Based on the background of study above, the writer is interested in conducting a research about the relationship
between students‘ understanding of past tense and their skill in writing recount text. Because recount text tells the
event in the past, this text is using past tense as a tense in writing it. The writer wants to know how well the studen
ts‘ understanding in grammar especially in past tense and how well they use it to express their past experience in recount text. In
this case, the writer conducted the research at Mts. Mathla‘ul Anwar, Tangerang.
B. Identification of Problem
Based on the background of the study above, the writer find out the problems as follows:
1. Students have lack of English language vocabulary.
2. Students have difficulties in putting on the correct punctuation in the text.
3. Students have a deficiency in the use of proper grammar in writing.
4. The students have difficulties in choosing tenses that suitable with the situation
in recount text especially in using past tense in it.
C. Limitation of Problem
Based on the identification of problems above, the study limited only on the relationship
between students‘ understanding of past tense and their skill in writing recount text.
D. Formulation of Problem
Based on the background and limitation above, the writer formulate the problem as follow:
―Is there any relationship between students‘ understanding of past tense and their skill
in writing recount text?‖
E. Objective of Study
Based on the formulation above, the objective of study in this research is to know whether there is a relationship
between students‘ understanding of past tense and their skill in writing recount text.
F. Significance of Study
1. For the teachers
To give input about the effective way in teaching writing, so that the students can write good recount text and get high score in writing subject.
2. For the students
a. To give the information about the important of past tense undersatnding
in writing recount text. So that, they can be motivated to practice more than they did before and they are encouraged to learn grammar seriously.
b. It will help the students to improve their scores in past tense and writing
recount text. 3.
For the researcher This research can add insight and knowledge about the use of past tense in
recount text.
5
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Writing Skill
1. Definitions of Skill
Every people in this world have their own skill. A skill is a result of experiments and training that people can achieve it. Based on Wikipedia, ―A skill
is the learned ability to carry out a task with pre-determined results often within a given amount of time, energy, or both.‖
2
Another expert, Boyarzis and Kolb satetd in their journal From Learning Styles to Learning Skills:The Executive Skills Profile
that ―a skill is a combination of ability, knowledge, and experience that anables a person to do something well.
A learning skill defines a generic heuristic that anables mastery of a specific domain.‖
3
Based on the definitions above it can be concluded that skill is something that people can get it by their effort and their experiences and training. People with
high motivation in learning and training, commonly they also have a good skill.
2. Definitions of Writing
Writing is an important element in life, especially in teaching and learning process, the students and the teachers spend most of time in teaching and learning
for writing. As a human being, writing skill is also needed when someone wants to write a note to friend, letters of inquiry, and application to businesses and
schools. Some people also communicate their thought in written form, in papers, reports, and so on. As mentioned in chapter I, writing needs some language
components such as grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation. Therefore,
2
Cited from http:en.m.wikipedia.orgwikiskill
on April, 17.
3
Richard E. Boyarzis and David A. Kolb, From Learning Styles to Learning Skills: the Executive skills profile, Journal of Managerial Psychology, IMCB University Press, 1995 vol.
10 p. 4.
6
people consider that writing is difficult skill to develop because the components are related each other.
Writing is more than a medium of communication. Writing is a way to remember and to think as well.
4
Meyers said that writing is a way to communicate to others through paper or through a computer screen. Writing is a kind of talent,
but it‘s mostly a skill, it improves with practice like another skill. Writing is also an action which has a process such as discovering and organizing ideas, putting
them on paper, and reshaping and revising them.
5
Therefore as mention before, people who want to increase their skill espesially in writing should do an exercise
regularly. Lyons and Kroll stated in Weigle‘s book, Assessing Writing, that writing is
an action which completes some particular purpose in a context that established for signified audience.
6
Still in the same book, Sperling notes that writing is a meaning-making activity which is formed by social and cultural, and have some
purpose for individual and social such as language in general.
7
Based on the definitions above, it can be concluded that writing is an important element in teaching and learning process. Writing is a way to share
unspoken idea or feeling through paper. In writing there are some language components such as grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation that related
each other to make writing meaningful and the purpose of writing is achieved.
