An Error analysis of students'simple sentence : (a case study at eighth grade of state junior high school I Ciputat

AN ERROR ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS' SIMPLE SENTENCE
(A Case Study at Eighth Grade of State Junior High School 1 Ciputat)

A "Skripsi"
Presented to the Tarbiya and Teachers Training Faculty
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Strata-I (S I)

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Written by:
Abdul Dayan

102014023721
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
TARBIYAH AND TEACHERS TRAINING FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
JAKARTA
1428 H/2007 M

ENDORSEMENT SHEET
The Examination Committee of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers Training
certifies that the 'Skripsi' (Scientific Paper) entitled "An Error Analysis of Students'
Simple Sentence", written by

Abdul Dayan, student's registration number:

102014023721, was examined by the committee on October, 02 , 2007, and was
declared to have passed and, therefore, fulfilled one requirements for the academic
title of S.Pd. (Bachelor of Arts) in English Language Education at the Department of
English Education.
Jakarta, December 31, 2007

EXAMINATION COMMITTEE
CHAIRMAN

: Drs. Nasrun Mahmud, M.Pd.
NIP. 150041070

)

SECRETARY

: Nida Husna, M.Pd.
NIP. 150326910

)

EXAMINER

: 1. Drs. Nasrun Mahmud, M.Pd.
NIP. 150041070

)

2. Dr. M. Farkhan, M,Pd

NIP. 150299480

Acknowledge by:

(

/)

TABLE OF CONTENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

i

TABLE OF CONTENT

iii

Chapter I : INTRODUCTION

A. Background of Study

1

B. Statement of the Problem

3

C. Purpose of The Study

3

D. Method of The Study

3

E. Organization of The Paper

3

Chapter II : THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

A. ERROR ANALYSIS

1. The Definition of Error

5

2. Categories of Error

7

3. s..ourcc of Error

9

B. WRITING

1. Definition of Writing

13

2. Types of Writing

13

3. Simple Sentence Writing

15

4. The Role of Writing in Learning Language

19

Chapter III : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH FINDING

A. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1. The Objective of Research

21

2. Method of Research

21

3. Research Object

22

4. Research Instrument

22

5. Research Data

22

6. Technique of Data Analysis

22

B. RESEARCH FINDING

I.Data Description

23

2.Data Analysis

24

Chapter IV : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion

32

B. Suggestion

33

BIBLIOGRAPHY

.34

APPENDIX

36

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful, all praise be to Allah
the Lord of the worlds, who has given mercy and blessing until the writer can
accomplish his "skripsi". Peace and Salutation be upon to the Prophet Muhammad
SAW, and his household, companions and his faith forever.
This "skripsi" is presented to English Education Department, Faculty of
Tarbiya and Teachers Training, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta
as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Strata -I (S-I).
On this occasion, the writer would like to give his great appreciation, honor

and gratitude to Drs. Zaenal Arifin Toy, M.Sc., as his advisor, for his valuable help,
guidance, corrections, suggestions for the completion of this "skripsi".
The writer would like to express his greatest appreciation to his beloved
parents, for their pray, irreplaceable encouragement, and also for his sister and
brother.
His sincere gratitude also goes to:
I. Prof. DR. Dede Rosyada, MA., as the Dean of Faculty of Tarbiya and
Teachers Training
2. Drs. Nasrun Mahmud, M.Pd., as the Head of English Education Department.
3. Nida Husna, M.Pd. , as the Secretary of English Education Department, and
all the staff of English Education Department.

4. All inspiring lecturers of English Education Department who had taught the
writer dming his study at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
5.

The headmaster ofSMPN I Ciputat, who had given the writer a great chance
to carry out the research at SMPN 1 Ciputat.

6. The English teacher of the Eight grade of SMPN 1 Ciputat, who had helped

the writer in collecting the data.
7. The writer also would like to give his greatest thanks to his best friends who
always give the writer support and time, shared their ideas with them in
finishing this "skripsi". I love you all my friends.
Mayall, the almighty bless them, Amin.

Jakarta,

August 2007

The writer

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of Study
Learning English in junior high school includes many skills which have to be
mastered by the students, such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. One of the
lan!,ruage skills is writing. It is the most difficult skill to be learned by the students
because it needs thinking and usually thinking is complicated. it is said by Robert M.
Gorrel and Charlton Laird that "writing requires thinking, and thinking is always
complicated and hard. Writing is complicated also because the writer needs to do
everything at once, and the student of writing needs to study everything at once. A
writer produces words, sentences, paragraphs, and extended compositions all the
same time; words must be spelled, sentences punctuated, and paragraphs unified."t
Therefore, sometimes, students feel lazy to learn it and teachers do not want to teach
it, because they also think it is difficult skill. Generally, the students are demanded to
understand and to memorize the formulas of structure or grammar, but they cannot
apply them in writing and this becomes one of the problems. Some students may have
high score in grammar but they cannot use it in writing. In fact, writing is also
important in the process of language learning. Through writing, the students learn
how to think and use their imaginations, ideas, opinions and whatever they want
without interfering with others.
[ Robert M. Gorrel and Charlton Laird, Modern English Handbook, (New Jersey, Englewood Cliffs
N.J, 1962), page 1.

