Analysis On Students'Structure Competence In Complex Sentences : A Case Study at 2nd Year class of SMU TRIGUNA

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ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS’ STRUCTURE COMPETENCE IN COMPLEX SENTENCES

( A Case Study at 2nd Year Class of SMU TRIGUNA)

A Skripsi

Presented to the Faculty of Tarbiya and Teachers' Training Sciences In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of S.Pd.(Bachelor of Arts) in English Language Education

Written by: Artila Fauzi 103014026988

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYA AND TEACHERS TRAINING SCIENCIES SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA

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ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS’ STRUCTURE COMPETENCE IN COMPLEX SENTENCES

( A Case Study at 2nd Year Class of SMU TRIGUNA)

A Skripsi

Presented to the Faculty of Tarbiya and Teachers' Training Sciences In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of S.Pd.(Bachelor of Arts) in English Language Education

By: Artila Fauzi NIM: 103014026988

Approved by Advisor

Drs. Zainal Arifin Toy, M. Sc. NIP. 150 031 215

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYA AND TEACHERS TRAINING SCIENCIES SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA

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ENDORSEMENT SHEET

The Examination Committee of the Faculty of Tarbiya and Teachers' Training certifies that the "Skripsi" (Scientific paper) entitled " ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS’ STRUCTURE COMPETENCE IN COMPLEX SENTENCES( A Case Study at 2nd Year Class of SMU TRIGUNA)" written by Artila Fauzi, whose student's registration number : 103014026988, was examined by the committee on October 20th 2008 and was declared to have passed, and therefore, fulfilled one of the requirements for the academic title of "S.Pd" (Bachelor of Arts) in English Language Education at the Department of English Education.

Jakarta, November 2008

Examination Committee

Chairman : Drs. Syauki, M.Pd (_____________________) NIP. 150 246 289

Secretary : Neneng Sunengsih, S.Pd (_____________________) NIP. 150 326 910

Examiners : 1. Prof. Dr. Hadjid Harna Widagda, M.Pd (_____________________) NIP. 150 011 332

2. Drs. Sunardi Kartowisastro, Dpl. Ed (_____________________) NIP. 150 022 779

Acknowledged by

Dean of Tarbiya and Teachers' Training Education

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful May peace and blessing of Allah be upon all of us

All praises be to Allah, Lord of the Universe, Who gives the writer guidance

and strength, so she could finish this “skripsi”. Peace and blessing be upon to the

Prophet Muhammad SAW, his family, his relatives, and all his followers.

Many people have assisted the writer in writing this “skripsi”. So, she realized

that she would never finish it without the help of many people around her. Therefore,

the writer would really give her sincerest gratitude to her beloved parents especially her

dear mom Wati Setiawati , her beloved brothers and sisters (Adi, Ayu, Ama, Arsyad)

and to all her relatives who had given their love, support, advice, understanding, and

contribution both moral and material encouragement to her.

The writer would also like to offer her special thank to Mr. Zainal Arifin Toy,

M.Sc, as the writer's advisor for the time he spent, the guidance he gave to the writer

with patience and kindness, that the writer can finish writing her skripsi.

The writer would like to give her special thanks and appreciation to:

a. Prof. Dr. Dede Rosyada the Dean of Faculty of Tarbiya and teaching Sciences.

b. Drs. Syauqi, M.Pd, the Dean of English Department, Mrs. Neneng, the Secretary of

English Department, Ms. Aida, Ms, Ertin, Ms. Yeni and all staffs of English

Department who had helped the writer to finish her “skripsi” soon and easy.

c. Drs. Munir Sonhadji, M.Ed, the writer’s Academic Guide lecturer.

d. All lecturers in English Department whose names can not be mentioned one by one

respectively for their delightfulness of teaching precious knowledge, giving many

advice to the writer along they were with her.

e. The headmaster and all the teachers, staffs and employees of SMU Triguna Utama

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writer opportunity to do her research at the school. All the students of 2nd Year Class

both Social and Science Program at SMU Triguna Utama for their co-operation in

helping the writer did her research.

f. The Corps of Violet Beret especially Mr. Eddyson hak, Dan Mujab, Dan Ghofar,

Pak Beni, Dan Singgih, Pak Rifa’I, Dan Rachmad, Pak Amri, Dan Yustam, Pak

Syahrun, Pak Andri, P Luqi and all the writer’s seniors and juniors at MENWA who

have given many experiences and sciences to the writer which the writer couldn’t

find anywhere but there along the writer’s dedication there for four years.

g. All Srikandi Widya III members Bu Anul, Bu Ratna, Bu Indah, Bu Debi, Bu Dian,

Pak Mul, Pak Fadil, Moh.Yahya who always give the writer spirit to face all her

problems along writing this skripsi.

h. The friends of her at HMI especially Ajat, kang Achan, Pia, Isyfa, Indi, Iman,

Daeng, Fifi, thank them all for being the nicest friends.

Finally, the writer realized that this “skripsi” is still far from being perfect. So,

hoping some suggestions, she wishes that may this “skripsi” be some valuable writing.

Ciputat, September 2008

The Writer

AF

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……… i

CONTENTS…..……….………. iii

TABLE CONTENTS ……….………. v

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ..………

1

A. Background of Study ………..……….

1

B. The Limitation & The Formulation of The Study ………

2

C. The Use of Study ………..

2

D. The Method of Study……….

3

E. The Organization of Study..………..

3

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ………

4

A. Error Analysis ………

4

1. The Definitions and Types of Error Analysis ………..

5

2. The Goals and Sources of Error Analysis………...

7

3. The Procedures of Error Analysis Research ………..

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B. Sentences ……….

