An Analysis student' error in english writing at the 9th year students of SMP Islam Al-Ikhlas Cipete, Jakarta Selatan

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AN ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS’ ERROR IN ENGLISH

WRITING

AT THE 9

th

YEAR STUDENTS OF SMP ISLAM AL IKHLAS

CIPETE, JAKARTA SELATAN

A “Skripsi”

Presented to the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers Training in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement

for the Degree of S. Pd in English Language Education

By:

DIAJENG AYU KUSUMAWATI

NIM: 204014003204

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS’ TRAINING

SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

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AN ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS’ ERROR IN ENGLISH

WRITING

AT THE 9

th

YEAR STUDENTS OF SMP ISLAM AL IKHLAS

CIPETE, JAKARTA SELATAN

A “Skripsi”

Presented for the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers’ Training In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the degree of in English Language Education

by

DIAJENG AYU KUSUMAWATI

NIM: 204014003204

Approved by the Advisor

Dr. Didik Santoso, MPd.

NIP: 150 041 070

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS’ TRAINING

SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

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ENDORSEMENT SHEET

The Examination Committee of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers’

Training certifies that the ‘Skripsi’ (Scientific Paper) entitled AN ANALYSIS

ON STUDENTS’ ERROR IN ENGLISH WRITING written by Diajeng Ayu

Kusumawati, student’s registration number 204014003204 was examined by the

Committee on June 30, 2009 and was declare to have passed and therefore,

fulfilled one of the requirements for the academic title of Bachelor of Arts in

English Language Education at the Department of English Education.

Jakarta July 6, 2009

Examination Committee

CHAIRMAN : Drs. Syauki, M.Pd (_________________)

NIP.19641212 1991 03 1 002

SECRETARY : Neneng Sunengsih, S.Pd (_________________) NIP.150.293.236

EXAMINER I : Drs. Syauki, M.Pd (_________________)

NIP.19641212 1991 03 1 002

EXAMINER II : Dra. Hidayati, M.Pd (_________________) NIP.19601027 1987 03 2 003

Acknowledged By

Dean of Tarbiyah and Teachers’ Training

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ABSTRACT

AYU, DIAJENG KUSUMAWATI. 2009. An Analysis on Students’ Error in English Writing at the 9th Year Students of SMP Al-Ikhlas Cipete, Jakarta Selatan, Skripsi, English Education Department, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers’ Training, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. Advisor: Dr. Didik Santoso, M.Pd

This study is aimed at analyzing the students’ error in English writing, it consist of (1) the kind of lexical errors are commonly made by the students, (2) the kind of grammatical errors are commonly made by the students

This purpose of the research are, (1) to investigate lexical errors that commonly made by the third year students of SMP Al-Ikhlas Cipete in writing, (2) to investigate what kind of grammatical errors are commonly made by the students of 9th grade of SMP Al- Ikhlas Cipete. Moreover, this research using descriptive qualitative design.

The findings of the research stated that the error of tenses (verb tense) are the most frequent of errors in which the ninth grade students at SMP Islam Al- Ikhlas Cipete committed with 163 items of errors. Moreover, it followed by errors of word choice with 56 items of errors, error of spelling are 46 items, error of add a word are 41 item, then, error in capitalization 41 items, followed by error in omit a word 33 items, word order are 17 items, error in plural-singular 11 items, in punctuation 7 items of error, error in word form 3 item, the last is zero in article, incomplete sentence, meaning not clear and run-on sentence.

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ABSTRAK

AYU, DIAJENG KUSUMAWATI. 2009. Analisa Kesalahan Siswa dalam Penulisan Bahasa Inggris pada Tingkat 9 SMP Al Ikhlas Cipete, Jakarta Selatan. Skripsi, Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Ilmu Tarbiyah dan Keguruan, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.

Pembimbing : Dr. Didik Santoso, M.Pd

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisa kesalahan peserta didik dalam menulis bahasa Inggris yang terdiri dari 1) Kesalahan secara leksikal yang dibuat murid, 2) kesalahan gramatikal yang dibuat murid dalam penulisan bahasa Inggris.

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah 1) meneliti kesalahan leksikal yang sering di buat oleh siswa tingkat 9 SMP Islam Al Ikhlas Cipete, 2) meneliti kesalahan gramatikal yang sering di buat oleh siswa tingkat 9 SMP Islam Al Ikhlas Cipete. Penelitian ini meggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif.

Dalam penelitian ini ditemukan bahwa tata bahasa adalah area yang paling banyak yang terjadi dalam penulisan bahasa Inggris SMP Islam Al Ikhlas Cipete dengan 163 kesalahan, diikuti oleh 56 kesalahan dalam pemilihan kata, 46 kesalahan dalam ejeen, 41 kesalahan dalam penambahan kata, 41 kesalahan dalam kapitalisasi, kemudian 33 kesalahan dalam pengurangan kata, 17 kesalahan dalam pemilihan kata, kesalahan dalam penggunaan kata benda jamak dan tunggal sebanyak 11 kesalahan, kesalahan pada tanda baca sebanyak 7 kesalahan, kesalahan dalam penggunaan bentuk kata sebanyak 3 kesalahan, dan tearkhir dalam penggunaan artikel, kalimat yang tidak sempurna, arti kalimat yang tidak jelas dan run-on sentence kesalahan tidak ditemukan.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the name of Allah the most gracious and the most merciful. All praises

be to Allah the lord of the worlds. Peace and blessing be upon to our prophet

Muhammad SAW, his family, his companion, and his followers.

First of all, the writer would like to express her great honor to Dr. Didik

Santoso, M.Pd as the advisor who has guided her in writing this “skripsi”. Her

beloved mother (Yuliatun), father (Kusmin), sister (Utami Dewi Kusumaningsih),

brothers ( Unggul &Tito), Ustadz RAM who have supported her so much. May

Allah bless all of you.

Her Gratitude also goes to :

1. All lectures of English Education Department who has educated her during

her study at UIN Jakarta.

