30 The first common grammatical errors is the missing
–s or –es suffix. The missing
–s or –es suffix is found on the verbs after subjects “he, she, and it” and also on the nouns as the plural marker. The second common grammatical error is
the incorrect verb sequence on past tense. On the incorrect verb sequence on past tense, the researcher also finds the missing
–ed as past participle.
B. The discussion on the occurrences of errorss
In order to answer what are the possible reasons of the occurrences of errors found on
the students’ of the CLS, class B, the researcher had held questionnaire and interview. The questionnaire was held on May 29, 2012 after
the students’ final presentation. The participants that filled the questionnaire were 46 students.
In this section the researcher discusses the results of the questionnaire and interview to conclude the possible reasons of the occurrences of errors found on
the students’ of the CLS, class B. Table 4.2 the results of the questionnaire of the Critical Listening and Speaking
’ students, class B.
No Questions
Answers Number of
answers
1. What difficulties do they
face in Speaking? Accuracy Fluency
Nervous Grammar
Do not understand the questions
Pronunciation Vocabulary
Time Management Not prepare
4 19
8 2
3 6
1 1
2. What do they do to
overcome the difficulties they face?
Practice Focus when speaking
Do preparations Positive thinking
24 1
4 3
31
No Questions
Answers Number of
answers
Keep calm relax Making notes
4 2
3. Do you usually prepare
themselves before the speaking class or before
they give speech? Not answering
No Yes:
Without explanation Making note
Relaxing Mind mapping
Practicing 1
4 6
19 1
1 11
4. How many hours do they
usually practice their speaking in a week?
Not answering ≤ 2 hours
2 hours Only during the speaking class
Before the class started Once a week
Often A night before
17 13
4 6
1 1
1 1
5. Do they feel nervous
when they speak in public or in front of the
class? Why? No
Yes: Lack of confidence
Afraid of making errors: grammar matter; pronunciation
Do not understand the materials
The audiences are scary Lost the words and
preparations Soft voice
Not well prepared Confusion of the diction
To get the audiences’ attention 6
7 11
1 8
5 1
4 1
1
The number of answers does not count the participants who answer the questions. However, it counts the answers written on the questionnaire which showing that a
participant may answer more than one answers from questions on the questionnaire.
32 Besides the questionnaire, the researcher also held interviews. The
participants of the interviews were chosen based on their error levels and the numbers of errors that appeared the most. The error levels were divided into three
levels; low, medium, and high. Every level had a range number of error. The low level was from 0-6 errors, the medium was from 7-14 errors and the high was
from 15-21errors. The participants of the interview were selected also based on the number of the errors that appeared the most, which were 3, 4, 9, 11, 14, 20,
and 21. However, there was one student could not be contacted. Because of that condition the researcher searched another student randomly. The researcher asked
10 students in total as the participants of the interview. The first question asked about their feeling when they were delivering
their speech publicly. Most of the participants stated that they were nervous and they agreed that nervousness
did increase someone’s errors while speaking. The participants stated that nervousness made them uncomfortable, and made them
produce incorrect sentences. The audiences also seemed to find their errors. The researcher also asked about whether they were aware of their errors
when they were speaking or not. All the participants answered that they were aware, but only seven participants said that they corrected their errors if they had
time. During the interview, the researcher also found that not all the participants knew the function of
–s, –es and –ed suffixes. When the participants did not understand the function of certain grammatical rules, they would likely produce
more errors.
33 Besides asking about the functions of certain suffixes, the researcher also
asked about the significance of this suffix when the English sentences were translated into Indonesian. Six from ten participants stated that
–s or –es suffix were insignificant, but only
–ed suffix that was significant in Indonesian sentences. This finding proves the theory on over generalization, the English learner omits
the items which are contrasted in the grammar of the language but which do not carry significant and obvious contrast for the learner Richards. 1971.