10

1. Sentences Parts ………..

10

2. Sentences Types ……….

13

CHAPTER III THE PROFILE OF THE SCHOOL

………25

A. English Subject ………...

25

1. English Teachers ………

25

2. Text Books ………...

26

3. Method of Teaching ………...

26

B. Objectives of the four skills of the language ………

28

CHAPTER IV RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS………...………….

30

a. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY………..………

30

1. Research Design ……….

30

2. Research objective ………..

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3. Place and Time ………...

30

4. Population and Sample ………...

31

5. Research Instrument ………...

31

6. Technique of Data Analysis………

31

B. RESEARCH FINDINGS………..

32

1. Data

Identification………32

2. Data Description and

Explanation………33

3. Data

Interpretation………42

CHAPTER IV

CLOSING………..44

A. Conclusion

……….44

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TABLE CONTENTS

Table I Common Cue Words that Begin Noun Clauses ………. 15

Table II Common Cue Words that Begin Adjective Clause ..………. 15

Table III Common Subordinating Words for Adverb Clause ………... 16

Table IV Question Items and Their Distributions .………. 32

Table V Question Items Which Are Correlated to Complex Sentences… … … …_..

32

Table VI Frequency of Error in Indirect Speech ...……….. 33

Table VII Frequency of Error in Completing the Sentence with Subordinate Clause .…34

Table VIII Frequency of Error in Arranging Jumbled Words Into Correct Complex Sentences………...

40

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Table IX The Sequence of English Skill Area in Data Instrument Based on The Frequency of Error ……….………..

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of Study

English is taught as a foreign language in Indonesia because there are so

many regional languages which becomes Indonesian first language. While,

Indonesian language becomes the formal language that should be mastered by all

Indonesian people. So, English just becomes a foreign language in Indonesia for the

limited English speakers in Indonesia.

Nowadays, the teaching role of English is widely developed in Indonesia.

Most education places headmasters tried to create an English milieu in their

institutions because they want the best for their students. Many strategies have been

done to achieve their goals. Includes applying curriculum which is stated by the

government. Some institutions are succeeded and some are not yet for the condition

of the area and the heterogeneous students’ backgrounds.

In teaching-learning process, of course, English has four basic skills which

should be mastered by the students, more over by the teachers: listening, speaking,

reading, writing. Writing is called the last because writing is viewed as the most

complex and hardest language skill among the others.

Writing is viewed as a useful, effective, enjoyable and above all necessary

component of a modern world. Because writing provides the pleasure of sending a

personal message to a friend. It also assumes career and financial importance in the

composition of a resume or a business letter. Thus, teaching writing needs extra

effort to do because in mastering writing skill, someone should master many skills:

words, sentences, essays, paragraphs, grammar and so on. Someone’s ability on the

other three skills also influence his ability in writing. The more he reads the more

sentences and words he gets, the correct he pronounces the words the correct he

spells them and the more he listens the more he can distinguish the sounds.

Unfortunately, the students of all levels especially the students of SMU

Triguna Utama always find difficulties in writing. Each student faces different

problems in writing such as in sentence patterns which contains the placement of

S+P+O or clauses which contains main clause and sub clause, diction, usage, tenses,

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The problem in sentence pattern of clauses sometimes appears because of

the culture differences between Indonesian and English, the misconception in

applying the target language rule, the context of teaching which sometime was not

found in student’ real life, and the way the students get the massages across the

listener or the reader. The incorrect sentence structure may cause the sentence not

understandable and will make the paragraph even the text in a mess.

Meanwhile, students need to use complex sentences in making a narrative

essay efficiently. So, structuring the words to construct complex sentences correctly

plays an important role to make the texts in senses. Referring to the brief

explanation before, the writer would like to make a research about students’

problems or difficulties in structuring the words to construct complex sentences

correctly. Somehow, hopefully, this research paper be useful and a reference for the

next teacher to evaluate his teaching methods perhaps. Thus, the writer would give

the title for her term paper (skripsi): “ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS’ STRUCTURE

COMPETENCE IN COMPLEX SENTENCES” (A Case Study at 2nd Year Class of

SMU TRIGUNA UTAMA)

B. The Limitation & Formulation of Study

In the limitation of the study, the writer would limit the problem on

students’ structure in complex sentences. While, for the formulation of the study, the

writer would construct some questions:

1. How did the students construct the complex sentences?

2. Could the students distinguish between noun, adjective and adverb clauses?

C. The Use of Study

This study will discuss students’ structure competence in constructing complex

sentences. Its aim is to know the students’ competence in distinguishing various

kinds of clauses, noun, adjective and adverb. Analyzing the students’ competence in

certain skill, in this case is constructing complex sentences, she will get to know

how far the curriculum aim, especially writing skill, has been reached by the

teacher. Hopefully, this will give some input for English students, other English

professionals either the teachers or the curriculum developers.

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In completing the data, she conducts field research. In the field research, the

questions sheets and students answers of some complex sentences are used as a

research instrument, through error analysis they are identified, described and

explained.

E. The Organization of Study

This skripsi is divided into five chapters, as follows:

The first chapter is an introduction, which consists of five parts. They are: the

background of the study, the limitation & the formulation of the study, the use of

study, the method of study, and the organization of study.

The second chapter is theoretical framework, which discusses about two parts:

first part is error analysis talks about the definitions and types of error analysis, the

goals and sources of error analysis, & the procedures of error analysis research;

second part is Sentences : Sentences Parts & Sentence Types.

The third chapter is the profile of the school, which consists of the books used

by the teacher, the teacher’s profile, the teacher’s method of teaching, and the

objective of four language skills.

The fourth chapter is research methodology and findings, which consists of two

parts: the first part is research methodology which talks about the research design,

research objective, place and time, population and sample, research instrument, and

technique of data analysis; the second part is research findings which talks about

data identification, data description and explanation, and data interpretation.