2. Drs. Syauki, M.Pd., as the Head of English Education Department.

3. Prof. Dr. Dede Rosyada, MA., as the Dean of Faculty of Tarbiyah and

Teachers’ Training.

4. Drs. Prasetyo., as the principal of SMP AL Ikhlas Cipete who has allowed

her to do the research in his school.

5. All of the teachers and staff administration of SMP AL Ikhlas Cipete and

SMK YANUSA, Pondok Pinang.

6. Her friends such as De Zifa, Ikah, Syifa, Santi and the others who have

given the spirit. Friendship will never end.

7. Ka Ozzy, Neneng, Dwi, Bang Ade, Mba Rini who have given the support.

Thank you for the togetherness in tears, fun and happiness.

And finally the writer realizes that this skripsi is not perfect yet. Therefore,

the writer would like to accept some suggestion to make this skripsi better.

Jakarta, July 2009

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT... ii

TABLE OF CONTENS ... iii

LIST OF TABLE... v

CHAPTER I Introduction A. Background of the Study ... 1

B. Identification of the Problem ... 3

C. Limitation of the Problem ... 3

D. Formulation of the Problems ... 3

E. Objectives of the Study ... 3

F. Significance of the problem ... 4

CHAPTER II Theoretical Framework A._...Error Analysis ... 5

B...Engli sh Writing ... 15

CHAPTER III Research Methodology A._...Rese arch Design ... 22

B...Time and Location of Research ... 22

C._...Subje ct of the research ... 22

D._...Instru ment of research ... 23

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F._...Tech nique of data Analysis ... 23

CHAPTER IV Research Findings

A._...Findi ngs ... 25

B._...Inter pretation of the Data ... 50

C._...Discu ssion ... 59

CHAPTER V Conclusion and Suggestion

A._...Conc lusion ... 60

B._...Sugg estion ... 61

BIBLIOGRAPHY... 62

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Three Ways Classification of Errors...8

Table 2.2 Differences in spelling between British English and American English ...18

Table 2.3 Summary of Punctuation Marks...20

Table 4.1 Errors of student 1...25

Table 4.4 Errors of student 4 ...28

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents and discusses the background of the study,

identification of the problem, limitation of the problem, formulation of the

problem, objectives of the study, and significance of the problem.

A. Background of the Study

English has been the most important foreign language in Indonesia.

Instead of other foreign languages that have been taught in Indonesia, English has

been the most popular choice. Moreover, it has a significant role in the various

fields, especially in technology, communication, politics, economy, education,

health, etc.

Furthermore, English has been an important language in our life, it has

important role. English is compulsory subject for students of junior high school

until university level. Therefore, students should be able to master English at least

in four skill areas; Listening, Speaking, Reading Writing, by mastering those four

skills, English can be a means to develop the students’ knowledge, technology,

and culture.

Writing is as one of the basic skills which has a vital part in language

teaching and students’ achievement. The focus of writing is started to arrange the

simple sentence which is connected with conjunction to set the coherent idea from

the sentence to another. Those sentences are arranged logically to be united and

cohesive.

The study of a good basic writing can be measured from the structure or

grammar of student. The result of writing is determined with the number of

frequency of writing exercises. If the frequency of writing exercise is frequently

carried out, certainly the student’s writing skill will be excellent. If writing

exercise is rare, writing skill will not be developed yet.

Writing knowledge and exercise in Junior High School students must be

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grammatically accepted or not. The research is intended to give the teacher input

how to teach a good writing. The students are object of the research and teachers

are as the facilitator in teaching learning process.

The knowledge of grammar is very important to express what we would to

say and interpret correctly, not only the basic meaning that someone said but also

to force the utterance of piece of writing. Grammar keeps important role in

writing. However, the students’ ability in writing is still low. This can be proved

that they still make mistakes and errors in writing English such as using

appropriate structure, plural-singular and other.

Therefore, the writer is interested in identifying some students’ errors in

English writing by analyzing students composition of writing, so the writer will

identify, describe and explain what kind of errors are commonly made by the

students in English writing.

According to Corder (1967:167) in Brown stated that ”A learner’s errors

….. are significant in (that) they provide to the researcher evidence of how

language is learned or acquired, what strategies or procedures the learner is

employing in the discovery of the language.”1

Based on the background of study above, the writer is interested in

analyzing the grammatical error in writing which focuses on several areas, Lexical

error and grammatical error. whereas the title of this “skripsi” is “AN

ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS’ ERROR IN ENGLISH WRITING AT THE 9th

YEAR STUDENTS OF SMP ISLAM AL-IKHLAS CIPETE, JAKARTA

SELATAN”.

1

H. Douglas Brown, Principle of Language and Teaching, ( San Francisco : Prentice

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B. Identification of the Problem

Referring to background of problem above, there are many problems that

can be identified among others: 1) the difficulties in arranging united and cohesive

sentences 2) using appropriate structure 3) choosing words and conjunctions to

make a coherent sentence and etc., therefore, the writer would like to limit only on

lexical and grammatical errors, the writer would like to analyze them as follows:

a) What kind of mistakes do the students have?, b) How many mistakes do they

have?, c) How to change all the mistakes into the right one?

C. Limitation of the Problem

To avoid misunderstanding and clarify the problems, it is important to set

some limitation of the problems. The writer will limit the problem of the

discussion on the analysis of the students’ errors in writing consist of lexical

errors and grammatical errors. Lexical errors consist of word form and the use of

singular and plural noun.

D.Formulation of the Problem

Based on the background of the study describe above, the writer is

interested in analyzing the error made by the students. The writer would like to

formulate the problem as follow:

1.What kind of lexical errors are commonly made by the students?

2.What kind of grammatical errors are commonly made by the students?

E. The objective of the study in this research are:

Inline with formulation of the problem stated above, the objectives of this

study are as follow :

1. To investigate lexical errors that commonly made by the ninth year students

of SMP Islam Al-Ikhlas Cipete in their English writing.