Writing is a skill which needs many practice to improve. And to improve the
writing skill needs many skills have to be mastered to improve a writing skill, Robert
Lado said in his book, Language Teaching :.
In writing. there are three skills that must be mastered. The first skill area
involves acquiring a writing system which may be alphabetic (as in European
language) or on alphabetic (as in Japanese language). The second skill area
requires selecting the appropriate grammar and vocabnlary to fOlm acceptable
sentences and then arranging them in paragraph. Third, writing involves thinking
about the purpose of the text to be composed and about its possible effect on the
intended reader. One important aspect of this last feature is the choice of suitable
style. Because of these characteristics, writing is not an unnatural ability like
speaking. But has to be acquired through years of training or schooling. 2
Based on the statement above, the writer thinks that writing is not easy,
because "writing is a process of synthesis. As you write, you use words and
information to express your viewpoint in a coherent whole. An essay. But writing
draws on intuitions as well as reasoning, on sensation and emotion as well as fact and
memory.,,3
When junior high school students learn to write, they learn to write words in
right spelling, phrases, clauses, sentences until a simple paragraph. In writing simple
sentence, they are often influenced by their native language. Therefore, they produce
an English sentence which is translated into English word by word. For example,
"keluarga saya baik-baik saja, " they will write, "My family is fine fine only. " "Ayah
saya membaca koran setiap hari", they will write, "My father is reads a newspaper
every morning. These sentences are example of the errors done by the students.

2

3

Robert Lado, Language Teaching. (New York, Mac Graw Hill Inc. 1964). page 23.
H. Ramsew Fowler, The Little. Brawn Handbook, (Memphis State University,1980),page 3.

Therefore, an error analysis has an important role to reveal what error the
students do most in writing and what causes of this error and how the students can
leam for their elTors by themselves. Those are the reasons why the writer is interested
in analyzing students' writing. Therefore, the writer would like to do the research
Imder the title "An Error Analysis in Students' Simple Sentence Writing".

B. The Statement of Problem
There are some problems which writer wants to analyze:
1. What type of error do tlle students do in writing a simple sentence?
2. What cause of error do the students make in writing a simple sentence?
C. Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this research, generally, is:

1. to know which type of error which always students make in writing simple
sentence
2. to Imow the causes of error of students simple sentence writing

n. Method of the Study
In this research, the writer uses a qualitative. Each question has a major point,
such as; sentence pattern, singular-plural, word form, word choice, verb tense, word
order, spelling and punctuation. The writer analyzes the en"or done by the students
from those items.

E. Organization of Paper
In doing this research, the writer organizes this paper becomes 4 chapters:

Chapter One : Introduction consists of Background of Study, Statement of the

Problem, Purpose of The Study, Method of The St11dy, and Organization of The
Paper.
Chapter Two : Theoretical Framework consists of Error (The definition of error,

Categories of error, and sources of error) and Writing Sentence (Definition of
Writing, Types of Writing, Simple Sentence Writing, and The Role of Writing in
Learning Language)
Chaptel· Three : Research Methodology and Research Finding consists of The

Objective of Research, Method of Research, Research Object, Research Instrument,
Research Data, Technique of Data Analysis, Data Description, and
Interpretation
Chapter Four: Conclusion and Suggestion

Data

CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Error
1. Definition of Error

Learning the foreign language is a process which involves

M

error. Many

factors can affect the error. One of them may because of each language have different
pattem. English is different from Indonesian language in its structure, phonology, and
lexical meaning. Therefore, learning English is different from learning Indonesian
language, that is why, the students who learn English may produce many errors in
writing English grammatically.
When junior high school students leam English, they usually make an error. It
may be caused by fatigue, excitement and lack of automaticity. But, sometimes they
make a mistake. It may be caused by lack of knowledge and they have not mastered
the L2 rule4 , As the writer said above, there are error and mistake. Therefore the
writer will differ between error and mistake according to some experts' point of view.
Jeremy I-Iarmer said that the errors are part of the leamer inter language that is
the version of the language which a learner has at anyone stage of development and
which is continually reshaped as he/she aims toward full mastery5
H.D Brown defines error as noticeable deviation from the adults h'Tammar of a
native speaker, reflecting the inter language competence of the learner. The key tern)
" Rod EJlis, 17w Study o[Second Language Acquisition, (Oxford University Press, 1995), p.51
5 Jeremy Hanner, The Practice ofEnglish Language Teaching, (Pearson Education Limited, 2001),
page 34

in this definition is inter language. As someone learns a foreign language, the error
she makes indicate her level of proficiency. 6 Meanwhile Dullay said that "EI1'orS are
the flawed sidc of learner speech or writing. They are those parts of convcrsation or
composition that deviate from some selected norm of mature language perfOlmance. 7
To differ between an error and a mistake, the writer will also give the different
between an error and a mistake said by Corder (1967)
"An enol' (in this technical sense) takes place when the deviation arises as a
result of lack of knowledge. It represents a lack of competence. A mistake occurs
when learners fail to perform their competence. That is, it is the result of
processing problems that prevent learners from accessing their knowledge of
target language rule and cause them to fall back on some alternative, non-standard
rule that they find easier to access. Mistakes, then, are performance phenomena
and are, of course, regular features of native speaker speech, reflecting processing
failures that arises as a result of competing plans, memory limitations, and lack of
..
8
automaticity.
Stephen Pit Corder give the similar differences between error and mistake to
what Corder said:
a mistake is a random perfOlmance slip caused by fatigue, excitement, etc.
Mistake can be readily self- con'ected, whereas an error is systematic deviation
made by learners who have not mastered the rule of L2. ElTOr CarInot be selfcorrected because it is a product reflective of the learners' current stage of L2
development or underlying competence. En'ors are not something to be prevented,
but enol'S are signs that learners are actively engaged in hypothesis testing which
would be the result in the acquisition oftarget rules. 9
From those explanations, writer gives the distinction between enol' and
mistake in the table below.

William Ackner, Error & Corrective Feedback: Updated theory & Classroom Practice, English
Teaching Forum XXXIII, (October 2000).
7 Heidi DuBay et ai, Language Two, (New York: Oxford University Press1983),p. 138.
B Rod Ellis, The Study ofSecond Language Acquisition, op. cit., p.51
9 Diane Larsen Freeman et ai, An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research, (New York
: Longman, 199 I), p. 60-61.