The last chapter is conclusion and suggestion which consists of two parts:

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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Error Analysis

It is unavoidable that the learners make some errors in their language

learning process. Although so many efforts the teachers do, students’ errors will

always occur. But through the errors, the students should learn. As the proverb says

“Who makes no mistakes, makes nothing.”

Errors have played an important role in the study of language acquisition in

general and examining second and foreign language acquisition in particular. When

the students made errors, it doesn’t mean that it is a failure or inadequacy but the

teacher can view them as important evidence of strategies or procedures employed.

In other words, errors give a sign to the teachers and researchers how the target

language learning is successfully achieved.

As quoted by H. Douglas Brown: “As Corder (1997; 167) noted: A learners

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 language… .”1

Pit Corder stated:

It is on the basis of information the teacher gets from errors

that he varies his teaching procedures and materials, the pace

of the progress, and the amount of practice, which he plans

at any moment. For this reason, it is important that the

teacher should be able not only to detect and describe errors

linguistically but also understand the psychological reasons

for their occurrence.2

The study of learners’ errors is called error analysis. It is a way of looking at the

errors made by the learner of a target language. Since the analysis is based on

factual data of learners’ errors. It is a procedure, which is usually, used by language

teachers and researchers, which covers sample collection, identification of the

1 H. Douglas Brown, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1980), p. 164

2

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sample, error explanation, error classification that are based on the cause of errors

and evaluation of errors.

Rod Ellis said:

Typically this involves the collection of samples of

classroom learner-language (usually written and usually

discrete, decontextualised utterances), the classification of

errors according to the different levels of language

description, the explanation of errors by reference to various

learning process and the evaluation of errors for the

purposes of assessment of remediation.3

To know further about error analysis, the study will discuss the following area:

1. The Definitions and Types of Error Analysis

There are several opinions given by some linguists to get clear

understanding about error. Dullay et. al. defined error as “flawed side of learner

speech of writing. They are those parts of conversation or composition that

deviate from selected norm of mature language performance.”4

Pit Corder said: “… the term erroneous to mean other superficially

deviant or inappropriate in terms of the target language grammar … .”5

Then, Douglas Brown said: “Put in another way, an error is a noticeable

deviation from the adult grammar of a native speaker, reflecting the language

competence of the learner.”6 Sridhar stated: “Error on the other hand, are

systematic, consistent deviances stage of learning.”7

Error is usually compared with mistake. Both of them indicate that the

form of structure the learner used is unacceptable and inappropriate according to

the native speaker. We should distinguish errors from mistake in language

learner. Mistakes are inconsistent deviation caused by performance factors, e.g.

the slip of tongue.

3

Rod Ellis, Error Analysis, (London: Longman Group Limited, 1974), p.74

4

Dullay et. al., Language Two, (New York: Oxford Universities Press, 1982), p.138

5

Techniques in Applied Linguistics , vol 3, ed. J. P. B. Allen and S. Pit Corder, (London: Oxford University Press, 1974), p. 122

6

H. Douglas Brown, op. cit., p. 165

7

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According to Corder, Mistake refers to a performance error such as a

fatigue and inattention, while the error itself is one caused by lack of language

rule knowledge (competence factor) or systematic deviation due to the learner.8

Mistake (the error of performance) will characteristically be unsystematic.

The errors are systematic. It is natural for the learners to make errors;

even many native speakers make many mistakes in speaking. The errors are

necessary part of learning language and the process of leading to the errors is

clearly a creative one. Errors are also believed to be an indicator of the learners’

stage in their target language development and it can determine their level of

mastery of language system.

Relating to the students’ error, there is error analysis. And to understand

more about error analysis some authors have defined it. It is clear that error

analysis is used as an instrument for evaluating teaching process and remedial

activities conducted. While errors are divided into: transfer error, analogical

error and teaching induced error. These three types of errors are viewed from the

psychological process in acquiring a second language.

a. Transfer error is error caused by interference from a mother tongue. A

student who has not known the rules of the target language will use the

same rules as he obtained in his native language. S. Pit Corder stated: “

It is clear that on this theory, the making of errors is an evitable, even

perhaps a necessary part of the learning process. It also accounts for the

similarity of many errors to the forms of mother tongue, we can call this

a transfer error.”9

b. Analogical Error is an error caused by misconception in applying the

rules of the target language. As S. Pit Corder stated: “However, even

when a learner has discovered a correct rule he may still continue to

make errors because he has not yet discovered the precise set of

categories to which the rule applies. Errors of this sort are errors of over

generalization or analogical errors”10

8

Dullay et.al., Op. Cit. p.139

9

J. P. B. Allen and S. Pit Corder (ed), Techniques in Applied Linguistics, vol. 3, (London: Oxford University Press, 1974), p.130

10

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c. Teaching Induced Error is error that has something to do with the

methods or materials of the teaching. Pit Corder stated: There is a third

type of error which is more difficult to establish in any particular case,

namely errors arising from the methods or materials used in the

teaching……only this class of error, teaching induced error, is avoidable

or redundant and represents in efficiency in the learning-teaching

process.11

2. The Goals and Sources of Error Analysis

Speaking about the goal of error analysis, it is for pragmatic use. Sridhar in

Contrastive Analysis, Error, and Interlanguage wrote:

It was believed that error analysis, by identifying the areas of difficulty

for the learner, could help in (i) determining the sequence of presentation

of target items in textbook and classroom, with the difficult items

following the easier ones; (ii) deciding the relative degree of emphasis,

explanation and practice required in putting across various items in the

target language; (iii) devising remedial lesson and exercises, and finally

(iv) selecting items for testing the learners’ proficiency.12

According to Corder, error analysis has two functions: theoretical and

practical. The most practical use of the analysis of error is for the teacher. It is

for feedback value in designing pedagogical material and strategies. Sujoko in

his book Error Analysis wrote:

“ …….. Because errors provide feedback, (i) they tell the teacher

something about the effectiveness of his teaching technique, (ii) show

him what parts of the syllabus he has been following have been

inadequately learned or taught and need further attention, (iii) they

enable him to decide whether he must devote more time to the item he

has been working on, (iv) they provide the information for designing a

remedial syllabus or a program of re-teaching.”13

11

Ibid.