2. To investigate grammatical errors that commonly made by the ninth year

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E.Significance of the Problem

The significances of this research are classified into : a) theory and b) practical

1. Theory

To give information about error analysis that always happen in students’

English writing, also as enrichment for teacher to adopt the concept and

theory.

2. Practical (students, teacher, headmaster)

To deliver useful information for teacher and other researchers who are

interested in analyzing error in writing, in order to lead them to further

research on the same field of study in different aspect. Moreover, students

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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This chapter presents and discusses about the theoretical framework which

is consist of: Error analysis and English Writing

A. ERROR ANALYSIS

Learning a foreign language is different from learning one’s mother

tongue. Therefore, learners in the teaching learning process often made errors and

it is not only inevitable but also a necessary part of the language learning process.

As the learner of a foreign language, errors can’t be avoided even the most

intelligent, conscientious and motivated students do some errors and sometimes

the native speakers also. The errors made by students indicated that they are in the

process of learning.

What is error? Dullay stated error as “The flawed side of learner speech of

writing. They are those part of conversation or composition that deviate from

some selected norm of mature language performance”2. H. Douglas Brown

defines error as “a noticeable deviation from the adult grammar of a native

speaker, reflects the competence of the learner.”3 It means that an error that

reveals a portion of the learners’ competence.

Errors give the important proof for the process of language learning and

also information for the teachers about the students’ ability. S.P Corder says:

“A learner’s error, then, provided evidence of the system of the language

that he is using (i.e. has learnt) at a particular point in the course (and it must be

repeated that he is using some system, although it is not yet the right system).”4

2

Heidy Dulay,et al, language Two(New york: Oxford University Press, p.138

3

Douglas Brown, Principle of Language Learning and Teaching (New Jersey:

Prentice hall, Inc,1987) p. 205. 4

S.P Corder, Error Analysis and Interlanguage, (New York: Oxford University

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Errors made by the students do not mean a failure or in adequacy but they

can be viewed as important evidence of strategies or procedure employed by the

learner in learning a second language. They are also significant to the teacher and

the learner himself. As S.Pit Corder stated in Ellis:

“ They are (errors) significant in three ways : (1) they provide the teacher

with information about how much the learner had learnt; (2) they provide the

researcher with evidence of how language was learnt; and (3) They served as

device by which the learner discovered the rules of the target language”5.

From the statements above it can be seen that error is common and natural

thing made by the student in leaning foreign language process.

Error analysis is part of the methodology of psycholinguistic investigation

of language learning6. Thus, Error analysis is significant in developing student’s

competence. Moreover Brown wrote: the fact that learners do make errors, and

that these error can be observed, analyzed, and classified to reveal something of

the system operation within the learner, led to a surge of study of learner’s errors,

called error analysis7.

Corder, who has contributed enormously to EA, writes thus:

"The study of error is part of the investigation of the process of language learning. In this respect it resembles methodologically the study of the acquisition of the mother tongue. It provides us with a picture of the linguistic development of a learner and may give us indications as to the learning process." (Corder, 1974: 125)

Based on the definitions previously, it can be concluded that error analysis

is an investigation methodology in language learning for analyzing, observing,

and classifying learner’s error to give us indication in learning process.

Every learner has a different type of making errors, but the most common

errors that the learner made are:

5

Rod Ellis, The Study of Language Acquisition, ( New York : Oxford University Press,

1994), p. 48 6

S.P Corder, Error Analysis and Interlanguage, (New York: Oxford University Press,

1981,p.45 7

Brown, Principle of Language Learning and Teaching (New Jersey: Prentice hall,

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a. Omitting grammatical morphemes, which are items that do not contribute much to the meaning of sentences as in He hit car. b. Double marking a semantic feature (e.g past tense) when only one

marker is required, as in she didn’t went back. c. Regularizingrules, as in womans for women.

d. Using archforms - one from in place of several- such as the use of her for both she and her, as in I see her yesterday. Her dance with my brother.

e. Using two or more forms in random alternation even though the language requires the use of each only under certain conditions, as in random use of he and she regardless of the gender of the person of interest.

f. Misordering items in constructions that require a reversal of word-order rules that had been previously acquired, as in What you are doing?, or misplacing items that may be correctly placed in more than one placed in the sentence, as in they are all the time late.8

Meanwhile, S. Pit Corder proposed a three-way classification of errors,

based on the students’ ability to correct the errors and to explain them, they are:

1. The post-systematic errors, that is, those mistakes that the students are able to correct and explain when the attention is drawn to them

2. The systematic errors, that is, those mistakes that the students cannot immediately correct but for which they can provide the explanation once the problem is point out.

3. The pre-systematic error, that is, those that the students cannot correct event explain9

From Corder’s three-way classification of errors above, it can be included

that the post systematic errors are less serious pedagogically than the systematic

errors. And post-systematic and systematic errors are present less of pedagogical

problem than the pre-systematic errors. It is presented below:

8

Heidy Dulay,et al, language Two (New york: Oxford University Press p.138-139

9

Rebecca M. Valette, Modern Language Testing(2nd edition),(Boston: Harcourt Brace

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Table 2.1

Three Ways Classification of Errors10

Error type Correction Possible Explanation Possible

pre-systematic error No No

systematic errors No Yes

post-systematic errors Yes Yes

Betty Azar classify the errors in writing into 13 errors, there are:

1. SINGULAR-PLURAL He have been here for six month.

He has been here for six month.

2. WORD FORM I saw a beauty picture.

I saw a beautiful picture.

3. WORD CHOICE She got on the taxi.

She got into the taxi.

4. VERB TENSE He is here since June.

He has been here since June.

5. + ADD A WORD I want ∧ go to the zoo.

I want to go to the zoo.

– OMIT A WORD She entered to the university.

She entered the university.

6. WORD ORDER I saw five times that movie..

I saw that movie five times.

7. INCOMPLETE SENTENCE I went to bed. Because I was tired. I went to bed because I was tired.

8. SPELLING An accident occured.

An accident occurred.

9. PUNCTUATION What did he say

What did he say?

