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a. Singular Generic Nouns
Compared to that of other classifications of generic nouns, the concept of articles for singular generic nouns was a concept with the poorest mastery. This was
verified with two out of four classifications of singular generic nouns concept which were poorly mastered below 50. Table 4.1 provided the data of
students’ mastery on articles for singular generic nouns.
Table 4.1: Students’ Mastery on Articles for Singular Generic Nouns
No Article Used before
a singular generic noun
of which: Test
Items Example
Mastery Meaning
1. An
• its first sound is a vowel or
diphthong • its first letter is
a vowel or a diphthong
Part A: 3,12
Part B: 3,13
49 An apple contains sugar.
part I, number 3 68.87 Sufficient
2. • its first sound
is a vowel or diphthong
• its first letter is a consonant
Part A: 8, 17
Part B: 9,19
50 An hourglass is a
device that was used to measure
the passing of an hour. part I,
number 8 51.42 Insufficient
3. A
• its first sound is a consonant
• its first letter is a consonant
Part A: 9, 18
Part B: 10, 20
51 A bird has two
wings. part I, number 9
49.53 Poor
4. • its first sound
is a consonant • its first letter is
a vowel or a diphthong
Part A: 6, 15
Part B: 7, 17
52 A uniform is a set
of standard clothes worn by members
of certain organizations. part
I, number 6 32.08 Poor
Table 4.1 shows the students’ mastery on articles for generic singular nouns. As stated in the previous paragraph, this concept was actually the most poorly
mastered concept. The lack of mastery was proven by the mastery percentage of the three classifications which were below 50. Concepts number 2, 3, and 4
cannot achieve the minimum standard of mastery 56 yet. The poorest mastery
55 was on the concept number 4. The table frankly shows that the mastery on articles
for singular generic nouns needed to be improved. To assist the students to improve their mastery, it was important to find out the possible causes of errors.
Those possible causes are explained in the separated discussion in this research titled the possible causes of errors.
Besides showing the students poor mastery on the use of articles for singular generic nouns, the table also shows that an mastery is higher than a mastery. It
explained that the students already understood how to use an, though they did not master it well. Nonetheless, there was no further research to investigate the cause
of the mastery gap yet. It was probably as there were only a few nouns with an compared to those with a. As a result, it was easier for the students to identify
nouns preceded with an thanthose with a.
In summary, the students still need the teacher’s guidance with the intention of improving the mastery on the use of articles for singular generic noun. The
guidance might be in terms of written and oral feedback and explanation. However, before the teachers gave appropriate feedback and explained the errors,
it would be better for them to identify the errors and the possible causes of them first. Those errors and the possible causes were expected to help the teachers to
find an appropriate way to explain or to give feedback.
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b. Plural and Noncount Generic Nouns
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