12

Jacek Fisiak (ed), Contrastive Linguistics and the Language Teacher, (England: Pentagon Press Ltd., 1981), pp. 221-222

13

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Dullay stated that studying learners’ errors serves two major purposes:

1) It provides data from which inferences about the nature of language

learning process can be made; 2) It indicates to teachers and curriculum

developers, which part of the target language students have most difficulty

producing correctly and which errors types detract most from a learners’

ability to communicate effectively.14

Speaking about the sources of errors, the sources of errors can be

divided into two types. First, errors, which caused by the interference of the

learner’s mother tongue, is called Interlingual. Second is Intralingual errors

which reflect the learners competence at a particular stage and illustrate

some of the general characteristic of language acquisition. It is related to a

specific interpretation of the target language which manifested as a universal

phenomena. They include generalization (over-generalization and ignorance

of rule restrictions), incomplete application of rules and false concept

hypothesis.

Jack C. Richards stated in his book: “An examination of the errors

…… suggests that intralingual errors are those which reflect the general

characteristics of rule learning, such as faulty generalization, incomplete

application of rules, and failure to learn conditions under which rules

apply.”15

On the other hand, Brown (1987) divides sources of errors, based on

the backgrounds that underline them, into four types. Interlingual Transfer

is interference from the native language or second language when he is

attempting, once, learners have begun to acquire parts of the new system.

Intralingual transfer generalization, within the target language is manifested. The third major of errors sources is the Context of Learning.

Context refers, example, to the classroom with its teacher and its materials.

Communication Strategy is the forth error source. It actually includes the former three sources as a learner tries to get a message across to the listener

or the reader.16

3. The Procedures of Error Analysis Research

14

Dullay, et. al. Op Cit, p. 138

15

Jack C. Richards (ed), Error Analysis, 3rd impression, (London: Longman Group Limited, 1997), p.174

16

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In the language teaching either a native language or a second language

teaching, study about learners’ errors is very important. And there are

several procedures in analyzing the errors: sample collection, sample

identification, error explanation and error classification. Corder (1994)

suggests the following steps in error analysis research:

a. Collection of a sample of language learner.

b. Identification of error.

c. Description of error.

d. Explanation of error.

e. Evaluation of error17

Roger T Bell said: “…a step by step the procedure which teachers can

follow in order to recognize when error has occurred, describe what it is and

explain why it exists.”18

The first step in the process of analysis is recognition or identification of

errors. It crucially depends on correct interpretation of the learners’

intentions. It can be arrived by authoritative interpretation or plausible

interpretation.

It is called authoritative interpretation is when the learner is asked in his

mother tongue what he is intended to express with his utterance of the target

language. In contrast, plausible interpretation is that the learner is not

available for consultation; we interpret his utterance on the basis of the

learners’ utterance. Theo Van Els stated: Corder differentiates between: -an

authoritative interpretation: if the learner is available, we can ask him to

express his attention in his mother tongue, and then translate his utterance

into the target language, using whatever we can glean from his original

attempt as a guide to the form he aimed at; - a plausible interpretation: if the

learner is absent, we have to do the best whatever we know about him and

his knowledge of the world and the target language.19

The second step is describing error. It begins only when an identification

stage has taken place. The description of learner errors involves a

comparison of the learners’ idiosyncratic utterances with a reconstruction of

17

Rod Ellis, The Study of Second Language, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995), p. 48

18

Roger T Bell, An Introduction to Applied Linguistics: Approach and Method in Language Teaching, 1st ed, (London: Bastford Academic and Education Ltd, 1981), p. 171

19

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those utterances in the target language. It requires, therefore, attention to the

surface properties of the learners’ utterances.

Finally, the last step in the process of analysis is the explanation of error

that can be regarded as a linguistic problem. This step attempts to account

for how and why the learners’ errors happen.

B. Sentences

A Sentence is a group of words with a period, exclamation point, or question

mark at the end.20

1. Sentences Parts

Before talking about sentences types, the writer would first remind about

sentences parts:

a. The Subject (simple & complete subjects)of a sentence is the noun, or noun

substitute like “who,” about which we say something, or ask a question21,

e.g.

The theory was valid. (simple subject)

The woman in the blue house by the river wrote bizarre sentences on

the walls. (Complete subject)

b. The Predicate (simple & complete predicates) is the verb along with its

modifiers and complements. The predicate is what the sentence says about

the subject; most often, the predicate is the action that goes on in the

sentence22, e.g.

The theory was valid. (Simple predicate)

The woman in the blue house wrote on the walls with invisible liquids.

(Complete predicate)

c. The objects come in several forms: direct, indirect, prepositions,

complementary objects & subjective complements.

The direct object is the part of the sentence that the predicate acts upon23,

e.g.

The president washed the dishes.

20

Donald Hall, Writing Well, 2nd ed, (Boston: Little, Brown and Company) p. 118

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An indirect object usually comes before a direct object, and tells us to whom

or for whom (or to what or for what) the predicate acts24, e.g.

Sam wrote her a new song.

Most of the time, the indirect object replaces a prepositional phrase using

“to” or “for,”25 e.g.

Sam wrote a new song for her.

