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explaining errors systematically p. 740. According to Asher 1994, there are two aims of error analysis. Those are the pedagogical and psycholinguistic aim.
The pedagogical aims to provide feedback about teaching methods and materials, while the psycholinguistic aim is to elucidate on how languages are learnt and
produced p. 740. Errors analysis has its own benefits. As it is stated by Norrish 1983 that
Errors analysis can give a picture of the type of difficulty learners are experiencing. It is clearly stated that errors analysis could draw a depiction about
what kind of difficulty the students are mostly facing. Another benefit of error analysis, as it is claimed by Norrish 1983 is it can indicate common problems to
all, and common problems to particular group. For teachers, they can assess how far they have progressed to the target language.
Dulay et al. 1982 say that studying learners’ errors gives data to teachers and curriculum developers about the students’ difficulties in some parts and to
show what type of errors the students make p. 138. The purpose of errors
analysis by Dulay et al. 1982 is related to the objective of this study which is to show the errors made by the tenth grade students of SMA GAMA Yogyakarta in
writing descriptive text.
4. Theory of writing
Zimmeerman and Rodrigues 1992 say that writing is a way of sharing ideas with others p. 4. Writing can be used as device to reveal the ideas to other
people. Zamel 1983 says, “Writing is a process which the students can explore
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and discover their thoughts, constructing meaning, and assess them at the same time”. It stays in the same page as Zimmeerman and Rodrigues 1992. In this
study, writing means delivering thoughts or ideas to the others through the descriptive text.
Every writing has its own purpose. Walvoord 1985 notes that writing can be claimed as such effective writing if the contents of the writing
show the purpose of the writing to the readers p. 2. This statement vividly goes in line
with Zimmerman and Rodrigues 1992. According to Zimmerman and Rodrigues 1992, “Good writing is writing that is appropriate to the specific writing
situation for which it was produced” p. 8. Meaning that students, as the descriptive text writers should write an appropriate writing to what they are asked
to write about. In other words, if the purpose of the writing is to describe a particular person, place, or thing using senses to create vivid images in reader’s
mind, the contents of the writing should make the readers see images in their minds. In short, being consequent with the purpose of the writing is necessary to
write something.
5. Descriptive text
McMurrey 1983 notes that description is a way to enable the reader to visualize a person, place, or things with some appropriate senses included p.
239. Henry 2008 strengthtens the the statement of McMurrey 1983 related to descriptive text. Henry 2008 points out that through descriptive text, the students
can use and explore their sensory details like smell, sound, sight, taste, and texture to create vivid images in the reader’s mind. In the same boat, Indonesian experts,
