4.2.2. Kinds of Errors in Using Gerund as Direct Object
There are certain English verbs can be followed by gerund. Besides, there are also certain verbs that can be used by either gerund or infinitive. This may
cause confusion for the students in using gerund. There are 187 errors in using gerund as direct object made by the students. The errors consist of omission
error, addition error, misinformation error, and misordering error. 1.
Omission error Omission is an error of leaving out an item that is required for an utterance to
be considered grammatical. There are 43 errors of omitting items in gerund as subect found in data.
a. Omission of
“ing”
Original Sentence Reconstruction
20.
I think your hair needs shampoo
.
21. Her daughter prefers read
science fiction book.
22.
Alice always
avoids
answer
my questions.
23.
The students do not mind do
the test in 10 minutes.
I think your hair needs shampooing Her daughter prefers reading science
fiction book Alice always avoids answering my
questions. The students do not mind doing the
test in 10 minutes.
Related to the samples above, the type of error is omission error because the students omitted “ing” of verb+ing form that must appear in
those sentences. There are certain verbs that must be followed by verb+ing, but in these samples
, the students omitted the “ing”. I think the reason of the students making this error is because they do not
understand the use of verb+ing form after certain verbs well.
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b. Omission of verb “go”
Original Sentence Reconstruction
24. I shopping with my
friends. I go shopping with my friends.
Related to the sample above, the students used the verb+ing form without a verb precedes it. It is not correct form because there must be
certain verbs before using verb+ing form in gerund as direct object. I think this error occurs because of the students’ lack of knowledge in
using gerund as direct object.
2. Addition Error
Addition error is the presence of an item which must not appear in a well- formed utterance. There are 109 addition errors in using gerund as direct
object made by the students. a.
Addition of to infinitive
Original Sentence Reconstruction
25. I think your hair needs to
shampoo.
26. Her daughter prefers to
read science fiction book
27. Alice always avoid to
answer my questions.
28. I finish to buy my
necessity, I go to cashier.
I think your hair needs shampooing Her
daughter
prefers reading
science fiction book Alice always avoid answering my
questions. After I finish buying my necessity, I
go to cashier.
Related to the samples above, the type of error is addition error because they added to infinitive before the verb+ing form. The use of
“to infinitive” after verb in these sentences is not correct because the action
of these sentences is in general sense. It does not refer to one particular
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action. Thomson and Martinet 1969:155 state that the gerund can be used instead of the infinitive when the action is being considered in a
general sense. I think the students do not know the difference of using infinitive
and gerund. There are certain verbs can be followed by gerund and infinitive with no or little difference meaning. It is important to
understand the sentence form whether it is general or refers to one particular action.
b. Addition of “ed”
Original Sentence Reconstruction
29.
Alice always
avoid answered
my questions.
Alice always avoid answering my questions.
Related to the sample above, the type of error is addition error because the students added “ed” to “answer”. This addition make the
sentence look like past verb form. “Avoid” must be followed by
verb+ing form because they are preceded by verbs that always followed by gerund. I think the factor of the students producing this error is
because they do not understand the use of verb+ing after certain verbs. c.
Addition of A rticle “a”
Original Sentence Reconstruction
30. I think your hair needs a
shampoo I think your hair needs shampooing
Related to the sample above, the use of article “a” is not proper with the sentence structure
. There must be “shampooing” after the verb “need” because “shampoo” in this sentence is a verb, it is not a noun.
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Automatically, it must be added –ing to make it become a verbal noun
gerund. We cannot use two verbs together. One of the verbs must be in gerund or infinitive. And in this sample, “shampoo” must be in gerund
form because the sentence is in general sense. d.
Addition of “s”
Original Sentence Reconstruction
31.
Her daughter
prefers reads
science fiction book Her
daughter
prefers reading
science fiction book
Related to the sample above, the verb “reads” is after verb
“prefers” and both of them are singular form by adding “s” to the second verb. This sentence is totally wrong. We cannot use two verbs together.
One of the verbs must be in gerund or infinitive. In this sample, the second verb must be in gerund form because this sentence is in general
sence. T he suffix “s” in second verb must not appear because the second
verb must be added “ing”. I think the students are still confused in using gerund after certain verbs.
3. Misinformation Error
Misformation error is characterized by the use of the wrong form of the morphemes or structure. There are 126 misinformation errors in using
gerund as subject made by the students. a.
Misinformation of verb
Original Sentence Reconstruction
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32. They like buy something
as dress,t-shirt, etc
33.
I think your hair needs shampoo
.
34.
The students do not mind do
the test in 10 minutes.
They like buying something such as dress,t-shirt, etc.
I think your hair needs shampooing The students do not mind doing the
test in 10 minutes.
Related to the samples above, the type of error is misinformation. Misinformation occurs because the students used the wrong verb+ing
forms. The use of “buy”, “shampoo”, and “do” are not in correct form based on their function in those sentences. They are preceded by a verb,
it means that they must be in gerund or infinitive form. Based on the verbs precede them, they must be added suffix
–ing to make them become noun. The verb “mind” can be directly followed by gerund.
Thomson and Martinet 1969:161 states that “mind” can be directly
followed by gerund, in which case the gerund refers to the subject. This error might occurs because of the students’ lack of knowledge in
using gerund after certain verbs. b.
Misinformation of to infinitive
Original Sentence Reconstruction
35. Everybody like to go
shopping
36. She love to spent a day
with her friends buying unimportant things
Everybody likes going shopping
She loves spending a day with her
friends buying unimportant things
Related on the samples above, the use of to infinitive is not in correct form. It is because the sentences are not conditional sentence. For
example:
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Would you like to come with me or would you prefer to stay here?
I’d love to come with you. I’d hate to spend all my life here. Thomson and Martinet 1969:162 states that Love, like enjoy,
hate, prefer when used in conditional sentence are followed by infinitive
but when used in the present or past they usually followed by the gerund. This error might occur beca
use of the students’ lack of knowledge about the use of infinitive and gerund as direct object.
4. Misordering error
Misordering error is the incorrect placement of a morpheme or group of morphemes in an utterance. There is 37 misordering error in using gerund as
direct object. a.
Misordering of Verb+ing
Original Sentence Reconstruction
37. If you want to shopping,
you must be had preparing for your purpose there.
38. Women shopping 3-5 times
per-week If you want to shop, you must
prepare yourself for your purpose there
Women shop 3-5 times per-week.
Related to the samples above, the students used the verb+ing form in wrong order. These two sentences above do not need verb+ing. The
sample number 37 does not need verb+ing but to infinitive. The sample number 38 also does not verb+ing because a subject must be followed by
a verb, not a noun. Some of the students do not understand the use of verb+ing so that they put it in the wrong order.
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Original Sentence Reconstruction
39. They can shopping in a
long time
40. Sometime they watching
cinema They can shop in a long time
Sometimes they watch cinema
Based on the samples above, the type of error is misordering error. It is because the students put the verb+ing in the wrong order. The
verb+ing in these samples must not appear because one of them is preceded by a modal “can”. I think the students do not know the use of
gerund well.
4.2.3. Kinds of Errors in Using Gerund as Subjective Complement