of writing is quite easy to arrange because it is based on experience. The writer chooses recount is simply because the main concern of this research is the
grammar, and recount does not requires complex ideas to be composed. So, based
on this thought this research of “An Error Analysis on Students’ Recount Writing
” is conducted.
b. Identification of the Problem
The identifications of problem in this study are: 1.
For most students, writing is difficult. 2.
Due to the number of text types and rules of the text, students is having difficulties in producing a good writing.
3. Students make some grammatical errors in writing.
c. Limitation of Problem
The research will be limited to singular-plural, word form, word choice, verb tense, adding a word, omitting a word, word order, incomplete sentence,
spelling, punctuation, capitalization, article, meaning not clear, run-on sentence; using the error classification by Betty Azar
5
in analysing students’ recount writing academic year 20142015.
d. The Formulation of the Problem
Based on what has been discussed before in the background and the limitation of problem. The writer would formulate the problem as follow:
1. What types of errors are commonly made by the second grade students of
SMP Mutiara Harapan, Pondok Aren in writing recount text? 2.
What causes them to make those errors?
5
Betty SchramperAzar, Understanding and Using English Grammar, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc, 1989, p.A29-A30.
e. The Objective of the Study
The objectives of the study conducted by the writer are: 1.
To find the type of errors that shows the biggest interference in the recount writings of SMP Mutiara Harapan students.
2. To find out the cause of error appearance in the recount writing of SMP
Mutiara Harapan students.
f. The Significance of the Study
The significance of this study has two different roles. The first one is for the students. For the students, this research is expected to encourage students to
commit less error in writing recount text. On the teacher side, this research can hopefully help the teacher as future recommendation in delivering past tense and
recount writing. Hopefully this research will bring improvement to teaching and learning
process based on the error analysis of the writing test.
6
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Error
1. Error and Mistake
Errors and mistakes during the learning process of a language are both representing an incorrect grammatical usage. Pit Corder distinguishes error and
mistake as competence versus performance. He maintains that mistakes do not hold any significance to the process of language learning since their appearance
‘do not reflect a deflect in our knowledge’ but are performance failure, such as memory lapses, spelling pronunciations, tiredness, strong emotion, etc. The
learner commonly are aware of them and can correct them with more or less complete assurance. On the contrary, errors are everything that mistakes are not:
they are significant; they reflect knowledge; they are not self-correctable; and only learners of an L2 make them.
1
In addition, Carl James states that an error arises only when there is no intention to commit one. He also draws a distinction between error and mistake,
he says, error that is created by a student, if this error is then can be corrected by the student means it is a mistake, but if the students cannot in any way correct this
then the error is not intended, and this is the real error.
2
Moreover, Corder defines an error as some breach of language code that creates a result of wrong sentence whereas in the learner of the second language is
shown to have not fully acquired the rules of the code. A mistake by Corder is defines as a more of performance failure whereas the occurrence is because the
learner makes a slip such as false start and a confusion of a structure.
3
From the variation of definition of error provided above, we can conclude that an error is an unintended incorrectness where the learner who did this
incorrect form is creating it because he or she has not fully understood the correct
1
Carl James, Errors in Language Learning and Use, New York: Longman, 1998, p. 78-79
2
James, loc. cit
3
James, loc. cit
usage of the language code. Mistake on the other hand is more of an incorrectness that happens not because the learner who did the mistake does not know the right
form of the sentences, but because he or she is not in the perfect condition that then creates a failure in his or her performance.
2. Types of Error
According to Betty Azar, types of errors are divided into thirteen types; singular-plural, word form, word choice, verb tense, adding a wordomitting a
word, word order, incomplete sentence, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, article, meaning not clear, and run-on sentence.
4
a. Singular-plural
Example of this error She have been here for three
b. Word form
Example of this error: I saw a beauty picture.
c. Word choice
Example of this error: She got on the taxi.
d. Verb tense
Example of this error: She is here since August.
The correct form will be she has been here since August.
4
Betty SchramperAzar, Understanding and Using English Grammar, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc, 1989, p.A29-A30.