6

Table] : The distinction between error and mistake
Error
Reflecting processing failures, a result
of competing plans, memory limitations
and lack of automaticity
Caused by fatigue, excitement, can be
readily self-corrected

Mistake
Represent a lack of competence, a result
of lack of knowledge, leamers haven't
mastered the rule of L2
Cannot be self-corrected

2. Categories of Error
To explain the categories of enw, the writer takes from the source said by
Dullay. He said that there are 4 categories of error
a. Error Based on Linguistic Category
This linguistic category is classified according to either or both of the
language component or the palticular linguistic constituent the error effect. Lallguage
component includes phonology, syntax and morphology, semantics and lexicon, and
discourse.
Constituents include the elements that comprise each language components.
For instance, in syntax the errors Call be in the main or subordinate clause, of which
constituent is affected, e.g. the noun phrase, the auxiliary, etc.
b. Error Based on Surface Strategy Taxonomy
This kind of error is divided into four kinds,
I. Omission
Omission enor is characterized by the absence of an item that must appear in
a well formed utterance. For eXaIllple, "Mary president new compally."

2. Addition
The character of the error is known by the presence of an item, which must
not appear in a well formed utterance. For example, "He doesn't knows my
ＧｾＮ･ｭ｡ｮ

3. Malformation
This error is characterized by the use of wrong form of the morpheme or
structure. For example, "1 see a teeth"
4. Disordering
The inCOl1"ect placement of morpheme or group of morpheme in an utterance
is the character of this error. For example, "I don't know what is that."
c. Error Based on Comparative Taxonomy
The classification is made on the comparisons between the structure of L2
en"ors and certain other type of construction.
1. Developmental Error
Developmental error is error similar to those made by children learning target
language as their first language. For example, "Mary eat the pineapple."
2. InteriinguaI Error
Interlingual error is an enor similar in structure to semantically equivalent
phrase or sentence in the leamer's native language.

3. Ambiguous Error
Error that reflects the learner's native language structure is called ambiguous
error. This error could be classified equally as developmental or interlingual error.
For example, "I no go to school."
4. Other elTor
Other error is that caused by the learners' native language since the learners
used it on their second language formation For example, "She do hungry."
d. EITor Based on Communicative Effect Taxonomy
I. Global Error
Global error hinders communication, it prevents the learners from
comprehending some aspects of message. For example, "We amused that movie
very much."
2. Local Error
Local errol' itself doesn't interfere with understanding at an utterance, usually
because there is only a minor violation of one segment of a sentence. "I angry"
will be local error since the meaning is apparent. 10

3. SOUl'CC of Enol'
Many causes of error are suggested by some experts. Pit Corder identified
three major sources of enol'

ｭｴｨＮｮｯｩｴ ｳ ｵｱ｣to
｡ＰＲＥｽｬｧ｡ｵ ｮ ｉＰＲＩｾ､ｮｯ｣ ｳＯｭｯ｣Ｎｷ ｮｧ ｩｭ｡･ｬ ｴｳＮｷ Ｏ Ｚｰｴ ｨ

a. Transfer Errors
The beginning stages of leaming a second language are characterized by a
predominance of interference of learner's native language. In these early stages,
before the system of the second language is familiar, the native lanf:,'uage is the only
linguistic system in previous experience upon which the learner can draw.
b. Analogical Error
Although when the learners have discovered a correct rule of the target
language, they may still continue to make errors, because they haven't yet discovered
the precise set of categories to which the rule applies. E1Tors, which result from this
strategy, are called analogical errors.
c. Teaching-Induced Errors
Errors in second language learning may appear to be induced by the teaching
process itself. In this term, the method and the material that used by the teachers can
lead the learners to make faulty hypotheses about the language.
Meanwhile, Hubbard et.a!. Mentioned that causes of error are mother tongue
interference, overgeneralization and errors encouraged by teaching material and
method. ll

Brown said that sources of error consist of inter lingual transfer, intra lingual
transfer, context oflearning and communication strategies.

II Peter Hubbard, Hywel Jones, Barbara Thontorn, Rod Wheeler, A Training Course/or TEFL, (New
York: Oxford University Press,1983),p.140-143

a. Inter Lingual Error
Inter lingual error means errors attributed to the native language (Ll) there are
inter lingual errors when the learners first get language habits (pattern, system, or
rules) which interfere or prevent the learners from acquiring the pattem and mles of
the second language manifest some degree of different form and some degree of
similarity with the equivalent item in learning the first language.
For example in Indonesian language (Ll) granlmar, there is no different fonn
of a verb even though the activity has been done in the past or has been done several
times. "Saya sudah makan kue tadi. " Or "Saya sudah makan kue beberapa kali. "
Meanwhile in English (L2) grammar the verb form is classified according to the
tense: present, past, and past participle. The usage of the fonn of the verb is
influenced by the time of the activity. If the activity has been done in the past, the
fonn of past tense verb is used. "1 ate cookies yesterday. " If the activity has been
done several times, the past participle verb is used. "1 have eaten cookies several

limes. " This difference can be source of error when the learner applies the Ll rule in
the L2.
b. Intra Lingual Error
Intra lingual errors are errors due to the misunderstanding of the language
being learned (L2) independent of the native language. The elTors are proceeded by
the learner which reflects not the structure of the mother tongue, but generalization