3. Definition of Writing Skill
Writing is one of four language skills. Writing is a way to communicate and to give some information to other people by using a language in written form. As
mentioned above, skill is a result of learning activities, training, and experiences and it as same as a writing skill. Writing skill
is an outcome of students‘ activity
4
James C. Raymond, Writing: Is Unnatural Act, New York: Harper Row, 1980 p. 2.
5
Alan Mayers, Gateways To Academic Writing: Effective Sentences, Paragraphs, and Essays, New York: Longman, 2005 p. 2.
6
Sara Cushing Weigle, Assesing Writing, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002 p. 19.
7
Ibid,.
7
in doing some writing task. There are some ways to improve students‘ writing skill:
8
a. Keep a journal
b. Participates in writing prompts
c. Rewrite blog posts
d. Rewrite newspaper and magazine articles
e. Activate google alerts
f. Read beyond what normally read
g. Comment on favorite blog posts.
h. Join a writer‘s group
i. Attend a writer‘s conference or workshop
j. Write
4. Characteristics of Good Writing
In making a good writing, there are some characteristics that students have to know. Andelstein and Pival in their book define the characteristics ofgood
writing as follows:
9
―a Good writing is interesting. This is true regardlessbof whether it is designed to amuse, inform, or persuade the reader. Writers generally
stimulate interest by presenting some knowledge or insight that is new and important to readers what is abvious or already known. b Good writing is
clear. Its ideas have been organized so logically, words selected so carefully, and sentences crafted so skilfully that readers do not need to
struggle to understand what the writers mean. c Good writing is concise. It contains no unnecessary words, phrases, or sentences; consequently, readers
will not feel that their time is wasted. d Good writing is effective. It conveys a message to readers in such a way that it will achieve the effect
that the writer intended. To achieve this objective, writers must choose wisely the ords, sentences, and a paragraph structures that will best
communicate to their readers. So that readers will not be distructed from the messege, good writers also follow the accepted conventions of spelling,
punctuation, capitalization, and so on. e Good writing reflects the authentic voice of the writer. It conveys the sound of someone talking with
8
Cited from http:www.ragan.comMainArticles10_ways_to_improve_your_writing_skillsquickly_
46142.aspx on March, 27.
9
Michael E. Adelstein and Jean G Pival, The Writing Commitment, San Diego: Harcout Brace Jovanovich, 1984, p. 4.
8
another person; however, good writers adapt that ―speaking style‖ to suit the relationship appropriate to the purpose and audience of the writing
occasion. ‖
5. Writing Process
In learning writing subject, there are some processes that make students easier in making a paragraph that will be combined to be some writing. Based on
Mayers, there are six writing processes that students should know; explore ideas, prewriting, organize, write a first draft, revise the draft, produce the final copy.
10
a. Explore ideas
Before writing, the students are supposed to let hisher mind explore freely in order to find the topic for hisher writing. In this first step, the students should find
the answer of what, who, where, when, why, and how questions to hisher topic. Besides, the students also have to ask hisher self about these three questions;
what is the subject, what is the purpose, and who is the audience of the writing. b.
Prewriting The second step of the writing process is put the thoughts or idea on the paper
or on the computer. Prewriting allows the student to visualize his or her writing before begin. The student does not need to worry about grammar, exact word
choice, spelling or punctuation, because it can be change later in editing process. Sundem mentioned in his book that there are three usable formats for prewriting:
11
1. Bubbling mind web
Sundem said that bubbling technique is the easiest way to brainstorm many ideas. In bubbling technique, the student only write the topic in the center of page
and then the student will circle it and connect related ideas like cartoon quote bubbles.
2. Outlining
Outlining is the most specific and directed of these three methods of prewriting. The students are supposed to describe the function of each paragraph
by organizing ideas into topic sentences and supporting details.
10
Mayers, op.cit., p. 3.
11
Garath Sundem, Improving Student Writing Skill, USA, Shell Education, 2007, p. 43.