In that sentence “her” is object of preposition, nouns or noun substitutes that

a preposition relates to another word or word group.26

Dick the Bruiser was barred from the premises. (preposition followed

by an object)

d. A phrase is a group of words which work together as a unit, but which lack a

subject and a predicate.27

The bat in the attic is not a vampire. (prepositional phrase)

More and more people will be buying sub-compact cars as gasoline

prices rise. (verbal phrase)

Hockey fans tend to enjoy violence. (Infinitive phrase)

Establishing a fascist state requires ruthlessness and ambition. (gerund

phrase)

Doubting the medical assumptions of his time, Pasteur sought further

knowledge about what causes disease. (participle phrases)

e. A clause is a group of words, used as part of a sentence, which contains a

subject and a predicate. A clause may be main (independent) or subordinate

(dependent). A main clause can be a simple sentence itself28, e.g.

The thin dog barked.

A subordinate clause is not a complete sentence by itself, and may be used as

a noun, an adjective or an adverb29, e.g.

Whether the new league will flourish is a question that no one can

answer with certainty. (Noun clause)

The cricket, which appeared to be wearing a tiny tuxedo, did not

answer his naïve questions. (Adjective clause)

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She ordered the troops to attack when it became apparent that to delay

any longer would be suicidal. (Adverb clause)

f. A modifier is any word, phrase, or clause that functions as an adjective or

adverb. In the sentence

The bat in the attic is not vampire.

the phrase “in the attic” does something to, modifies, “bat,” telling us which

bat. While in the sentence

The vampire flew slowly around the room when he assumed the form of

a bat.

there are three modifiers, all acting as adverbs. The single word “slowly”

tells us about the way the vampire flew; then a prepositional phrase “around

the room” tells us where the vampire flew; and the subordinate clause “when

he assumed the form of a bat” tells us when it happened.30

2. Sentences Types a. Simple Sentences

As long as the sentence remains one clause, containing one predicate, it is

simple sentence.31 A sentence can be quite long and yet still be simple by

elaborating the predicate with prepositional phrases32, e.g.

Neal runs / with his wife/ at waterman Gymnasium / before classes.

A subject can be long, too, e.g.

The ape-man in the gray loincloth, a wooden spear in his hand, attacked.

Or the verb can be elaborated, e.g.

The ape-man attacked swiftly, with a sharp cry, from the rocks.

Or we can have a direct object, and the object can be elaborated, e.g.

The ape-man attacked the sluggish warriors, those intruders tired from

their lengthy searching.

Or the simple sentence can have all its parts elaborated and remain simple e.g.

The ape-man in the gray loincloth, a wooden spear in his hand, attacked the

sluggish warriors swiftly from behind the rocks, the boulders shining in the

hot sun.

30

Ibid, p.121

31

Ibid, p.121

32

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The basic sentence is still “ The-ape-man attacked,” though by the time we have

more definition for each of the parts, more information, and too many

adjectives.33

b. Compound Sentences

A Compound sentence has two or more main clauses, each containing a subject

and a predicate, each describing an action complete in itself. The clauses in the

compound sentence are joined by a connective – “and,” “but,” “or,” or “nor” –

or by a semicolon or colon.34

The economy stagnates and prices rise.

We can lower the price of admission or we can stage fewer plays.

He never went the snake house again; he had been revolted by the alligator.

In the compound sentence, notice that the two complete clauses are nearly equal

in importance, or coordinate. A compound sentence, of course, can have more

than two parts.35

Lolich pitched a curve, the runner on first sprinted toward second, and

Veryzer ran to cover the base.

c. Complex Sentences

If, however, one part of the sentence depends on the other –if the one is the

cause of the other, for instance— the sentence is more likely complex than

compound. 36 A complex sentence, then, consists of one main clause and one or

more subordinate clauses along with whatever other phrases the sentence

accumulates.37 Subordinate clause is the clause that depends upon the other, for

explanation or completion. A complex sentence would be:

Because the economy stagnates, high prices find new buyers. 38

The first clause in the sentence is subordinate.

There are three kinds of subordinate clauses—noun, adjective, and adverb—

which function just like the parts of speech:

1) Main clause

Bob Brannan, A Writer’s Workshop Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays, (Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2003), p.503.

38

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Noun clauses are subordinate clauses that function the same way single

nouns and noun phrases do in a sentence and are frequently used as

subjects,39 for example:

What the candidate said surprised everyone.

Here are some example sentences with noun clauses used in other ways

besides as subjects:40

• Jason mentioned that he would leave for Lawrence in the morning.

(direct object)

• Hoang asked for whatever help his friends would give. (object of preposition)

• The administration’s feeling is that no one deserves a salary

increase. (complement)

Because noun clauses are an essential part of sentences—unlike many

adverb and adjective clauses—they are not set off with commas, and

perhaps for this reason do not usually cause punctuation problems. Here

is a list of common cue words that begin noun clauses:

Table I

Common Cue Words That Begin Noun Clauses Who That Whatever What Where Whether

Which Whose Whoever When Why How

Note: Some of these words can also introduce adjective and adverb clauses.41

b) Adjective Clauses

Adjective clauses (also called relative clauses) function much like single

adjectives and adjective phrases do, describing nouns and pronouns, for

example:42

I drive a truck that is old.

Adjective clauses can begin with several cue words, including whose,

when, where, and why, but usually begin with one of these relative

pronouns:

Table II

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Who Which That

Note: These words also sometimes introduce noun clauses.

• Essential adjective clauses do not use a comma, because if removing

them could alter the main idea.43

Gina Caldarello is the woman who is responsible for the accident.

• Nonessential adjective clauses can be removed from sentence

without significantly changing the meaning, so the commas are set

off whether they appear in the middle of the main clause or at the

end. As in the following example:44

Tara Farnsworth, who is an exceptional student, is a fine athlete.

I stayed out too late last night, which caused me to oversleep my 8:00

class.

c) Adverb Clauses

Adverb clauses function like single adverbs and adverb phrases,

describing verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They give additional

information about a main clause, telling when, why, where, how, and to

what extent, as in the following example:

• When the carolers came to our house, we served them hot chocolate.