based on partial exposure to the target language. 12 The learner tries to derive the mles
behind the data to which he or she has been exposed, and may develop hypotheses
that corresponds neither to the mother tongue nor the target language.
In English, different subject of a sentence requires different verb. Third
singular person (he, she, it) must be in harmony with a verb with the addition of -s/es
inflection. E.g. "Joanne goes to school by train everyday." For the learners who
unaware to this rule, they will equalize the usage of a verb as it is needed by the first
singular or plural person. (I and we), second singular or plural person (you) and third
plural person (thcy) whereas the verb does not need the addition of -s/es inflection.
E.g. " Joanne and John go to school by train evetyday. "
c. Context of Learning
This third major of learning is considered overlapping both types of transfer.
Context refers to the classroom situation that is built by both teacher and material.
This situation can urge the learners to make faulty hypotheses about the language.
The teacher's explanation also pushes the learners to make errors because sometimes
the teacher provides incorrect information by way of misleading definition, word, or
grammatical generalization. However, according to Stephen Pit Corder, the
idiosyncratic dialect applies well through social context. For example, a Japanese
immigrant who lived in Mexican-American has produced a learner language was an
interesting blend of Mexican-American English and the standard English colored by
his Japanese accent.
12

http://abisamra03.tripod.com/nada/languageacq-eIT oranalysis.html#theo

d. Communication Strategies
According to Brown ,"Iearners obviously use production strategy in order to
enhance getting their messages across. But at the same time, these techniques can
themselves become a source of error." For example an ESL learner said,"Let us work
for the well done of our country. " The sentence above had wrong approximation of

word Welfare.
B. Writing

1. The Definition of Writing
To give the definition of writing in this paper, the writer gives the definition
said by James C Raymond. He said in his book "Writing is Unnatural Act" :
Writing is more than a medium of communication. It is a way of
remembering and a way of thinking as well. Writing is a way of finding out
what we know and what we need to leam. Spoken words disappear as soon as
they are spoken; but writing freezes our thought, makes them visible and
pelmanent so we can examine and test their quality. Writing is also a way of
learning. None of us can write much of interest without first thinking, probing,
observing, asking questions, experimenting, and reading. 13

2. The Types of Writing
Writing can be divided into narrative, descriptive, and expository. Each type
varies according to its purpose. The narrative paragraph tells a story. The descriptive
paragraph provides accurate detail and appeals to the senses. The expository
paragraph explains how to do something or informs the reader about something.

13 James C Raymond, Writing is Unnatural Act, (New York, Harper and Row Publisher, 1980),
page 2.

a. The NaITative Paragraph
The paragraph is developed by telling the story or relating ail incident. It
concisely answers the question what happened?J4 Narrative paI'agraph are most
effective when they follow chronological order. Notice the following model has used
chronological order to tell his story.
When we were testing underwater breathing devises, we found that
accidents showed us where improvements were needed. We were working on
defenses against broken pipes one day with Dumas seventy-five feet down,
breathing from the pipe. I was in the boat, watching the pipe, when I saw it
rupture. Dumas was trapped in pressure three times greater than the pressure at
the surface. I grabbed the pipe before it sank and reeled it in fraIltically, ill with
suspense. I could feel heavy tugs fTOm below. Then Dumas appeared, red faced
and choking, his eyes bulging. But he was alive. He had closed his glottis in
time and had then climbed the pipe hand over hand. We work on gear until it
operated more reliably.
Adapted from The Silent World by Captain J. Y Cousteau
b. The Descriptive PaI'agraph
One of the kinds of paragraph is descriptive. It is usually used to describe a
place, people, object and a situation. Descriptive paragraph gives a picture in words
that appeal directly to the senses. A descliptive paI'agraph is normally full of vivid
verbs and precise adjective. It depends on detail, not action, to hold the reader's
interest. In the following model the writer uses an accurate detail to describe the
sights aIld sounds of a city.15

14 John E. Warriner, English Grammar and Composition, (New York; Harcout Brace Javanovich) 3"
ed.P.326
15 Ibid.,p.327

In their hotel room the men could hear roosters crowing every morning. At
night jackals yelped right in the hearth of the city. In this land of fiery cmry, ofa
plain or fancy dose for breakfast, where the sweet lemon was sweeter than an
orange, and oranges tended to be flavorless, the yotmg Americans fotmd they had
a lot of readjusting to do. Pedestrians and cows as gentle as kittens strolled in out
of the rush of bikes, rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, trucks, autos, and chemicalbmning buses spewing their showers of burning coals behind them. In the heat of
the day men dragged their bedlike charpoys out onto the sidewalks and stretched
out to nap with expectation that the breeze from passing vehicles would keep
them trifle cooler. Bears danced for the entertainment or the crowds, flute-playing
fakirs charmed cobras, and, incredibly, in the open place in front of the Red Fort,
building long ago by the Mogul emperors, a holy man actually levitated in broad
daylight.
From Behind Japanese Lines by Richard Dunlop
c. The Expository Paragraph
The expository paragraph gives the reader information or explains something.
We will find expository paragraph in newspaper, in tcxtbooks, and wherever we look
for information and explanation. This model gives information about bore tides. Ii>
Among unusual creations of tide, perhaps the best known are the bores. The
world possesses half a dozen or more famous ones. A bore is created when a great
part of tile flood tide enters a river as a single wave, or at most two or three
waves, with a steep and high front. The conditions that produce bores are several:
there must be a considerable range of tide, combined with sand bars or other
obstructions in the mouth of the river, so that the tide is hindered and held back,
until it finally gathers itself together and rushes through. The Amazon is
remarkable for the distance its bore travels upstream-some 200 miles- with the
result that the bores of as many as 5 flood tides may actually be moving up the
river at one time.
From The Sea Around Us by Rachel L. Carson
3. Simple Sentence Writing
As the writer mentioned above, there are many types of writing. Writing
consists of paragraph or some paragraphs and paragraph consists of some sentences.