10. CAPITALIZATION I am studying english.

I am studying English.

10

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11. ARTICLE I had a accident.

I had an accident

12. MEANING NOT CLEAR He borrowed some smoke.

( ? ? ?)

13. RUN-ON SENTENCE My roommate was sleeping, we

didn’t want to wake up her

My roommate was sleeping. We didn’t want to wake up her11

In error analysis, there are some steps that the researchers must follow.

Those are:

a. Collection of data (either from a ‘free’ composition by students on a given

theme or from examination answers).

b. Identification of errors (labeling, with varying degrees of precision

depending on the linguistic sophistication brought to bear on the task, with

respect to the exact nature of the deviation, e.g. Dangling preposition,

anomalous sequence of tenses, etc).

c. Classification into error types (e.g. Errors of agreement, articles, verb

forms, etc.

d. Statement of relative frequency of error types.

e. Identification of the areas of difficulty in the target language.

f. Therapy (remedial drills, lesson, etc).

In this study, the writer just identify the errors and then For the sake

identification up to point e are needed. 12

Corder (1974) suggests the following steps in Error Analysis research :

1.Collection of a sample of learner language 2.Identification of errors

3.Description of errors 4.Explanation of errors 5.Evaluation of errors

11

Betty Schramfer Azar, Understanding and Using English Grammar, (Prentice-Hall

inc) 1989, p. A29-A30 12

Sn. Sridhar in Jacek Fisiak, Contrastive Linguistic and the Language Teacher, (Oxford

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Meanwhile, Gass and Selinker stated that a great deal of the work on

error analysis was carried out within the context of the classroom. The goal was

clearly one of pedafogical remediation, there are a number of steps taken in

conducting an error analysis.

1. Data need to be collected. Although this typically done with written data, oral data can also serve as a base

2. Identify errors. What is the error (e.g) Incorrect sequence of tenses, wrong verb form, singular verb form with plural subject).

3. Classifying errors. Is it an error of agreement? Is it an error in irregular verbs?

4. Quantify errors. How many errors of agreement occur? How many irregular verb form errors occur?

5. Analysis of source.

6. Remediation. Based on the kind and frequency of an error type, pedagogical intervention is carried out

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Analyzing of students’ error, it has some goals why someone conducted it.

According to S.N Sridhar:

The goals of traditional error analysis were purely pragmatic error analysis was conceived and performed for its ‘feedback’ value in designing pedagogical materials and strategies. It was believed that error analysis by identifying the areas of difficulty or the learners, could help in (i)determining the sequence of presentation of target items in textbook and classroom with the difficult items following the easier ones; (iii) deciding the relative degree of emphasis, explanation and practice required in putting across various items in the target language; (iii) devising remedial lessons and exercises; and finally, (iv) selecting items for testing the learner’s proficiency. The ‘applied’ emphasis in this approach to error is obvious.14

13

Susan M,Gass and Larry Selinker, Second Language Acquisition, (Mahwah, New

jersey : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publisher 2001, p.79 14

Jacek Fisiak, Contrastive Linguistic and the Language Teacher, (oxford :Pergamon

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Dullay says that the purposes of studying learners’ error are: (1) it

provides data from which inferences about the nature of the language learning

process can be made. (2) it indicates to teacher and curriculum developers which

part of the target language students have difficulty to communicate effectively.15

The last step in the process of analyzing the learner’s error is

determining the source of error .Brown proposed the source of error, they are:

The last step in the process of analyzing the learner’s error is determining the

source of error .Brown proposed the source of error, they are:

a. Interlingual Transfer

Interlingual transfer is a significant source of error for all learners.

The beginning stages of learning a second language are especially

vunerable to interlingual transfer from the native language, or

interference. In these early stages, before the system of second

language is familiar, the native language is the only previous

linguistic system upon which the learner can draw.

b. Intralingual Transfer

Intralingual transfer (within learning a second language) ia a major

factor in second language learning. Researchers have found that the

early stages of language learning are characterized by a

predominance of interference (interlingual transfer), but once

learner have begun to acquire parts of the new system, more and

more intralingual transfer- generalization within the target

language - is manifested. As learners progress in the second

language, their previous experience and their existing

Context of Learning

In a classroom context, the teacher or textbook can lead the learner

to make faulty hypothesis about the language. Students often make

errors because of misleading explanation of the teacher, faulty

presentation of a structure or word in a textbook, or even because

15

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of a pattern that was rottenly memorized in a drill but improperly

contextualized.

c. Communication Strategies

Communications strategies were defined are related to learning

style. Learners obviously use production strategies in order to

enhance getting their messages across, but at times these

techniques can make themselves become a source of error.

While, Jack C. Richard (in Richard 1974) proposed the source of

error differently – such as overgeneralization, ignorance of rule

restrictions, incomplete application of rules, false concepts

hypothesized. However, he claimed that all the source of errors is

connected with learning strategies and teaching material- may lead

us to examine our teaching materials for evidence for the language

learning assumptions that underlie them.

Error happened because of some causes. In order to prevent the students in

making some errors, we can investigate the causes. Pit Corder says that there are

three major causes of errors. Those are mother tongue interference,

overgeneralizations and errors encouraged by teaching material or method.

a. Mother tongue interference

Although young children appear to be able to learn a foreign language

quite easily and to reproduce new sounds very effectively, older

learners experience considerable difficulty. The sound system

(phonology) and the grammar of the first language impose themselves

on the new language and this leads to a ‘foreign’ pronunciation, faulty

grammatical patterns and occasionally, to the wrong choice of

vocabulary.

b. Overgeneralization

Errors are inevitable because they reflect various stages in the

language development of the learner. It claims that the learner

processes new language data in his mind and produces rules for its

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c. Errors encouraged by teaching material or method

Errors appear to be induced by the teaching process itself that it has

any positive contribution to make to the learning of any skill. Error is

evidence of failure, of ineffective teaching or lack of control. If

material is well chosen, graded and teaching presented with meticulous

care.