(when)

• Because it began to rain, the party headed indoors. (Why)

• Where Amanda and her friends go, trouble is sure to follow. (where)

• As if he had not eaten for week, Brad wolfed down his hamburger.

(how)

• Until he could stand it no more, Max listened to the meaningless

lecture. (extent)

Adverb clauses, like other adverbs, are flexible parts of sentences and

can frequently be moved. For example: the subordinate and main clauses

in any of the above examples could be reversed easily, like this:

We serve them hot chocolate, when the carolers came to our house.

Clauses beginning with though, although and even though usually do use

a comma even when they follow a main clause because these

subordinating words announce strong contrast.45

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Adverb clauses always begin with a subordinating conjunction. Here is a

list of common subordinating words:

Table III

Common Subordinating Words for Adverb Clauses Coordinating conjunctions

After As though In order that So that Whenever

Although Because Now that Though Where

As Before Once Till Whereas

As if Even though Rather than Until Wherever

As long as If Since When While

Note: some of these words can also introduce prepositional phrases, noun

clauses, and adjective clauses.

According to Willis (1964), complex sentences are sentences with

various kinds of sentence modifiers: appositive-phrases, adjective clauses,

adverbial clauses, verb clusters, prepositional-phrase modifiers, and adjective

clusters.46

1) The Pattern of Sentences with Appositive Phrases.

One simple method of expanding a subject-predicate construction into a

more complex sentence, and thus avoiding the composition of a second,

unnecessary sentence, is the use of appositive phrase. An appositive is

usually a noun phrase that makes a full, separate statement about some other

noun in the sentence.47 Here are some examples that show how separate full

statements can be converted into appositives:

Ecology is the study of the mutual relation between organisms and their

environment. It is required for a degree in forestry.

Ecology, the study of the mutual relation between organisms and their

environment, is required for a degree in forestry.

My Uncle Bert was a golf instructor. My Uncle Bert moved here from

New Mexico in 1959.

My Uncle, a golf instructor, moved here from New Mexico in 1959.

Joe was the mailman. Joe said hello.

Joe, the mailman, said hello.

46

Hullon Willis, Structure, Style, and Usage, (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1964), p.152

47

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Tartuffe is Moliere’s best known play. It is about a religious hypocrite

who tries to make love to his patron’s wife.

Tartuffe, Moliere’s best known play, is about a religious hypocrite who

tries to make love to his patron’s wife.

The nation’s mightiest “affair of honor” is, of course, the Civil War. It

accounts for an average of ten romantic novels a year.

The nation’s mightiest “affair of honor” –the Civil War, of course—

accounts for an average of ten romantic novels a year.

The man is the laboratory director. The man is wearing the green

uniform.

The man, the laboratory director, is wearing the green uniform.

The logic of appositive phrase is that of identification or definition—that is,

the appositive identifies or defines a noun by making a direct statement

about what the noun is. Thus the verb is (are) or was (were) will always fit

between an appositive and the noun it is in apposition to.48

An appositive usually comes after the noun it is in apposition to and is

usually separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. An appositive

may be separated by dashes when it is long or when there is a sharp break

between it and the rest of the sentence.49

Sometimes the appositive construction is in apposition to an entire sentence

rather than to just one noun. In such cases, it comes at the end of a sentence

and makes a statement about the whole idea of the sentence,50 e.g.

He was known to have supported the subversive committee for

Democratic Principles. This fact hurt his political career.

He was known to have supported the subversive committee for

Democratic Principles, a fact hurt his political career.

2) The Pattern of Sentences with Adjective-Clause Modifiers.

The adjective clause is one of three types of constructions called dependent or subordinate clauses in traditional grammar. It is called

dependent or subordinate because, although it contains a subject and

predicate, it is incorporated within another sentence and is connected to

(dependent on) some word or words in the main sentence.51

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An adjective clause is a subordinated construction rather than a simple

sentence because it begins with a word (usually who, which, that, whom, or

whose) that keeps it from being a self-contained sentence. These words may

be called relative pronouns or subordinators.52

The logic of the adjective clause is somewhat like that of the appositive

in that it makes a statement of identification, definition, or description about

a noun or about the whole idea of a sentence,53 e.g.

The President proposed a compromise. It would have perpetuated the

unsettled condition.

The President proposed a compromise that would have perpetuated the

unsettled condition.

The president was a certain kind of politician. This was the kind whose

sense of compromise never deserted him.

The president was a certain kind of politician whose sense of

compromise never deserted him.

Like the appositive construction, the adjective clause can modify the whole

idea of a sentence as well as a single noun in it,54 e.g.

The mayor wanted to employ additional policemen. This seemed like a

good idea.

The mayor wanted to employ additional policemen which seemed like a

good idea.

Sometimes an adjective clause is separated from the rest of the sentence by

commas, and sometimes it is not. When the clause is necessary to identify

the noun it modifies, it is not separated by commas,55 e.g.

The player maintains the highest batting average. The player will

receive a trophy.

The player who maintains the highest batting average will receive a

trophy.

52

Ibid.

53

Ibid.

54

Ibid, p.142

55

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When an adjective clause modifies a noun already fully identified, it is set

off from the rest of the sentence with commas,56

Sinclair Lewis’ novel Babbitt satirized American materialism. Sinclair

Lewis’ novel Babbitt won him the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Sinclair Lewis’ novel Babbitt, which satirized American materialism,

won him the Nobel Prize for Literature.

When an adjective clause is not set off by commas, it is called restrictive or

essential clause, because it is needed to identify its noun. When such a

clause is set off by commas, it is called nonrestrictive or nonessential,

because it is not needed to identify its noun.57

3) The Pattern of Sentences with Adverbial-Clause Modifiers.