16

Ibid.,p.328

To make a good writing or paragraph, basically, we have to be able to make a
sentence. It is because sentences build a good paragraph.
a. Definition of Sentence
In this paper, the writer will give some definitions about sentence which is
said by the expert in order to give us more information about it.
Sentence is defined as a group of words expressing a complete thought or a
group of words that begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. I?
Hornby stated in his dictionmy "Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionmy of
Current English", Sentence is the largest grammatical unit consisting of phrases and
or clauses used to express a statement, question, command, etc.
Traditional grmnmar defined sentence in two ways. First is by meaning, it is
the term, sentence is a complete thought. And the second is by function. In this term,
sentence consists of a subject or a predicate. According to Marcella Frank, sentence is
a full predication containing a subject plus a predicate with a finite verb. 18
b. Types of Sentence
Based on the definitions above, sentence classified into 4 kinds. The writer
gives a brief explanation about them
I. Simple Sentence

Simple sentence is a sentence which has only one full predication in the fOlm
of an independent clause. For eXaIl1ple, The man stole the jewelry.
Mas'ud Mada, Dictate English Syntax Part I, 1995, page 3
Marcella Frank, Modern English; A Practical Reference Guide (New Jersey: Prentice hall: 1972).
page 220
17

IS

2. Compound Sentence
Compound sentence is a sentence which has two or more predications in the
form of independent clauses. For example, The man stole the jewelry and he hid it in
his home.

3. Complex Sentence
Complex sentence is a sentence which has one or more full predications. One
of these is an independent clause (main clause) and one or more of these are
dependent clauses (subordinate clauses). For example, The man who stole the jeweby
hid it in his home.

4. Compound-Complex Sentence
Compound-complex sentence is a sentence which has two or more
independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. For example, The man stole
thejeweily and he hid it in his home until he could safely get oul oflhe town.

c. Simple Sentence
A simple sentence contains one subject and one verb. The subject (sometimes
called the object) comes before the verb. The verb comes after the subject to describe
what the subject is doing or has done. But beside that, simple sentence has many
variations, such as
1. Simple sentence is not defined by its subject and verb. It is defined by being an
independent clause with no dependent clauses.
2. Simple sentence can have more than one subject. This is called a compound
subject, not to be confused with a compound sentence. An example would be: Mary

and George went shopping. This is a simple sentence with two subjects: Mary and
George.
3. Simple sentence can have more than one verb. This is called a compound verb. An
example would be: George jumped and skipped all the way home.
4. The verb of a sentence does not always come after the subject. An example would
be: Into the desert rode the soldiers on a jeep. The subject is soldiers and the verb
is rode. Rode does not come after the subject.
Beside that, a simple sentence is a sentence structure that contains one
independent clause and no dependent clauses, examples

1. The singer bowed.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject,

singer, and one predicate, bowed.
2. The baby cried.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject,

baby, and one predicate, cried.
3. The girl ran into her bedroom.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject,

girl, and one predicate, ran into her bedroom.
4. In the backyard. the dog barked and howled at the cat.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject,

dog, and one predicate, barked and howled at the cat. This predicate has two
verbs, known as a compound verb: barked and howled. This compound verb

should not be confi.lsed with a compolmd sentence. In the backyard and at the cat
are prepositional phrases.
d. The Role of Writing in Learning Language
Writing, as compared to speaking, can be seen as a more standardized system
which must be acquired through special instruction. Mastery of this standard system
is important prerequisite of cultural and educational participation and the
maintenance of one's right and duties. The fact that writing is more standardized than
speaking allows for a higher degree sanctions when people deviate from that
standard. 19
In first-language education, learning to write involves leaming specialized
version of language already known to students. This specialized language differs
from spoken language, both in form and in use, but builds upon linguistic resources
that students already posses. The ultimate goal of learning to write is, for most, the
value of being able to write effectively increases as students' progress through
compulsory education on to higher education. At the university level in plllticular,
writing is seen not just as standardized system of communication but also as essential
tool for lellllling. At least in the English-spealcing world, one of the main fll11ctions of
writing at higher lcvels of education is to expand one's own knowledge through
reflection rather than simply to communicate inf0l1l1ation.
While the specific goals of writing instruction may vary from culture to
culture, it is clear that writing is llll important Plllt of the curriculum in schools from
19

Sara Cushing Weighlc, Assesing Writing, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002),pA-5.

the earliest grade onward, and that most children in countries that have a formal
education system will learn to write, at least at the basic level, in that setting. In this
sense, we can say that the first language writing instruction is relatively standardized
within a particular culture.

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS

A. Research Methodology
In this chapter, the writer describes about the objective of the research,
method of the research, research object, research instrument, place and time of the
research, research data, and technique of data analysis.
I. 1 he objective of the research

The objectives ofthe research are as follows:
a. to know what type of enor the students make most m writing a simple
sentence
b. to know the causes of the elTors the students make most in writing a simple
sentence
2. Method of the research
The writer will use descriptive analytic method, where he will give the
students a true false question containing many items, such as; sentence pattern,
singular-plural, word form, word choice, verb tense, word order, spelling and
pllllct1mtion. The writer will analyze the students' errors from that question shcet.
Having analyzed the errors, the writer will describe the error in a table form as a
recapitulation of enws the students made.

