest younger brothers, Agil Dwijanarso and Bayu Adhi Trianggo who
4. Aunty Yuni for her sacrifice and motivation. Without her the researcher
would never have the power to finish this thesis.
5. SMK PGRI Wlingi for the chance which is given to the researcher to conduct
the research on their students.
6. Her everlasting friends: Mega, Surya, Rara, and all of friends in D class.
Thank you so much for coloring her life, cheerful days, beautiful togetherness
and also unforgettable moment for all of her life.
Finally, may Allah always blesses us. Aamiin
Malang, 18thJanuary 2013
The Researcher,
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.1 Background of the Study ... 1
1.2 Problem of the Study ... 2
1.3 Purposes of the Study ... 2
1.4 Significance of the Study ... 3
1.5 Scope and Limitation ... 3
1.6 Definition of Key Terms ... 3
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1Error Analysis ……… 5
2.2 Error Taxonomy………...…6
2.3Descriptive Text ………. 10 2.4Present Tense ………. 12
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Design ... 15
3.2 Population and Sample ... 16
3.3 Research Instrument ... 16
3.5 Data Analysis ... 17
CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Findings ... 19
4.1.1 The Kind of Errors made by students in Writing Descriptive Paragraph ... 19
4.1.1.1 Omission Error ... 19
4.1.1.2 Addition Error ... 21
4.1.1.3 Misformation Error ... 22
4.1.2 The Frequency of Every Kind of Error Made by the Students ... 22
4.2 Discussion ... 24
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 5.1 Conclusions ... 27
5.2 Suggestions ... 27
REFERENCES
Ary, Donald et al. 2010.Introduction to Research in Education Eight Edition. United States: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Azar, Betty Schrampfer. 1989. Understanding and Using English Grammar Second
Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents.
Brown, H Douglas. 2000. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. San Fransisco: Fransisco State University.
Dulay, Heidi et al. 1982.Language Two. New York: Oxford University Press.
Fitikides, T.J. B.A. F.I.L. 2002.Common Mistakes in English with Exercise. England: Longman.
Hornby, A.S. 1995. Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary of Current English. New York: Oxford University Press.
Priyana, Joko et al. 2008. Interlanguage: English for Senior High School Students X. Indonesia: Grasindo.
Wishon, E. George et al. 1980. Let’s Write English. United States: American Book Company.
Allwords.com. http://www.allwords.com/word-present+tense.html. Accessed on Friday August 3rd2012. 12.42 pm.
Hagung. 2011. http://www.scribd.com/doc/52568891/Based-on-generic-structure-and-language-feature-dominantly-used. Accessed on Monday June 11th 2012. 09.46 am.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents background of the study, statement of the problem,
purpose of the study, significance of the study, scope and limitation, and definition of
key term. Each section is presented as follows:
1.1 Background of the Study
Entering the global era, the use of English as the major means of international
communication grows rapidly. Although English is not an official language in most
countries, it is currently the language that is most often taught as a second or foreign
language around the world. English is also the most commonly used language in the
sciences. In addition, books, magazines and newspapers written in English are
available in many countries around the world. It is the reason why the students in
Indonesia have to learn and master English.
In order to increase Indonesian students’ mastery of English, in the practice of
the teaching students are taught language system (structure and vocabulary) and
language skills. There are four language skills that have to be learned by the students
especially in junior and senior high school. They are speaking, listening, reading and
writing. In fact, on the observation and experience of the researcher, most students
may speak in English well but they are not able to write it well.
There are some kinds of writing form. According to Burks and Wishon
(1980), the form of writing used to tell or relate is called narration, used to describe is
and used to persuade or argue is called argumentation. The type of writing form that
is used by first year of senior high school students is description.
Description reproduces the way things look, smell, taste, feel, or sound; it may
also evoke moods, such as happiness, loneliness, or fear (Wishon, Burks:1980).
Description is used to describe person, place, even of units of time, such as days,
times of day, or season. There are some language features in description. One of them
is simple present. Simple present tense is a tense that is used in general truth. This
tense is commonly used in writing descriptive text especially describing person. This
tense is taught in the first year of junior and senior high school as a basic tense.
From the explanation above, the researcher wants to analyze students’ errors
in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text at senior high school exactly
in SMK PGRI Wlingi. The researcher also wants to know the type of errors that most
of the students made.
1.2 Problem of the Study
The problem of the study is formulated as follow:
1. What are errors made by students of SMK PGRI Wlingi in using simple
present tense in writing descriptive text?
2. How is the frequency of occurrence of the errors made by students of SMK
PGRI Wlingi in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text?
1.3 Purpose of the Study
Related to what has been discussed above, the purpose of the study is to answer
1. To know what errors are made by students of SMK PGRI Wlingi in using
simple present tense in writing descriptive text.
2. To know how the frequency of occurrence of the errors made by students of
SMK PGRI Wlingi in using simple present tense in writing descriptive text.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The result of this study is expected to be useful for the following contribution:
1. For English teacher, this study will give them information about the students’
error in composing descriptive paragraph and the types of error made by the
students.
2. For the students, this study will give them understanding about simple present
tense and descriptive text and give them information about the types of error.
3. For the new researcher, this study will give helpful guidance to conduct a
similar researchdealing with student’s error in writing.
1.5 Scope and Limitation
The scope of this study is focused on the analyzing students’ error in using
simple present tense in writing descriptive text. The limitation of this study is on the
first year students of SMK PGRI Wlingi.
1.6 Definition of Key Term
To avoid misinterpretation, the key terms used in the study are defined as follow:
a. Error: The condition of having incorrect or false knowledge (The Free Dictionary:
2009). It means that error is a deviation that is made by the learners
b. Present Tense: The form of language used to refer to an event, transaction, or
occurrence which is happening now (or at the present time), or an object
that currently exists (Allwords.com: 2012). This tense is also used for
habitual or repeated actions and general truth or things in general or facts.
For example: The sun rises in the East.
c. Writing: Writing is a process of putting ideas down on paper to transform thought
into words, to sharp main ideas and to give structure and coherent
organization into writing (Brown: 2000).
d. Descriptive text: the form of writing that used to describe person, place, even of
