In table 4.8, it can be seen that there were 33 errors found, 11 errors of reported question 33.33, 17 errors of reported command 51.51, and 5 errors of
reported exclamation 15.15. While, there were no error of reported statement, request, and suggestion and advice found in the test. The further discussions on
errors based on the types of reported speech are presented below.
1. Question
There were 11 errors of reported question found in the test 33.33. Below is the example with its discussion.
Example: Direct speech: He said to her, ‘Will you be here tomorrow?’
Reported speech: He asked her to be there the next day. The example above is incorrect because the speech is reported using request
form, whereas the direct speech is an ordinary question, not a request. Since it is ordinary question, the speech should be reported He asked her if she would be there
the next day . Considering this kind of error, it can be noted that students had not been
able to analyse which one was ordinary question and which one was not.
2. Command
From 52 students, it was found that there were 17 errors of reported command 51.51. Most errors indicate that students failed to convert direct command into
reported command. They often converted direct command into reported question. Example:
Direct speech: ‘You might post some letters for me,’ my boss said. Reported speech: My boss asked me if I might post some letters for him.
62 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
The example above is incorrect. Students who made that kind of error were not able to analyse that the direct speech was command. They reported the direct speech
using yesno-question form because the reporting verb used is asked. In fact, the reporting verb asked indicates that the speaker asked someone to do something, not
asked the question which should be answered. The correct reported speech should be My boss asked me to post some letters for him.
3. Exclamation
A direct exclamation must become a statement in reported speech Thomson Martinet, 1980. In the test there were 5 errors of exclamation found 15.15.
Example: Direct speech: ‘What a dirty room’ she said.
Reported speech: She said what a dirty room In the example above, the reported speech is incorrect because there is no subject
and no verb. It is also incorrect because there is the exclamation mark . Since the exclamation becomes the statement in reported speech, the exclamation mark must
be omitted. The correct reported exclamation should be She said what a dirty room that was or She said that was a dirty room.
d. Other Findings
Beside reported speech errors based on the surface strategy taxonomy, the grammatical changes of reported speech, and the types of reported speech, there was
another error found in the test that students made. Some students made errors of spelling in the second part of the test.
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