3. Research object
The object of this research is the students of eighth grade of state junior high
school (SMP Negeri) I Ciputat of2006 - 2007 academic year.
4. Research instrument
The instruments used in this research are :
Tme false question sheet about the sentence. It asks the students to decide
whether the sentence is trUl) or false.
5. Research data
The writer wiII collect the data from :
a. Students: The writer gives a true false question to the students about a
simple sentence. Each question has a major point, such as; sentenee
pattern, singular-plural, word form, word ehoice, verb tense, word order,
spelling and punctuation. The writer analyzes the error done by the
students from those items.
b. Teacher: The writer does an interview to the teacher to know his teaching
method about his or her problem in teaching simple sentence.
6. Technique of data analysis
For the research, the writer uses descriptive ,malytic technique. The writer
analyzes each student's answer from the question sheet to find out the errors they
made and classifies them to know the kind of errors the student do most. To analyze
the data, the writer uses distribution frequency relative which is described in the table
percentage. In the table percentage the writer uses formula

p=

FxIOO%
N

P = Percentage
F = frequency of error occurred
N = Number of sample which is observe 2o

B. Research Findings
1. Data Description
As stated in the preceding chapter that this paper discussed about the en'ors
done by thc eighth year students of State Junior high School (SMPN) I Ciputat in
writing a simple sentence, and the writer focuses on several items to check. Those
are; sentence pattem, singular plural, word form, word choice, verb tense, word order,
spelling, and punctuation. This test consist of 24 items which are broken down into
sentence pattern (3 items), singular plural (3 items), word form (3 items), word choice
(3 items), verb tense (3 items), word order (3 items), spelling (3 items), and
punctuation (3 items). The following table is the classification of Ole items into area
tested.

20 Drs. Anas Sudijono, Penganla,. Sialislik Pendidikan, (Jakarta: PT. R'\ia Grapindo Persada, 2004), p.
40-41.

Table 2
Area Tested

No

Area Tested

Item

l.

Sentence Pattern

Number], 2, 3

2.
f-- .
3

Singular - Plural

Number 4, 5, 6

Word Form

Number 7,8,9

4.

Word Choice

Nwnber ]0, 1], 12

5.

Verb Tense

Number 13, ]4, ] 5

6.

Word Order

Number ]6, ]7, ]8

7.

Spelling

Number 19,20,21

8.

Punctuation

Number 22, 23, 24

--\
\

2. Data Analysis
]n this part, the data was analyzed. The result of the data is described as
follows.
a. Sentence Pattern
Table 3
Percentage of Error on Sentence Pattern

Area of Error

Sentence Pattcrn

Frequency of

Percentage of

Error

En'or

]

49

6],25 %

2

]4

]7,5 %

3

21

26,25 %

Item Number

Total

35%

In Sentence Pattern items, there are 49 students or 61,25 % who made elTor in
item number 1, 14 students or 17,5 5% who made elTor in item number 2, and 21
students or 26,25 % who made error in number 3. So, the percentage of error in
Sentence Pattern is 35 %.

b. Singular Plural
Table 4
Percentage of Error on Singular Plural

Area of Error

Singular Plural

Item Number

Frequency of

l'ercentage of

Error

ErrOl'

4

44

55%

5

42

52,5 %

6

41

51,25 %

Total

52,9%

In Singular Plural items, there are 44 students or 55 % who made error in item
number 4, 42 students or 52,5 % who made error in item number 5, and 41 students
or 51,25 % who made error in item number 6. So, the percentage of error in Singular
Plural items is 52,9 %.

c. Word Form
Table 5
Percentage of Error on Word Form
Frequency of

Percentage of

Error

Error

7

49

61.25 %

8

30

37,5 %

9

45

56,25 %

Item Numbel'

Area of Enol'

Word Form

--

51,6 %

Total

In Word Form items, there are 49 students or 61,25 % who made error in item
number 7, 30 students or 37,5 % who made error in item number 8, and 45 students
or 56,25 % who made error in item number 9. so, the percentage of error in Word
Form items is 51,6 %.
d. Word Choice
Table 6
Percentage of Error on Word Choice
Area of Error

Word Choice

Frequency of

Percentage of

EITor

Error

10

44

55%

11

37

46,26 %

12

37

46,25 %

Item Number

Total

49.1 %

In Word Choice items, there are 44 students or 55 % who made error in item
number 10, 37 students or 46,25 % who made error in item number II, and 37
students or 46,25 % who made error in item number 12. So, the percentage of error in
Word Choice items is 49,1 %.
e. Verb Tense
Table 7
Percentage of Error on Verb Tense
Area of Error

Item Number

Frequeney of

Percentage of
Error

EI"ror
Verb Tense

----

13

48

]4

47

58,75 %

]5

34

42,5 %

Total

60%
-

53,75 %

In Verb Tense items, there are 48 students or 60 % who made error in item
number 13, 47 students or 58,75 % who made error in item number 14, and 34
students or 42,5 % who made error in item number 15. So, the percentage of error in
Verb Tense items is 53,75 %.

f. Word Order
Table 8
Percentage of Error on Word Order
Area of Error

Frequency of

Percentage of

Error

ErrOl-

16

54

67,5 %

17

13

16,25 %

18

25

31,25 %

Item Number

Word Order
f----

38,3 %

Total

In Word Order items, there are 54 students or 67,5 % who made error in
number 16, 13 students or 16,25 % who made error in number 17, and 25 students or
31,25 % who made error in number 18. So, the percentage of error in Word Order
items is 38,3 %.
g. Spelling
Table 9
Percentage of Error on Spelling
Area of Error

Spelling

Frequency of

Perceutage of

Error

Error

19

29

36,25 %

20

30

37,5 %

21

49

61,25 %

Item Number

Total

45%

---

In Spelling items, there are 29 students or 36,25 % who made error in item
number 19, 30 students or 37,5 % who made elTor in item number 20, and 49 students
or 61,25 % who made error in item number 21. So, the percentage of error on
Spelling items is 45 %.
h. Punctuation
Table 10
Percentage of Error on Punctuation
Area of EI'ror

Frequency of

Percentage of

EITor

Error

22

3

3,75 %

23

5

6,25 %

24

42

52,5 %

Item Number

Punctuation

Total

20,8%

In Punctuation items, there are 3 students or 3,75 % who made error in item
number 22, 5 students or 6,25 % who made error in item number 23, and 42 students
or 52,5 % who made error in item number 24. So, the percentage of error on
Punctuation items is 20,8 %.
3. Data Inteqlretatioll
After classifying the items into area tested, and explaining the frequency and
the percentage of elTOr on each item. The following table describes the sequence of
error based on the highest percentage.

