Kinds of Errors in Using Gerund as Subjective Complement

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

Gerund can serve as subjective complement and their position is usually after “to be”. There are 48 errors in using gerund as subjective complement 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 6 errors of omitting items in gerund as subect found in data. a. Omission of Consanant Letter “m” Original Sentence Reconstruction 41. His chief delight is swiming in the river. His chief delight is swimming in the river. Universitas Sumatera Utara Related to the sample, the students omitted the consonant letter “m” that must appear in that sentence. The error occurs because the student gets interference in using double consonant letter to certain verbs if they get addition of “ed” or “ing”. The final single consonant letter that stands after a short stressed vowel is doubled before adding ed or ing. http:usefulenglish.ruwritingadding-endings-ed-ing-to-verbs .. b. Omission of “ing” Original Sentence Reconstruction 42. The effects of shopping are feel so happy and free. The effects of shopping are feeling so happy and free. Related to the sample above, the students o mited “ing” for “feel” that must appear. Based on the use, “feel” is a verb. After getting suffix – ing , the function of feeling is not as an adjective but it is used as a noun. This error might occurs because of the students’ lack of knowledge about the use of gerund as subjective complement.

2. Addition error

Addition error is the presence of an item which must not appear in a well- formed utterance. There are 16 addition error of gerund as subjective complement made by the students. a. Addition of to infinitive Original Sentence Reconstruction

43. The pleasure in shopping is

to get the things for the first The pleasure in shopping is getting the things for the first. Universitas Sumatera Utara Related to the samples above, the type of error is addition error. Although to infinitive can be used after “to be” to express several ideas, but it is not proper in this sentence because the action of the sentence is in a general sense. It does not refer to one particular action. In addition, the students also om ited the use of “ing” that must appear. These errors might occur because of the inability of the students understanding the use of gerund and infinitive. b. Additi on of “s” Original Sentence Reconstruction

44. His chief delight is swims

in the river. His chief delight is swimming in the river. Addition error is the error found in this sample, it happens because the students added consonant letter “s” to the verb form that must not appear in that sentence. I personally think that they do not understand the use of gerund as subjective complement and it might occurs because they focused on the third person singular so that they add consonant letter “s” to the verb.

3. Misinformation Error

Misinformation error is characterized by the use of the wrong form of the morphemes or structure. There are 24 misinformation errors in using gerund as subjective complement made by the students. a. Misinformation of verb+ing Original Sentence Reconstruction Universitas Sumatera Utara

45. The effects of shopping are

feel so happy and free The effects of shopping are feeling so happy and free Misinformation is the error in these samples because the students used the wrong verb+ing form. The students used the bare infinitive instead of verb+ing. This error might occur because the students do not understand the use of gerund as subjective complement. b. Misinformation of Past Irregular Verb Original Sentence Reconstruction

46. Their difficulty is found

the main idea Their difficulty is finding the main idea Related to the sample above, the students used the wrong verb+ing form. T he students used “found” instead of “finding”. “Found” is the past irregular verb form that is not proper with the structure of the sentece. This error might occur because of the students’ lack of knowledge about the use of gerund as subjective complement.

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 subjective complement. Original Sentence Reconstruction

47. They enjoyig it.

They enjoy it. Universitas Sumatera Utara Misordering is the error in this sample. It is because the students used the wrong order of verb+ing. There must not be a gerund. It is because a subject must be followed by a verb directly, not by a noun. This error might occur because the students do not understand the use of gerund well.

4.2.4. Kinds of Errors in Using Gerund after Preposition