9
3. Drawingwriting a captioned cartoon strip
This technique is appropriate for fiction or narrative writing. By using this technique, the student is not only defining the flow of events, but they may also be
motivated by enjoying this process. c.
Organize This step of writing process involves selecting, subtracting, and adding ideas,
and then outlining them. The students should think about their purpose and audience. Is the text is to inform, to persuade, or to entertain the reader. The
student should return to hisher prewriting and do the following process: 1.
In the brainstorming list, underline and highlight the best ideas. 2.
Choose the best ideas of the clustering diagram. 3.
Circle and highlight the best part of freewriting. d.
Write a first draft Drafting means writing a preliminary version of a work that you will later
revise.
12
In writing draft, the students or the writer is not demanded to make a perfect draft. There are some tips for drafting:
1. Say something aloud before write it.
2. Write by fast by hand or by computer.
3. Use only one side of the paper.
4. Leave wide margins and double-space to make room for changes.
5. Save work every five or ten minutes on the computer.
e. Revise the draft
I n this process, students‘ writing will be checked in order to know the
mistakes, so the students can correct it to make a perfect writing. Revising means that you rewrite a paper, building upon what has already been done, in order to
make it stronger.
13
There are some tips in revising the draft: 1.
Make notes in the margins—or write new material on separate sheets of paper.
2. Circle words that misspelled or need to change later.
12
Robert Keith Miller, Motives for Writing, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006 p. 23.
13
John, op. cit., p. 26.
10
3. Tape or staple the additions.
4. On the computer, use cut-and-paste or insert commands to move things
around. 5.
Print out a double spaces copy for revisions: Slow down and revise in pencil.
f. Produce the final copy
This is the final step of writing process. In this step the student needs to pay attention to details that have been ignored while getting ideas on paper and
shaping them to fit the purpose that is called editing process. Editing as part of the writing process in producing the final copy should be checked using the
appropriate editing marks by the author and then by a peer or adult.
14
In this process, the components that should be noticed are such as grammar, punctuation,
usage, and spelling. The student may use the dictionary or any other reference materials that needed. The student also can use the spell checker in the computer.
After doing these processes of writing, the studentss are expected to make a good writing. The students are expected to avoid some mistakes in the context of
grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and in selecting the tenses and words that will be used in the text.
B. Past Tense
1. Definitions of Past Tense
The past tense is a tense that indicate an event happened in the past. There are many definitions of past tense according to some experts. According to Frank,
―the past tense indicates definite time terminating in the past, whether a time word is given or not.
‖
15
While Willis said that, ―past tenses are used to refer to past time, and also to refer to imaginary situations, and to express politeness.‖
16
14
Garth Sundem, Improving Student Writing Skill, USA: Shell Education, 2007 p. 61.
15
Marcella Frank, Modern English: A practical reference guide, New Jersey: Prantice- Hall, Inc, 1972, p. 73.
16
Dave Willis, Students’ Grammar, London: HarperCollins, 1991, p. 84.
11
Another experts Roberts Martins said that the past tense is ―a tense that is
most used for narrative purpose i.e. when related about something that has already happened.‖
17
From the definitions from some experts above, it can be concluded that past tense is a tense that indicated a situation or an activity began, happened, and
ended in the past whether the time signal words are mentioned or not. There are four forms of past tense; simple past tense, past continuous tense, past perfect
tense, and past perfect continuous tense.
2. The Form of Past Tense
As mentioned above, there are four forms of past tense; the first of the tense is simple past tense. Azar, in her understanding and using English grammar said
that simple past tense is a tense that shows some situation or activity began and ended at a particular time in the past.
18
The simple past tense is used for an action whose time is not given but which 1 occupied a period of time now terminated,
or 2 occurred in period of time now terminated. These may be expressed diagrammatically thus:
19
a.
b. x
The form of past tense can be affirmative, negative, interrogative, and negative interrogative.
Affirmative : You worked
Negative : You did not work
Interrogative : Did you work?