Table II
The Sequence of Error
Based on the Highest Percentage of Error

-No
-

En-or Area

Percentage of Erl'or

I

Verb Tense

53,75 %

2

Singular Plural

52,9 %

3

Word Form

51,6 %

4

Word Choice

49,1 %

5

Spelling

6

Word Order

7

Sentence Pattern

8

Punctuation

45%
38,3 %
35 %
20,8 %
Total

43%

From the table above, it is shown that the total percentage of error in writing
simple sentence is 43 %. The highest percentage of error is made in Verb Tense
items, there are 53,75 % error in these items. The second percentage is made in
Singular Plural items, there are 52,9 % error in these items. The third percentage is
made in Word Form, there are 51,6 % in these items.

Table 12
The Types and Causes of Error
Question No

Answer key

1

F

Omission

Intra Lingual Error

2

F

Developmental error

Intra Lingual Error

3

T

-

-

4

F

Omission

Intra Lingual Error

5

F

Addition

Intra Lingual Error

6

T

-

-

7

F

Malformation

Intra Lingual Error

8

T

-

-

9

F

MalfOimation

Intra Lingual Error

10

F

Malformation

Intra Lingual Error

II

T

-

-

12

F

Malformation

Intra Lingual ElTor

13

F

Developmental ElTOr

Inter Lingual Error

14

F

Developmental Error

Inter Lingual Error

f---

-

Cause of Error

15

T

-

-

16

F

Disordering

Inter Lingual Error

17

T

-

-

18

F

Disordering

Inter Lingual Error

19

T

-

-

20

F

Malformation

Inter Lingual Error

21

F

Malformation

Inter Lingual Error

22

F

Omission

Inter Lingual ElTor

T

-

-

Ambiguous ElTor

Inter Lingual Error

23
c---

Type of Error

24

-----

F

---

---

--

--

CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
A. Conclusions
From the research done by the writer, he can conclude that,
1. The error the students do the most is in Verb Tense. It is about 53,75 % of the

students
2. In writing simple sentence, students usually make an error in some area, such
as, Verb Tense, Singular Plural Noun, Word Form, Word Choice, Spelling,
Word Order, Sentence Pattern, and Punctuation.
3. The errors the students do is caused by many factors, such as :
a. Students cannot understand the difference between native language (Ll) with
target language (L2)
b. Students do an overgeneralization to the English grammar rule. For example,
in English different subject of a sentence requires different verb. Third
singular person (she, he, it) must be in harmony with the addition of sles
inflection. For the students who unaware to this rule, they will equalize the
rule.
c. en'ors can also be caused by teachers. The method and the material that used
by the teachers can lead the learners to make an error.
d. learners obviously use production strategy in order to enhance getting their
messages across, these techniques can become a source of error

B. Suggestions

To prevent the students ii'om making an error in writing simple sentence, the
writer suggests :
1. Try to make writing a daily experience. It does not have to be a formal theme

assignment to have value.
2. Make the students so expectant of some writing during a class hour that they
will form the habit of being prepared with pen and paper.
3. I-lave most writing done in the class.
4. While this writing is going on, walk around the class to inspect the work as it
progresses
5. Encourage students to work with partner for mutual help.
6. As often possible, have students read any discuss their writing in their small
group.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ackner, William, Error & Corrective Feedback; Updated Theory and Classroom
Practice, English Teaching Forum, XXXVIII, October 2000

Cooley, Thomas, The Norton Guide to Writing, London: WW. Norton Company,
1992.
Dullay, Heidi, et ai, Language Two, New York: Oxford University Press, 1983.
Ellis, Rod, The Study of Second Language Acquisition, Oxford University Press,
1995.
Fowler, H. Romsey, The Little, Brown Handbook, Memphis State University, 1980.
Frank, Marcella, Modern English

A Practical Reference Guide, New Jersey

Prentice Hall, 1972.
Freeman, Diane Larsen, et ai, An Introduction to Second Language Teaching,
Pearson Education Limited, 2001.

http://www.abisamra03.tripod.com/nada/languageacq.erroranalysis.html
http://www.starlearningnow.comJsecond%20Ianguage%20acquisition.html

Gon'el, Robert M and Laird, Charlton, Modem English Handbook, New Jersey,
Englewood Ｌｾｦｩｬｃ

1962.

Harmer, Jeremy, The Practice of English Language Teaching, Pearson Education
Limited, 2001.

Haycraft, Jolm, Introduction to English Language Teaching, Harlow

Longman

Group Limited, 1978.

Hubbard, Petter, et ai, A Training Course for TEFL, New York: Oxford University
Press, 1983.

Lado, Robert, Language Teaching, New York: Mc. Graw Hill, Inc. 1964.

Mada, Mas'ud, Dictate English Syntax Part 1, 1995.
Raymond, James C, Writing is Unnatural Act, New York: Harper & Row Publishcr,
1980.
Sudijono, Anas, Drs, Pengantar Statistik Pendidikan, Jakarta : PT. raja Grapindo
Persada, 2004.

Warriner, John E, English Grammar and Composition, New York: Harcout Brache
Javanovich, 3'd Edition.

Weighle, Sara Crushing, Assesing Writing, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2002.

AppendiY: 1

Name

Class
Study the following sentences and decide, true or false, by crossing T for true and F
forfalsel

1. T-F

: My father read a newspaper every morning.

2. T-F

: My father don't read a newspaper every morning.

3. T-F

: Does your father read a newspaper every morning?

4. T-F

: There are some student in front ofthe classroom.

5. T-F

: Mr. Jono has three childs.

