efficient way. Except for correcting written work, the teacher should not correct the errors directly but instead, should put marks representing there is something
wrong with that sentence.
f. Common Error in Using Preposition
Martiin Parrot states that many learners often see prepositions as major of problem.
1. There are so many preposition in English many more than in a lot of
other language and learner often have to make choices and distinctions there are not necessary in their own language.
2. Many choices have little or nothing to do with meaning, and are
therefore particularly difficult to remember.
29
The statement above indicates that many students are difficult how to put the correct preposition. Even though some of the students have already known of
preposition, they still can make the wrong pattern in the preposition well. The error can be found in students constructing the context whether in that context
should be used preposition. It also can be happened in choosing others kind of preposition in others situation or context.
Parrot claims that there are some of the factors that may cause learner’s difficulty in learning preposition:
1. Preposition may be very similar in meaning and the learner’s first
language may not make equivalent distinctions. 2.
Verbs, adjectives and nouns with similar or related meanings may require different prepositions.
3. Verbs in the learner’s language may require a particular preposition
whreas a similar verb in English may require no preposition or one which is used in contexts the learner finds surprising.
4. Different part of speech of the same word may require different
preposition.
30 29
Martin parrot, Grammar for English Language Teacher, printed in United Kingdom; Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 83,.
According to Larsen and Celce, there are three types the problem from the learner’s: using the wrong preposition, omitting required preposition, and using a
superfluous preposition.
31
Dulay stated that the most commons errors are: 1.
Omitting grammatical morphemes, which are items that do not contribute much to the meaning of sentences, as in He hit car.
2. Double marking a semantic feature e, g. past tense when only one
marker is required, as in She didn’t went back. 3.
Regularizing rules, as in womens for women. 4.
Using archiforms – one form in place of several – such as the use of her for both she and has, as in I see her yesterday. Her dance with my
brother. 5.
Using two or more form in random alternation even though the language requires the use of each only under certain conditions, as in
the random use of he and she regardless of the gender of the person of interest.
6. Misordering items in contructions that require a several of word-order
rules that had been previously acquired, as in What you are doing?, or misplacing items that may be correctly placed in more than one place
in the sentences, as in They are all the time late.
32
30
Ibid ., p. 88-89.
31
Marrianne Clece, Diana Larsen, and Freeman, The Grammar Book An ESLEFL Teacher’s Course
, Printed in The USA, London: Newbury House Publisher, Inc., 1983, p. 261.
32
Dullay, Burt, and Krashen, op. cit., pp. 138-139.
B. The General Concept of Preposition
Preposition is a part of speech, it is very important in the sentences to indicate something is located.
1. The Definition of Preposition
John E. warriner says “reposition is a useful little word”
33
. Meanwhile A S Homby says “Preposition is a words or group of word such as in, from, to, out, of,
on behalf of
34
. Although preposition is only a little word or a group of word, preposition has important role in a sentence. With preposition we can see the link
between other words in the sentence. For the example, the words “He lives” with the word “Jakarta” have a meaning the place that he lives is Jakarta. In the other
word the main role of the preposition is to indicate the relationship between words in a sentence. It made us easier to understand the meaning of the sentence.
Preposition always goes with a noun or pronoun which is called the objective of the preposition. And the preposition of preposition is always before
the object of the preposition noun or pronoun. As A S Homby says “Preposition is a word or a group of words such as in, from, to, out, of, on behalf of, used
before a noun or pronoun to show place, position, time or method. The combination of preposition and the object of preposition called a
prepositional phrase. It means that preposition never stands alone, and preposition only has a meaning when it combined. For example, in the sentence “the cat
sleeps on the sofa”, the word “on” is a preposition, introducing the prepositional phrase “on the sofa”.
According to Jeans Yeats, preposition is followed by one or more patterns, which indicate the word order appropriate for the definition. “
35
The researcher summarizes that preposition connects one part of speech with another. Preposition always followed by noun or pronoun which is called the
object of preposition. The preposition is always before the noun or pronoun when
33
John E. warriner, Warriner’s English Grammar and Composition, New York : Harcout Brace Javanovich, Inc., 1982.p.71.
34
A S Homby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, New York : Oxford University Press, 1987.p.996.
35
Jean yates, The Ins and Outs of Prepositions, NewYork : Barron’s Educational Series, Inc, 1999, p. 3.