The adverbial clause is another of the dependent clauses of traditional

grammar. Such clauses are frequently said to—and in some cases do—

modify the verb in the main sentence. But more often, adverbial clauses

seem to modify the whole sentence rather just the verb. Sometimes they are

called sentence modifiers rather than adverbial clauses.58

Like the adjective clause, the adverbial clause is introduced by a word

(when, if, because, though, and so on) that keeps it from standing by itself as

a simple sentence. This word incorporates the clause into the main sentence,

making the clause subordinate or dependent in much the same way that

words like who and that make adjective clauses dependent. There are many

of these words and they express various kinds of logic. As a group they may

be called subordinating conjunctions or subordinators.59

Several of these subordinators express the logic of cause-and-result:

because, since, in that, now that, in order that, and in as much as60, e.g.

He couldn’t go on. He was just too tired.

He couldn’t go on, because he was just too tired.

He did it. He needed the money.

Because he needed the money, he did it

Some of the subordinators express the logic of contrast: although, though,

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His grandfather is sixty years old. He has white hair all over his head.

He is still very healthy.

Although his grandfather who has white hair all over his head is sixty

years old, he is still very healthy.

Rommie fell off his bicycle. He hurt himself. He did not cry.

Though Rommie fell off his bicycle till hurt himself, he did not cry.

Mr. Amin Rais lost the national election. He remained the leader of his

own party.

Though Mr. Amin Rais lost the national election, he remained the

leader of his own party.

The logic of condition is expressed by the subordinators if and unless,

If sewer bonds are not voted for the West Knolls District, real estate

sales will continue to be slow there.

Real estate sales will continue to be slow in the West Knolls District

unless sewer bonds are voted in.

In each of these cases the truth of one statement depends on (is conditional

on) the truth of the other. 62

The logic of manner or method is expressed by the subordinators as,

as……as, as if, and as though, e.g.

She acted as if nothing happened before.

The Teamster’s President used his powers as extensively as the law

would allow.

In each of these cases the subordinator tells how something was done.63

The logic of a time relationship expressed by the subordinators after, as, as

soon as, before, since, until, when, and while. Also the logic of

cause-and-result is sometimes combined with the time relationship,64

61

Ibid.

62

Ibid, p.146

63

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The President saw that his bill was in danger of being defeated. The

President quickly called conferences with his Senate leaders.

When the President saw that his bill was in danger of being defeated, he

quickly called conferences with his Senate leaders.

Though in these examples when, before, and after seem to express only a

time relationship between the two statements, the reader understands in each

case that the second statement is the result of the first.

No simple rule can be stated governing the punctuation of all adverbial

clauses. However, when the clause comes first in a sentence, it is usually

separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma unless it is short.65

4) The Pattern of Sentences with Verb-Cluster Modifiers.

A cluster is one kind of phrase, and a phrase is a group of words (without

a subject and predicate, which form a clause) acting as a unit. In the kind of

phrase called a cluster there is always a headword—the dominant word of

the phrase about which other words cluster. In a verb cluster the headword is

a verb—any form of a verb: to explain, explained, to be explained,

explaining, had explained, had been explained, had been explaining, having

explaining, having explained, having been explained, being explained. A

verb cluster is formed when modifiers or objects or both are joined to such

verbs or verb phrases to form a unit.66

Though it has various functions, a verb cluster can act as a sentence

modifier or as the modifier of a noun within a main sentence. Because the

cluster usually appears to modify a specific noun, it is often called an

adjective phrase or an adjectival67, e.g.

The lawyer chose his words carefully. He was trying hard to control his

temper.

The lawyer chose his words carefully, trying hard to control his

temper.

The 39th Regiment fought savagely. It broke out of the German trap.

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The 39th Regimen, fighting savagely, broke out of the German trap.

The car was towed by a truck. It was taken to a garage for repair.

The car, towed by a truck, was taken to a garage for repair.

Most sentence pattern with the verb-cluster modifiers express a logic of

cause-and-result.68

5) The Pattern of Sentences with Prepositional-Phrase Modifiers.

Prepositional phrases often combine with modifiers to form large elements

that can act as sentence modifiers69, e.g.

Mr. Smith was in a state of shock over the accidental death of his wife.

He entered the hospital for a rest and complete check-up.

In a state of shock over the accidental death of his wife, Mr. Smith

entered the hospital for a rest and complete check-up.

6) The Pattern of Sentences with Adjective-Cluster Modifiers.

An adjective cluster in the new grammar is the same as an adjective phrase

in the old: an adjective headword with its modifiers70, e.g.

Mary was intensely happy with her new kitchen. She delighted her

husband with various culinary experiments.

Intensely happy with her new kitchen, Mary delighted her husband with

various culinary experiments.

d. Compound-Complex Sentences

The combination of compound and complex sentences, is at least using

two main clauses and one subordinate clause. E.g.

I was late because George had come over unexpectedly, and I drove as fast as I

could.

The clause in italic is subordinate; the main clauses are in roman type.

68

Ibid, p. 149

69

Ibid, p. 150

70

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CHAPTER III

THE PROFILE OF THE SCHOOL

The school where the writer would do the research is SMA TRIGUNA UTAMA

which is built on 1984. It is stated on Jl. Ir. H. Juanda Km.2 Ciputat and has 9

classrooms. Facing the globalization, the headmaster of this school wished to make an

English area at the school. In order to achieve this aim, he really intended in English

subject to improve students’ English.

So, the English teacher of this school takes an important role in applying the

headmaster’s objective. Unfortunately, because the teacher doesn’t only teach at this

school but also at several other schools, he/she doesn’t have much time to supervise

students’ active speaking intensively.