Based on the interview the researcher also found that seven participants usually translated Indonesian sentences to English when they were delivering their
speech. The participants also agreed that past event or past tense was difficult in speaking. They said that they could not
remember the verbs’ change. The researcher also asked the participants to give percentage for
“A”; using the correct sentences grammatically so that the audiences will understand
their speech; or “B”; talking fluently and may not use correct grammar sentences
but at least understandable. Most of them gave the higher percentage for “B”.
However, when the researcher explained that they were prepared to be teachers, some of them changed the percentage and gave higher percentage for
“A”. After examining those findings, the researcher concludes some possible
reasons of the occurrence of the errors in general occurred on students of the CLS, class B. The first possibility is the
students’ nervousness while speaking in public. Pittenger as stated by Carnegie 1905 states that
“there is a strange sensation that is often experienced in the presence of an audience. It may proceed from the gaze
of the many eyes that turn upon the speaker. ” Pittenger as stated by Carnegie
34 1905 agrees that the eyes staring the speakers would likely make the speakers
uncomfortable, or created unpleasant atmosphere. This condition increases the speakers to produces more errors because of their nervousness.
The second possibility is that many students of the CLS, class B were afraid of producing errors and mistakes on their speeches. Their focus on errors
was increasing their nervousness and errors. Carnegie 1905 on his book, The Art of Public Speaking
, says that “when people are thinking about the sentence
followed when they are talking, the possibility is they will produce more errors or fillers.
” Their being afraid of producing errors may because the third possibility,
their confusion of tenses usage. The researcher had asked whether the various rules of English grammar burdened them when learning English or not. Most of
their answers were “not”, various rules of English grammar were not a burden for
them. Nevertheless, they said that they were still confused with the usage of tenses, though those rules were not a burden. Their confusion supported them in
increasing the errors. In addition to the explanation above, through the interview, some of the
students said that they could do better in writing, meaning that they could produce less grammatical errors in writing. In writing, it is obvious that they can read their
previous sentences and they will be able to analyze whether their sentences are correct or not. However, they cannot correct their sentences in speaking which
made speaking more difficult than writing. Their fear of being wrong had
35 supported them to focus on delivering their ideas and being understood by the
audiences. The fourth possibility is because of the lack of practice from the student of
the CLS, class B. From the questionnaire, most of them did not answer the question asking about the time they spent to practice. Based on the questionnaire,
only thirteen answers answered they practiced speaking more than two hours in a week. These answers showed that most of them did not practice their speaking
outside the class. The preparations they made mostly were in forms of notes and individual practices. Moreover, they practiced them mostly during the speaking
class. The fifth possibi
lity is because of the students’ high tolerance of speaking accuracy. Through the interview the researcher found that most of the students of
the CLS, class B, preferred to deliver their speech by eliminating the grammar rules than to deliver correct sentences. One of students argued that even though
they eliminated the grammar rules, their friends still could understand them. This statement was one of the reasons of their intention of eliminating the grammar
rules. The last possibly is that the students were not fully aware that they were
prepared to be teachers. The researcher asked them to give percentages on two criteria. The first criterion was
“A”, having grammatically correct sentences in order
to be understood by others. The second was “B”, not having grammatically correct sentences but still understandable. The result was that most of them gave
higher percentages on “B” rather than “A”.
36 On the other hand, after the researcher explained that they were prepared
to be teachers even though they were willing to be teachers or not, most of them changed the percentages. They used their second chance to give the
“A” higher percentage. Examining these answers, the researcher concludes that the students
are not fully aware that they are prepared to be teachers who should be a good role model on speaking, writing, listening and reading. Their unawareness led them to
ignore grammar rules when they were speaking. Furthermore, since they were not aware that they were prepared to be teachers, it might trigger their
communication-only goal. According to Richards 1971, when the language is seen as a tool of communication, the learners’ motivation to deliver the
communication to others will exceed the motivation to produce grammatically correct sentences.
C. The discussion on the common grammatical errors