17
E.W. Roberts Martins, English Grammar and Composition for High Schools, Malaysia: Golden Books Centre SDN. BHD., 2003, p. 138.
18
Betty Schrampfer Azar, Understanding and Using English Grammar, New York: Pearson Education, 1999, p. 27.
19
A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet: A Practical English Grammar, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980, p. 173.
12
The simple past tense is formed by using the simple past of the verb. The simple past tense in regular verbs are formed by adding
–ed or –d worked,
played, loved,..etc. The figure below is the form of simple past tense for regular verbs.
Figure 2.1 The Form of Simple Past Tense for Regular Verbs
20
The simple past tenses in irregular verbs are not formed by adding
–ed or –d.
Thomson said that, ―the simple past form of each irregular verb must therefore be
20
Judy DeFilippo, Grammar Plus, USA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc, 1987, p. 132.
VERB ENDING ED FORM
1. CONSONANT + e
Shave Change
Increase ADD
–d Shaved
Changed Increased
2. CONSONANT + y
Study Cry
Apply DROP y, ADD
–ied Studied
Cried Applied
3. VOWEL + y
Stay Play
ADD –ed only
Stayed Played
4. ONE VOWEL + ONE CONSONANT
Stop Rob
Rip DOUBLE THE CONSONANT
AND ADD –ed
Stopped Robbed
Ripped
5. TWO
VOWELS +
ONE CONSONANT
Clean Cook
Rain TWO CONSONANT
Return Work
Call ADD
–ed only Cleaned
Cooked Rained
Returned Worked
Called
13
learnt, but once this is done there is no other difficulty.‖
21
The figure below is the three main categories of irregular verbs:
Figure 2.2 Three Main Categories of Irregular Verbs
22
Category Examples
Verbs which dont change cut - cut
hit - hit fit - fit
Verbs which change their vowel get - got
sit - sat drink - drank
Verbs which change completely catch - caught
bring - brought teach - taught
The second form of past tense is past continuous tense or past progressive tense. Past continuous tense is a tense that indicate some activity which were
going on had not finished yet at a particular time in the past. Past continuous tense is used for past actions which continued for some time but the exact limits
are not known and are not important. It might be expressed diagrammatically thus:
23
The structure of past continuous tense is S + WasWere + V
1
+ Ing form + O
21
Thomson, op. cit., p. 148.
22
Cited from
http:web2.uvcs.uvic.caelcstudyzone330grammarirpast.htm on
November 2013.
23
Thomson, op. cit., p. 149.
14
Figure 2.3 Form of Past Continuous Tense for TO BE
Subject TO BE
I You
They We
She He
It Was
Were Were
Were Was
Was Was
Affirmative : I was working
Negative : I was not working
Interrogative : Was I working?
Next form of past tense is past perfect tense. Robert and Martin said, ―past perfect tense is used to explain some activity ended in the past or to show about
two past actions that one past action happened or was completed before the other began.‖
24
The structure of past perfect tense is S + Had + V
3
Affirmative : I had worked
Negative : I had not worked
Interrogative : Had I worked?
The last form of past tense is past perfect continuous tense. Past perfect continuous tense is a tense that explain about some activity ended or still
continuing in the past. The structure of past perfect continuous tense is
S + Had + Been + Ing form
24
Roberts Martins, op. cit., p. 141.
15
Affirmative : I had been working
Negative : I had not been working
Interrogative : Had I been working?
3. The Function of Past Tense
A. Simple past tense
Simple past tense is one of past tense forms. Simple past tense is a tense that indicate some event or activity began and ended at a particular time in the past.
There are some functions of simple past tense:
25
1. One event completed in the past.
e.g. : - I saw a good film last night
- I came here yesterday 2.
Repeated events completed in the past and no longer happening. e.g.
: - I always went to the zoo with my parents when I was child - When I was young, I went swimming everyday
To express the habit that happened in the past, usually some writers use a words such as usually, always, never, every day.
26
3. Duration of an event completed in the past.
e.g. : - They lived in Jakarta for ten years
- Qomi studied English when he was in New York
B. Past Continuous Tense