There should never be any error. It is fairly easy to accept this in the

early stages of language learning when controls are applied in the

shape of substitution tables, conversion exercises of a mechanical

nature and guided sentence patterns, but more difficult at later stages.

However, it might be salutary for us to bear in mind the possibility of

some of our students’ error being due to our own teaching.

Unfortunately, these errors are much more difficult to classify.16

Learners of foreign language made errors or mistakes. Mistakes must be

distinguished from errors because both of them are different. It is really important

to know the distinctions between them because some teachers don’t know the

differences between errors and mistakes. It will be useful to distinguish between

error and mistakes.

Jacek Fisiak distinguished between error and mistake as follows:

“Mistakes are deviations due to performance factors such as memory limitations

(e.g. mistakes in the sequence of tenses and agreement in long sentences), spelling

pronunciations, fatigue, emotional strain, etc. Errors, on the other hand, are

systematic consistent deviances characteristic of the learner’s linguistic system a

given stage of learning.17

Furthermore, H. Douglas brown explains that;

A mistake refers to performance error that is either a random guess or a “slip” in that it is a failure to utilize a known system correctly. All people make mistakes, in both native and second language situation. While error

16

Peter Hubbard, et al., A Training Course for TEFL, (New York: Oxford University

Press, 1983), p. 140-143. 17

Jacek Fisiak, Constructive Linguistics and the Language Teacher, (New York:

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is a noticeable deviation from the adult grammar of a native speaker, reflects the competence of the learner and an error that reveals of a portion of the learner’s competence in the target language.18

In line with Douglas explanation above, John Norrish stated that;

Error is a systematic deviation, when a learner has not learnt something and consistently ‘gets it wrong’. As mentioned above, a child acquiring his own language sometimes consistently makes the same error. In the same way, when a learner of English as second of foreign language makes an error systematically, it happened because he has not learnt the correct form. Meanwhile, mistake is the inconsistent deviation. Sometimes the learners ‘get it right’ but sometimes he makes a mistake and uses the wrong from.19

Corder made a distinction between a mistake and an error. Whereas a

mistake is a random performance slip caused by fatigue, excitement, etc., and

therefore can be readily self-corrected, an error is systematic deviation made by

learners who have not yet mastered the rules of the L2. A learner cannot

self-corrected an error because it is a product reflective of his or her current stage of

L2 development, or underlying competence.20

James says as quoted from H. Douglas Brown that an error cannot be

self-corrected, while mistakes can be self corrected if the deviation is pointed out to

the speaker. The learner’s capacity for self-correction is objectively observable

only if the learner actually self corrects.21

From the explanation above the writer concludes that error is deviations

made by the learners systematically and consistently which showed the language

18

Inc,1987), p. 205.. 19

John Norrish, Language Learners and Their Errors, (London: The Macmillan Press

Limited, 1983), p. 7-8. 20

Diane Larsen-Freemen and Michael H. Long, An Introduction to Second Language

Acquisition Research, (England : Longman,1991), p.59 21

(24)

competence of learners. Meanwhile, the mistake is deviations made by learners

unsystematically and it happened just in the performance.

B. ENGLISH WRITING

People learn a foreign language to communicate with others, to understand

them, to talk to them, to read what they have written and write to them. In writing,

people learn how to communicate when the other person is not around them,

listening to the words they said, and looking at the gesture and facial expressions.

Writing is the language used to express and to communicate with others. It

must be difficult without practicing regularly. Writing is very complex and

difficult to teach. As J.B Heaton stated that:

“The writing skills are complex and sometimes difficult to teach, requiring

mastery not only of grammatical and rhetorical devices but also conceptual and

judgment element”22. Meanwhile Kent stated in his book : “ Writing is expression

and that successful expression is dependent upon the continuity and clarity of the

thought23

Writing is much more than an orthographic symbolization of speech to

writing curriculum devices exercise, while necessitate intense concentration”24

Based on three definitions above writing is the act for expressing the idea

by words that is very complex and difficult because it required thinking and some

aspects to be integrated.

English is known as lingua franca25 that means “vehicular language”.

Vehicular language is a language goes beyond the boundaries of it original

22

J.B Heaton, Writing English Language Test: Longman Hanbook for Language Teacher (New York: Longman: 1975)P.135

23

Sherman Kent, Writing History, (New Yorkc:Appleton Century Crofts, 1941) second

edition,p.56 24

Allen and Campbell, Teaching English as A Second Language,(New Delhi: Mc Graw

Hill,1979)p.200 25

Jeremy Harmer, The practice of English Language Teaching third edition, (Cambridge:

(25)

community and used as a second language for communication between

communities. The opposite meaning of vehicular language is “vernacular

language” means a language used as native language in a single community.

Further English is commonly learnt by people from around the world that it can be

considered as both vehicular and vernacular language. As English called as

vehicular and vernacular language, it is easy to understand the reason why English

become a dominant international language in present communication, science,

business, aviation, entertainment, radio and diplomacy, the growing economic and

culture influence of united state after world war II also become a factor which has

significantly accelerated the spread of English. Therefore, it can be a reason why

today English is being taught to over one billion people throughout the world as

their second language to make communication each other. The importance of

learning English for the purpose described above is closely related to the

methodology of its teaching which plays an important role to stimulate students

learning English. Methodology in English teaching also becomes a media for

teacher to investigate proper ways in activating and energizing student’s

behaviour that channelled toward learning English.

Brumfit defined English as an International language in that It is the most

widespread medium of international communication both because of the number

and the geographical spread of its speakers, and because of the large of number of

non native speakers who use it for part at least of their international contact26. It

requires at least three conditions to learn the letter:

a. There must be extensive exposure (some would say system exposure)

to the target language.

b. There must be extensive opportunity use the language so far acquired

as creatively as possible through reading, writing, conversation,

listening activities whichever are most appropriate to particular

learners.

c. Students must be motivated to benefit from (a), (b).