The more complicated problem is that according to the structure of school

organization, Rectorate of UIN became the supervisor of this school but lately Rectorate

of UIN didn’t give any advice for the development of this school concretely. The

delegation from UIN only came once or twice for the last two years, only for saying

hello to the staff of the school.

Moreover the help from government didn’t come to the independent school

(Swasta) but little. This made the problem more complicated, because according to the

students background which most of them came from the suffering family to get some

food, it’s more difficult for the school to recruit more money from the students either

for the text book, moreover, for the construction of the school building. The most pity

condition that the students didn’t have the text book but LKS for the limited cost they

had while some were still having an owe for the LKS.

C. English Subject 4. English Teachers

There are two English teachers at this school, Mrs. Burdah Darlina and

Mr. Ase Komaruddin. But the writer would only describe one of them because

she would only do a research at 2nd year class which is taught by Mrs. Burdah

Darlina. She was graduated as an English bachelor at IAIN Syarif Hidayatullah

Jakarta on 1986, then took an undergraduate program of English Department

(S1) at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah and graduated on 2004. And now she is taking a

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English at several schools: SMIP, SMK Muhammadiyah and SMA TRIGUNA

UTAMA. While, she has been teaching for fourteen years.

5. Text Books

Because the teacher needs to collect much knowledge to be correlated to

the curriculum and contextually suitable for the students, she should use several

books, magazines, newspapers and others as the sources.

Although the headmaster stated KTSP as the school English curriculum,

the teacher used several text books such as:

• Mastering English 2 for SMA Students of Science and Social Studies

Eleventh Grade Based on 2004 Competency Based Curriculum, whose the

authors are Hardy Tjandraatmaja et.al. (Bekasi: PT. Galaxy Puspa Mega,

2005)

• Informational English for the SMA Program IPA & IPS, whose the authors are Bambang Kaswanti & Tony Rogers. (Jakarta: PT.Widya Utama, 2005)

• Dimensi Bahasa Inggris XI SMA SEMESTER GENAP. (Jakarta: Penerbit

Swadaya Murni, 2006)

Because the more the teacher got the sources, the more the students got different

knowledge.

6. Method of Teaching

In teaching and learning activities, the teacher

used several method:

• Presentation method (ceramah)

The teacher talked about the material for several minutes, of course, in

English, explained the text which would be given to the students. But some

times the teacher translated what she explained for the different background

condition of the students, more over for the class of social program, the

teacher explained the lesson in Indonesian because the students wouldn’t

understand well if she explained it in full English.

• Active learning

The teacher gave students chances to talk (answer and/or ask questions)

while others gave responses and some times she chose several couple

students to practice the dialogue using the suitable choreography. But again,

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their performance completely. And the teacher couldn’t test all of the

students but some of them.

• Task-based learning

To ensure that students acquire the lesson, the teacher gave some activities to

be done by the students, usually at home as home assignments, but some

times those were given at class. The problem the teacher faced on this

method is that not all the students did the home assignment by themselves,

some were cheating to whom had done the work and some hadn’t done the

task at all.

• Translation Method

Because the main objective in learning English is that the students feel fun

when learning it, the teacher would help the students when they felt difficult

in acquiring the material in target language by translating it into the students’

first language. This often happened when the students didn’t know or

actually forgot the meaning of many vocabularies. The teacher realized that

this was not the best way to educate students to be self sufficient, but the

different background of the students which the majority came from the

middle to the lower life stage, insisted the teacher to do this way.

In applying these methods, the teacher didn’t use one method in one session, but

she mixed the methods. It’s up to the objectives she would get in each session whether

she would emphasis on listening, speaking, reading or writing. But on most of the

session she spent, its objective is to make students understand the text. Because students

understanding on the essays would be really implied on students final test (UAS).

D. Objectives of the four skills of the language

Based on the curriculum the teacher used, competence based-curriculum 2004, the

standard of English competency for XI class level is:

Berkomunikasi lisan dan tertulis menggunakan ragam bahasa yang sesuai

dengan lancar dan akurat dalam wacana interaksional dan/atau monolog,

terutama dalam wacana berbentuk deskriptif, naratif, anekdot, ekposisi analitis,

dan ekposisi hortatory yang mengarah kepada variasi makna interpersonal.71

the objectives of the four language skills are:

• Mendengarkan

71

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Memahami wacana transaksional dan obrolan yang mengarah kepada variasi

makna interpersonal dan/atau monolog lisan terutama dalam wacana berbentuk

deskriptif, naratif, anekdot, eksposisi analitis, dan eksposisi hortatory.72

• Berbicara

Mengungkapkan makna yang terkait dengan wacana transaksional yng

mengarah kepada variasi makna interpersonal dan/atau monolog lisan terutama

dalam wacana berbentuk deskriptif, naratif, anekdot, ekposisi analitis, dan

eksposisi hortatory.73

• Membaca

Memahami nuansa makna dan langkah-langkah pengembangan retorika di

dalam teks tertulis yang berbentuk deskriptif, naratif, anekdot, eksposisi analitis,

dan eksposisi hortatory dengan penekanan pada makna ideasional (gagasan) dan

makna tekstual (yang diungkapkan pada susunan klimat dan teks)74

• Menulis

Mengungkapkan nuansa makna dengan langkah-langkah pengembangan retorika

yang benar di dalam teks tertulis berbentuk deskriptif, naratif, anekdot, eksposisi

analitis, dan eksposisi hortatory sederhana dengan penekanan pada makna

ideasional dan makna tekstual.75

But, in teaching and learning activities, the teacher didn’t use the objective

in the curriculum as the aim. Because she said what the students would face

most in UAS (Final Examination) is text reading test either the questions about

searching main ideas, main paragraphs, inferences, stated details, unstated

details, vocabularies, references, the structure of the text, the type of the text or