6. T-F

: Ali buys two pens

7. T-F

: I see a beauty picture in the exhibition.

8. T-F

: Tamara is the tallest girl among her friends.

9. T-F

: I need fifth dollars to pay the book fee.

10. T-F

: My teacher gives me some advise.

1I.T-F

: The TV show is watched by many viewers.

12. T-F

: My teacher effects me to join the trip.

13. T-F

: I go to school yesterday.

14.T-F

: My mother is going to the market last week.

15. T-F

: I attend the class today.

16. T - F

: I have seen five times that film.

17. T-F

: Tamara is very beautiful girl.

18. T- F

: It is enough hot to swim this afternoon.

19. T-F

: An accident occwTed on Ciputat Street yesterday.

20. T-F

: I want some aples.

21. T-F

: I have a new cassete ofPeterpan.

22. T-F

: What did he say.

23. T-F

: What are you doing?

24. T - F

: Don't do it?

Appe11dix2

SEJARAH SINGKAT
SMPNEGERII CIPUTAT

1. LATAR BELAKANG
Pada tahun 1974 di wilayah kecamatan Ciputat belum ada SMP Negeri, yang
ada hanya sekolah swasta, dengan memperhatikan hal tersebut maka oleh pemikirpemikir yang berwawasan maju dipandang perIu mcndirikan sekolah SMP Negeri
di wilayah kecamatan Ciputat. Bersamaan dengan sangat mendesaknya kebutuhan
pendidikan tingkat SLTP di Kelurahan Ciretmdeu, Pemerintah Kelurahan
Cireundeu ada tanah dan dana untuk membangunnya.

2. PENDlRI SEKOLAH

1. Fisik/Bangllnan

Pendirian fisik/bangunan dilakukan aleh pemerintah Kelurahan Cireundeu
Kec. Ciputat Kab. Tangerang
Yang diprakarsai olch :

1. H. Murdi Atl11aja (l11antan lurah)
2. H. Zaini Muhdar (almarhum)
3. Kurnain (mantan ketlla LKMD/almal'hul11)
4. Abd. Mutholib (mantan lurah/almarhum)
5. H. Mardjuki

II. Teknis Edllkatif

1. Drs. H. Munadjat Indria
2. Sidup Kurnain
3. Supardi, HM

4. H. Mujitaba Muhdar
5. H. Hamim Muhdar
6. H.M. Nasir Syah

Awal atau cikal bakal SMP Persiapan, dimulai sejak 2 Januari 1974 di bawah
bimbingan SMP 48 Jakarta dengan menempati bangw1an Madrasah Nurul Falak
sebanyak 21okal. Pada tahun 1975 menempati bangunan baru yang dibangun dengan
swadaya dan swadana Desa Cireundeu. Sekolah iniplli1 beberapa kali mengalami
perubahan nan1a sekolah yaitu pada tahun 1975 - 1979 menjadi SMP

48 Filial

Jakarta, tahun 1979 menjadi SMP Negeri Cileduk dan ditalmn ini pula ditunggalkan
nanlanya menjadi SMP Negeri Cireundeu, tahun 1999 barulal1 namanya menjadi
SMP Negeri 1 Ciputat sampai saat ini.

Tanggal 5 Juli 2004 berdasarkan SK PLP Dirjen Dikdasmen Depdiknas No.
1147 A/C3/SK/2004

SMP Negeri 1 Ciputat mendapat predikat SEKOLAH

STANDAR NASIONAL (SSN). Menm-ut Kepala Sekolah dengan predikat SSN ini
cukup memacu semangat, baik siswa maupun para guru untuk berusaha dan akan
terus berusaha mewujudkan sekolah sesuai dengan fungsinya sebagai Pusat
Pengembangan Logika, Etika dan Estetika melalui Peningkatan Sarana dan Prasarana
seperti Rehabilitasi Gedlli1g dan Pembentukan Moving Class, menciptakan
lingkungan Belajar yang kondusif bagi terwujudnya Proses Pembcllum'an yang lebih
bermakna serta peningkatan kinerja guru melalui berbagai pelatihan seperti CTL dan
KBK.

3. SMP NEGERI 1 CIPUTAT MENUJU SEKOLAH STANDAR NASIONAL
(SSN)

1. Renovasi fisik bangw1an tua (mulai tahlli1 ajm'an 200112002; tems
berlangsung hingga renovasi selesai). Pada tahun-tahlli1 ajaran mendatang
diharapkan memiliki 30 ruang kelas dan sarana lain yang lengkap.

II. Melengkapi fasilitas lUang belajar (pesawat televisi, VCD player, OHP dan
Laptop + Lcd)

III. Peningkatan profesionalisme guru dengan, melanjutkan studi eli perguruan
tinggi (S.1 Dan S.2), pelatihan-pelatihan (CTL, PTBK, MGMP, Pelatihan
SSN), seminar dan workshop dan lain-lain

Appendix 3
DATASEKOLAH
1. Nama Sekolah

SMP Negeri I Ciputat
Cireundeu Raya No.2
Cireundeu I Ciputat
; Tangerang
(021) 7401084
smpnl cpt@yall0o.co.id
20128031001

2. Alamat: Jalan
Desai Kecamatan
Kab/Kota
No. Telp/HP
E-Mail
3. NSS/NSMINDS
4. Jenjang Akreditasi
5. Tahun didirikan
6. Talmn beroperasi
7. Kepemilikan Tanah (swasta)
8. Status Tanall
9. Luas Tanah
10. Status Bangunan
a. Surat Ijin Bangunan
b. Luas Seluruh Bangunan

A

1974
1974
Pemerintah
Hibah
4.000 m2
; Pemerintah
: No
: 3.045 m2

.

Table I
Kondisi Siswa
Tahun Pelajaran

Jumlah

Rasio