26

C.J. Brumfit. English for International Communication, (England : Pergamon Press

(26)

From the three definitions above we can say that English is foreign

language that is learned by the student of junior high school, senior high school,

and university.

British and American English Spelling

Writing is a complex process even in the first language. It is even more

complicated to write in a foreign language. Many studies indicate that, for

beginning EFL students, there tends to be interference from their first language in

the process of writing in English. A better understanding of the L1 influence in

the process of EFL writing will help teachers know students' difficulties in

learning English. It will also aid in the adoption of appropriate teaching strategies

to help beginning EFL students learning English.

Writing (and therefore spelling) is a representation of the spoken word.

The spoken word is not a representation of writing. Because accents and

pronunciation can change easily and quite quickly, whereas what is written in

books and dictionaries remains "fixed" for years, as well as for various historical

reasons, there is often little correspondence between spoken English

(pronunciation) and written English (spelling). English spelling therefore often

appears to be totally illogical. The following rules can help you to decode the

mysteries of English spelling, but remember, even the best rules have their

exceptions.

• Adding -er/-est

quick, quicker, quickest, happy, happier, happiest, hot, hotter, hottest...

• Adding -ing/-ed

work, working, worked, stop, stopping, stopped...

• Adding -ly

loud, loudly, happy, happily, terrible, terribly...

• Adding -s

(27)

• -ible or -able

accessible, visible, dependable, networkable...

• -ie- or

-ei-friend, fiend, feint, freight...

British English and American English

colour, color, practise, practice, tyre, tire...

Table 2.2

Here are the principal differences in spelling

between British English and American English.

British English

American English

Final –l is always doubled after one vowel in stressed and unstressed syllables in British English but usually only in stressed syllables in American English, for example:

Some words end in -tre in British English and -ter in American English, for example:

centre theatre

center theater

Some words end in -ogue in British English and -og in American English, for example:

analogue catalogue

analog catalog

Some words end in -our in British English and -or in American English, for example:

colour labour

color labor

Some verbs end in -ize or -ise in British English but only in -ize in American English, for example:

realise,

British English American English

all right all right, alright (disputed)

Analyse Analyze

Centre Center

Cheque Check

Colour color

(28)

Counselor Counselor

criticise, criticize Criticize

Defence Defense

Doughnut Donut

Favour Favor

Fibre Fiber

Flavor Flavor

Fulfil Fulfill

Grey gray

Honour honor

Humour humor

Jewellery jewellery, jewelry

judgement, judgment judgment

Kerb curb

Labour labor

license, licence (verb) licence (noun)

license (verb) license (noun)

Litre liter

Metre meter

Mould mold

Neighbour neighbor

Offence offense

practise (verb) practice (noun)

practice (verb) practice (noun)

Pretence pretense

Programme program

Pyjamas pajamas

realise, realize realize

Savour savor

(29)

Theatre theater

travelled traveling

travelled, traveled travelling, traveling

Tyre tire

Valour valor

Table 2.3

Summary of Punctuation Marks

Punctuation Mark Name Example

full stop or

period I like English.

comma I speak English, French and Thai.

semi-colon

I don't often go swimming; I prefer to play tennis.

colon

You have two choices: finish the work today or lose the contract.

hyphen This is a rather out-of-date book.

dash

In each townóLondon, Paris and Romeówe stayed in youth hostels.

question

mark Where is Shangri-La?

exclamation

mark "Help!" she cried. "I'm drowning!"

slash, forward slash or oblique

Please press your browser's Refresh/Reload button.

backslash C:\Users\Files\jse.doc

double quotation

marks "I love you," she said.

single quotation marks

'I love you,' she said.

(30)

apostrophe This is John's car.

Underline Have you read War and Peace?

Underscore [email protected]

round brackets

I went to Bangkok (my favorite city) and stayed there for two weeks.

Square brackets

The newspaper reported that the hostages [most of them French] had been released. Curly

brackets or braces

{ b := a + 1 RESULTIS b }

Ellipsis

One happy customer wrote: "This is the best program...that I have ever seen."

From explanation above we can conclude that English writing is act or art

of forming letters and characters that is very complex and difficult because

requiring mastery not only of grammatical and rhetorical devices but also

(31)

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research methodology used in this study. It

comprises of the research design, method of study, time and location of the

research, subject of the research, instrument of research, technique of data

collecting, and technique of data analysis.

A. Research Design

In writing this paper, the writer uses descriptive qualitative design and

uses procedural of error analysis itself, the data for materials are collected from

library research and field research. Many books have been read to support the

library research, while correlate with the ideas, theories and views in the

discussion in order to observe them as a source information.

Field research, the data is collected from the interview the teacher of

English subject and observation in one class only, and to obtain the data, the

writer takes data from writing composition assignment that collected from the

students.

B. Time and Location of the Research

This research was carried out from September 18,2008. Before collecting

data, the writer observed the class of the 9th year students of SMP Islam Al-Ikhlas

Cipete ,Jakarta Selatan, and to get real data the writer collected the composition in

writing assignment, after data collected the writer began to analyze them.

C. Subject of the Research

In this research, the writer took the population from the 9th year students

of SMP Islam Al-Ikhlas Cipete ,Jakarta Selatan Academic Year 2008/2009. The

whole population of the third year class is about 118 regular students, which is

(32)

The write chose 3A class consisting of 30 students. Then, the sample is 27

students, because 3 students did not attend the class.

D. Instrument of Research

To collect the data of this research, the writer gives the handout of writing

to the 9th year students of SMP Islam Al-Ikhlas. The students are asked to write

English composition of writing in a piece of paper under certain topic, so that the

result has similarity but also the different case of error.

E. Technique of Data Collecting

The techniques of collecting data used in research are:

a. Documentation

This instrument is needed to obtain the data from English teacher such as

students’ names and students’ English scores.

b. Test

The test consist of 6 items that should be answered by the students in

English writing, the material of writing is based on English syllabus for 9th year

student of Junior high school. The form of the test can be seen in the appendixes.

