Mother-tongue interference Explanation of Errors

From the result of questionnaire, the writer also get data that 40 of students thought both regular and irregular verbs have similar form or pattern. So, it may lead false hypothesis for them which made some errors in applying the regular and irregular verbs in the past form. The writer also get data from the questionnaire that 56 of students admit that they did not memorize more than 10 verbs of regular and irregular verbs. According to Brown, learners have begun to acquire parts of the new language system, but generalization within the target language is manifested. 7 Many students did some errors in transforming the irregular verbs by adding –d or –ed. They simplified the way in forming the past form of irregular verbs. For example:  I maked a rainbow cake yesterday. students 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25  Mr. Agus teached us about the narrative text last week. students 7, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25  Fauzi Bowo leaded Jakarta last year. students 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  I readed this novel five days ago. Students 10, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24  My brother Chris and I went walking on the beach one sunny day, and we finded a little cubby out of overgrown bushes. Students: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25  First, Christ tried it out and he slid down and soon comed back up saying that it was safe, and that it was great fun. Students: 16, 20, 23, 25  Then I went for another slide, but I frezed too because I saw what he has seen. It was a long snake and it was heading for me. Students: 3, 11, 12  Then I went for another slide, but I freezed too because I saw what he has seen. It was a long snake and it was heading for me. 7 Brown, op. cit., p. 264 Students: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25  I looked at Chris and he maked a rustling sound of wind in the bushes. Students: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25  I maked a rainbow cake yesterday. Students: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25  Mr. Agus teached us about the narrative text last week. Students: 7, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25  Fauzi Bowo leaded Jakarta last year. Students: 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25  I meeted my old friend in the restaurant yesterday. Students: 16, 18, 19, 23, 24  All tickets for the concert were selled very quickly. Students: 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 25  I goed to bed early because I was tired. Student: 2  Last night, David drived his car very fast. Students: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 11, 12, 13, 115, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  Zamzami sitd in the chair because he was tired. Student: 2  Zamzami sited in the chair because he was tired. Students: 16, 23, 24 Some examples above are caused by overgeneralization. Students made a simplify in transforming irregular verbs into the past verb just by adding -d or –ed. This source of error is the dominant errors in the students’ answer sheet of SMP YPN Bojong Gede.

c. Errors encouraged by teaching material or method

Error is evidence of failureineffective teaching or lack of cotrol. If the material is well chosen, graded and presented with meticulous care, there should be any error. 8 According to Brown, in a classroom context the teacher or the textbook can lead the learner make faulty hypotheses about the language. 9 Based on the class observation, the teacher delivered material generally by explaining the meaning of regular and irregular verbs and giving only few examples of regular and irregular verbs in the simple past form. In this observation, the writer as the observer saw the situation of the class is not really good, because many students seem did not give attention to the teacher’s explanation. From the questionnaire 100 of 25 students said that their English teacher had explained the material about regular and irregular verbs with the examples. However, the teacher did not give students many examples of regular and irregular verbs as in the observation. So, their memorization of regular and irregular verbs is limited. Another result of questionnaire, 88 of students admitted that they did not interesting in learning English. There are only 12 of the students who interest in learning English. This situation leads some errors in applying regular and irregular verbs because the students did not pay attention to the teacher’s explanation. Some student did errors in applying the regular verbs by omitting several elements that should be present. For example:  Then Chris dived down, but slamed into my head as I was stuck half way down. Students: 17, 23, 24  Dava borrowd my pen yesterday. Students: 4, 7 8 Peter Hubbard et al., A Training Course for TEFL, New York: Oxford University Press, 1983, p.142 9 Brown, op.cit., p. 265