The Causes of Errors

3. The Classification of Errors

Azar in her book explains that there are thirteen kinds of errors that the students frequently make in their writing, as follows: a. SINGULAR-PLURAL The sentence “He have been here for six months” should be replaced by “He has been here for six months ”. b. WORD FORM The sentence “I saw a beauty picture” should be replaced by “I saw a beautiful picture ”. c. WORD CHOICE The sentence “She got on the taxi” should be replaced by “She got into the taxi. d. VERB TENSE The sentence “He is here since June” should be replaced by “He has been here si nce June”. e. ADD A WORD The sentence “I want __ go to the zoo” should be replaced by “I want to go to the zoo”. f. WORD ORDER The sentence “I saw five times that movie” should be replaced by “I saw that movie five times”. g. INCOMPLETE SENTENCE The sentence “I went to bed. Because I was tired” should be replaced by “I went to bed because I was tired ”. h. SPELLING The s entence “An accident occured” should be replaced by “An accident occurred ”. i. PUNCTUATION The sentence “What did he say.” should be replaced by “What did he say?” j. CAPITALIZATION The sentence “I am studying english” should be replaced by “I am studying English ”. k. ARTICLE The sentence “I had accident” should be replaced by “I had an accident”. l. MEANING NOT CLEAR The sentence “He borrowed some smoke. ? ? ? ”. m. RUN-ON SENTENCE The sentence “My roommate was sleeping, we didn’t want to wake her up” should be replaced by “My roommate was sleeping. We didn’t want to wake her up ”. 10

4. The Procedures of Errors Analysis

In the language teaching, either a native language or a second language teaching, study about the students’ errors is very important. Theo Van Els and friends states that there are some procedures in errors analysis, namely; a. Identification of errors b. Description of errors c. Explanation of errors d. Evaluation of errors e. Preventingcorrection of errors 11 The first step in the process of analysis is identification of errors. In this step, teachers recognize the students’ errors from the task given. The second step is the description of errors begun when identification stages have taken place. The description of the students’ errors involves classification of sort of errors made by the students. The third step is explanation of errors that can be regarded as a linguistic problem. This step attempts to account for how the errors can happen and why the 10 Bety Schrampfer Azar, Understanding and Using English Grammar, 2 nd Edition, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1992, p. A 29. 11 Theo Van Els and friends, Applied Linguistics and the Learning and Teaching of Foreign Languages, London: A Division of Hodder Stoughton, 1983, p. 47. errors occur. The fourth step is the evaluation of errors in which the teachers will give the task to the students. Finally, the last step is the process of analysis is correction of errors where the teachers check the result from the task done by the students. Then, they correct the errors that the students made. Example: Table 2.1 The Examples of the Procedures of Errors Analysis Identification of Errors Classification of Errors Description Explanation Correction Causes of Errors I not go to school every Sunday Omit a word ‘not’ should be preceded by ‘do’ I do not go to school every Sunday Inter-lingual Transfer I am want to buy that gorgeous stuff Add a word ‘am’ should be omitted I want to buy that gorgeous stuff Context of Learning

B. Grammar

For most people, the essence of language lies in grammar. It enables us to make statements about how to use our language. In brief, grammar represents one’s linguistic competence; therefore it include many aspects of linguistic knowledge: the sound system phonology, the system of meaning semantics, the rules of word formation morphology, the rules of sentence syntax, and the vocabulary of words lexicon. “Language without grammar would be chaotic: countless words without the indispensable guidelines for how they can be ordered and modified. A study of grammar syntax and morphology reveals a structure and regularity, which lies at the basic of language and enables us to talk of the language syst em.” 12

1. The Definitions of Grammar

Penny Ur noted that “Grammar is defined as words are put together to make correct sentences it does not only affect how the units of words are combined in order to make correct sentences but also affects their meaning.” 13 Besides, Paul Robert noted that “Grammar is a body of generalization about how people says thing in order to make generalization, we must agree on the meaning of terms for the things we wish to talk about. Grammar accuracy is only part of communication to convey a message, where grammar is merely a tool. According to Scott Thornburry 1999 wrote “Grammar is partly the study of what forms or structures are possible in language. Traditionally, grammar has been concerned almost exclusively with analysis at the level of the sentence formed rules that govern how a language’s sentences are formed.” 14 In conclusion, grammar is a field of linguistic that involves all the various things that make up the rules of language.

2. The Types of Grammar

Grammar may be separated into two common broad categories: descriptive and prescriptive. Both views of grammar are in wide use, although in general, linguists tend towards a descriptive approach to grammar, while people are teaching a specific language; English, might tend towards a more prescriptive approach. 15 David Crystal lists six types of grammar: descriptive grammar, pedagogical grammar, prescriptive grammar, reference grammar, theoretical grammar, and traditional grammar. 16 Kathryn Riley and Frank Parker state that there are four types of grammar; prescriptive grammar is primarily interested in constructing rules of usage for the prestige variety of a language, descriptive grammar is primarily interested in 12 Paul Batstone, Grammar, New York: Oxford University Press, 1950, p. 4 13 Penny Ur, A Course in Language Teaching Practice and Theory, London: Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 75. 14 Scott Thornburry, How to teach grammar, London: Longman, 1999, p. 1. 15 http:www.answers.comtopicgrammar, 8 Juli 2009 16 http:www.llp.armstrong.edu5800types.html. 8 Juli 2009