F. Technique of Data Analysis

To find out what kind of errors that commonly made by the 9th year

students of SMP Islam Al-Ikhlas Cipete in writing?, The writer uses some steps

there are:

1. First, the writer had a meeting with the headmaster

2. Second, getting some information from the English teacher such as the

ability of the student’s writing skill, the material have been given and

English lesson schedule

3. Preparing writing task and arranging the time for doing the writing

task

4. Doing the task in the classroom, the students make short composition

(33)

5. Collecting the data, the writer asks the students to make English

composition about their unforgettable experience in a piece of paper

given (see appendixes).

6. Identification of error by classifying the errors using Betty Azhar’s

categories of errors.

7. Description of error

8. Explanation of Error, the writer give the explanation about the error

categories and explain the number of error that student made in their

writing compositions

(34)

CHAPTER IV

RESEARCH FINDINGS

This chapter presents and discusses about research findings which is

consist of: Analysis of the data, description of the data and interpretation of the

data.

A. Analysis of the Data

In this chapter the writer described the commonly errors that usually made

by the 9th year students of SMP Islam Al Ikhlas Cipete in their English writing,

the error can be classified into 13 errors, they are word choice, word order, word

form, verb tense (tenses), plural singular, omit a word, add a word, spelling,

punctuation, capitalization, article, meaning not clear, incomplete sentence and

run on sentence.

After the writer analyzes the errors, then she counts the errors by using the

table, interpreting the data is done after processing the result. To obtain the data

for this research the writer take the data from students’ writing assignment in

composition of writing. There were 27 students.

Table 4.1 Errors of Student 1

No. Identification Classification Transformation

1. Beautiful the Kuta

beach_

Word order

Punctuation

The beautiful Kuta beach.

2. I’m and my family went

to the Dewata Island.

Tenses I and my family went to the

Dewata Island.

3. My place it is in a hotel

Nusa Dua

Word choice We stayed in Nusa Dua

hotel

4. We went to visited in the

amazed place, is the Kuta

beach, Denpasar City…..

Omit a word

Plural

Omit a word

We visited the amazed

places, _Kuta Beach,

Denpasar City…..

5. We went bought a Omit a word We bought a souvenir in the

(35)

souvenir in the shop at

Denpasar.

shop at Denpasar.

6. I’m visited to Kuta beach

and watched sunrise with

my family.

We were very enjoyed at the

beach.

We went home by airplane.

1. I thougt it was safe, but

suddenly there was a

motorbike coming from

the other road.

motorcycle help me ^ get

up.

(36)

almost a month and a

I was starting very careful to

ride a bike or any other

vehicles.

1. I went to Korea with my

team there are 16 girls, 1

teacher, and 7 adults.

Tenses I went to Korea with my

team there were 16 girls, 1

teacher, and 7 adults.

2. At there we lived at

Hyundai hotel, it is very

nice and cozy.

Tenses At there we lived at Hyundai

hotel, it was very nice and

After all we prepared, all the

stuffs for dance and did

make up our face.

6. At the perform place

we’re very nervous, but

we can perform a

wonderful dance.

Tenses At the perform place we’re

very nervous, but we could

perform a wonderful dance.

7. After that we ^dinner and

go to the hotel.

Add a word,

Word choice

After that we had dinner and

went back to the hotel.

(37)

8. I usually go to business

centre with my friend

for^ online and chat with

my other friends in

indonesia. Errors of Student 4

1. It was at saturday night. Omit a word,

Capitalization

It was Saturday night.

2. I think we all ^looked

pretty.

Tenses

Add a word

I thought we all were looked

pretty.

1. 27th July is my birthday

to said happ birthday.

Omit a word

Spelling

Nino RAN called me to

said happy birthday.

(38)

6. My feeling when I

remember that day are

shy.

Word order When I remember that day I

felt shy. Errors of Student 6

1. In korea I went to

traditional market

namdaimun, big

mountain and may store.

Capitalization

Plural

In Korea I went to

traditional market

Namdaimun, big mountain

and may stores. Errors of Student 7

1. My unforgettable

Experience is when I was

one of the player ^ basket

ball team from DKI Jakarta.

2. First I got the exercise at

the Ragunan with my

basket ball tim at August.

Spelling First I got the exercise at the

Ragunan with my basket

ball team at August.

(39)

3. My tim is Astrid she is

Svetlana, Tiara, Tia they are

from 19 Junior high school.

5. Dita_she is school in

budaya.

Punctuation

Word choice

Dita, she is from Budaya.

6. I must did the competion. Word choice

Spelling

I started the competition.

7. I feel nervous because

my tim had the

competion with all of tim

at Indonesia. Errors of Student 8

1. When I was 8 years old, I

Paradise at Kuta Bali.

Tenses

Word order

I spent the night in Paradise

hotel at Kuta Bali.

5. I went the for 3 days . Spelling I went there for 3 days.

6. at Sunday afternoon. Word choice on Sunday afternoon.

(40)

7. I arrived at denpasar bali. Capitalization I arrived at Denpasar Bali

8. After I arrived at bali. Word choice

Capitalization

After I arrived in Bali.

9. I feel happy and walk

around, with my family

10. After walked around I ^

…we went there by walking

14. At Tuesday afternoon, I

went to airport to go

home

Word choice On Tuesday afternoon, I

went to airport to go home

15. And I went to airport and

I felt very disappointed…

18. I was very bored when waited the plane I just walked around the airport

Tenses I was very bored when

waiting the plane I just walked around the airport

19. I feel so disepointed and

ashamed when remember that situation

(41)

1. When I was 13 years old,

birthday celebrate at

home.

Tenses

Word choice

I was very happy, I celebrate

my birthday at home.

4. ^big family came to my

birthday is 5 April.

5. …at home situation

family come to my house.

6. My feeling is very2x

happy, why?...

Word choice I felt happy

7. …because my birthday

celebrate in my at home.

Tenses

Tenses I missed my 13 birthday.

10 Me and my cousin played

X BOX 360.

Word choice I and my cousin played X

BOX 360.

11. I played game football, Word order I played football game, and I

(42)

and the winner is me. Tenses was the winner.

12. I very2x happy because I

winner from my cousin

Tenses

indonesia. I bought futsal

shoes, the price is Rp.

1. Me and other my friends

Pras, Reygi and Yudhis.

Tenses

Word choice

There were I, Adly,Audry,

Ninet, Aca, Pras, Reygi and

Yudhis.

(43)

5. We’re very tired after

Word form because there was rainy.

7. The other people just

tari, Aca, Wira, Reygi.

Tenses,

1. When I was in five grade.

4. the motorcycle throw Tenses the motorcycle thrown away

(44)

down to the river.. Word choice to the river

because is the first time…

7. …I was feel fly with my

fine but the biker was angry

to me.

9. I don’t like him. Tenses I didn’t like him

10. Because his fault why he

must dispoint me

Word order Because it was his fault, not

me

1. I playing with my cousin. Tenses I played with my cousin.

2. I’m feel shy because my

cousin ^laughing at me

Tenses

Add a word

Word choice

I felt shy because my cousin

was laughing on me.

(45)

3. I went back Word choice I come back. Errors of Student 13

1. I went to bali at 10

November 2005, and I went

to Bali with my father,

mother…

2. Next, back to kute beach

at night .

Capitalization Next, back to Kute beach at

night .

3. In the kute beach is so

verry crawded place but

it is so interesththink

Capitalization

fathe and my Brother.

Spelling

I played surfing with my

father and my Brother.

(46)

1. I went to bali with my

…in Kute was so crowded.

7. …but ^ is so intresthing Add a word

Tenses

Spelling

…but it was so interesting

8. …but I want to go ^ with

my friends

Add a word …but I want to go there

with my friends

1. On Saturday 12 July Word order On Saturday 12 July

(47)

and automaticly I say “

yes I want_

Tenses

punctuation

automatically I said “ yes I

want”

getting 2 months long

9. He is school in SMP

looks really like him

Word order I have a junior who really

looks like him

1. On 16 February 2005 Word order On February 16th

(48)

time, I feel not so good… time, I felt that I didn’t play

guitarist because I work hard

to be a nice guitarist

7. I was proud for my work

hard to be a nice guitarist

Word choice

Word order

I was proud of my hard

work to be a nice guitarist

1. When I was nine years Errors of Student 18

1. I and my friends ^

playing music in the

studio band.

Add a word I and my friends ^ playing

music in the studio band.

(49)

2. The situation is mass Word choice The situation was mass

I sang with lyrics.

6. but I don’t really know a

lyrics without the music .

7. I play a music in FIMAX Errors of Student 19

1. My unforgettable

experience is when I was

5 years old

fall from mango tree

Tenses When I was 5 years old, I

fall from mango tree

…but luckily I droped at

a garbage can

Spelling …but luckily I dropped at a

garbage can

(50)

3. So I didn’t fell ang pain Spelling So I didn’t feeling pain

and see what happen

Tenses

seeing my body unclean

Tenses

Word choice

My mother was shocked

seeing my body dirty

7. So my mother grab my

bathroom then I took a bath

8. My mother told me to not

Errors of Student 20

1. my unforgettable

was falling in love.

2. After my class is over I

(51)

6 I bought 3 Cadbury

Tenses after I finish to buy a present

for him

8. I went home I put that

chocolate in the refigator

Plural I went home I put those

chocolates in the refrigerator

9. next morning I go to

unforgettable experience for

me.

1. One day when I celebrate

2. It’s not unforgetable. Spelling It’s not unforgettable.

3 I invite my best

friends,…

Tenses I invited my best friends,…

4. at my birthday I inviting

my friends for watch

movie and eat Wendy’s

Capitalization

Tenses

At my birthday I invited my

friends for watching movie

and eating Wendy’s

5. Its not unforgettable

because I’m not have

surprised ^ from my friend

Tenses

Add a word

Its not unforgettable because

I didn’t have surprised

things from my friend

(52)

6. …,but I’m so happy

because its my 14th

birthday.

Tenses …,but I was so happy

because its my 14th birthday.

7. My friend Bella give me

saved Bella’s give forever

9. After I afford ceremony

and afford drum band.

Tenses

After I afforded ceremony

and afforded drum band.

10. after I afford drum band

at music room my friends

play song “happy

birthday”

Tenses after I afforded drum band at

music room my friends play

song “happy birthday” Errors of Student 22

1. On alix cup 24

(53)

4. at that time I am so Errors of Student 23

1. My Unforgettable

Experience is Diving

Capitalization

Tenses

My unforgettable

experience was diving

2. When my first time

into the sea, that was

really-really

Everything looked fine there

8. …I’ve seen everything

(54)

9. I only can diving one Errors of Student 24

1. It is 2nd recess, so we

must pray to masjid

Tenses

canteen & bought some food

5. So I walked off from the

canteen

Omit a word So I walked from the

canteen

6. When I walk I saw my

teacher approaching the

canteen

Tenses

When I walked I saw my

teacher approached the

canteen

(55)

so ashamed ^ that time ashamed at that time Errors of Student 25

1. My unforgettable

experience was my

birthday party at Sunday,

14th September 2008

Word choice My unforgettable experience was my birthday party on Sunday, 14th September

2008

2. I was celebrate my

birthday at the Pizza Hut

Tenses I was celebrated my birthday

at the Pizza Hut

My friends went to pizza hut to break fast and also celebrated my birthday party

5. Ocha and Khalisa went

..after that I blew a candles

8. …Then we ^ breaking

(56)

1. The cinema ^ near from

the school.

Add a word The cinema was near from

the school.

2. I watch the movie film

because is new film

Tenses

I watched the movie film

because was new film

3. I buy ticket at the locket and snack at the

cafetaria.

Tenses I bought ticket at the locket and snack at the cafetaria.

4. I entrance the cinema

The film was very scary

8. I and my friend is very

scared watched the movie…

9. I and ^ friend close the

when we were full enough, I

and my friend went home.