language can be conducted in written or spoken forms. But because marking written test is easier than marking oral tests and because written tests take less
time and are easier to administer, most tests are based on the written skills. He also states that the test items of grammar in the form of written test can be in the
form of multiple choices, fills in, sentence writing, and parallel writing. Meanwhile, Thornburry 2002: 141 clarifies that grammar is typically tested by
means of what are called discrete-item test. That is, the individual components of the learner’s knowledge for example, irregular past tense verb forms such as
went, saw, did, etc. are tested using tasks such as gap-fill. In this research, I chose an objective test consisting of multiple choices, completion, and sentence analysis.
2. Task-Based Language Teaching
a. Definition of Task
Task-based language teaching is one of the methods of communicative approach emphasizing process of teaching and learning as a set of communicative
tasks to engage the students in active language learning using various tasks. Nunan 2004: 1 defines tasks into real world or target tasks and pedagogical
tasks. Real world or target tasks refer to a task relates to the activity outside and when it is transformed into the classroom, it becomes pedagogical tasks. Here are
some definitions about pedagogical tasks since it correlates to this research: Nunan 2004: 4 draws a task is
a piece of classroom work that involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target
language while their attention is focused on mobilizing their grammatical knowledge in order to express meaning, and in which the intention is to convey
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meaning rather than to manipulate form. The task should also have a sense of completeness, being able to stand alone as a communicative act in its own right
with a beginning, a middle and an end. Further, Bygate et al in Brenden 2006: 5 clarifies that : “a task is an activity which requires learners to use language, with
emphasis on a meaning to attain an objective.” Richards in Nunan 2004:1 also defines a task . . . an activity or action
which is carried out as the result of processing or understanding language i.e. as a response. For example, drawing a map while listening to a tape, listening to an
instruction and performing a command may be referred to as tasks. Tasks may or may not involve the production of language. A task usually requires the teacher to
specify what will be regarded as successful completion of the task. The use of a variety of different kinds of tasks in language teaching is said to make language
teaching more communicative since it provides a purpose for a classroom activity which goes beyond the practice of language for its own sake.
Ellis 2003: 16 outlines that a task is a work plan that requires learners to process language pragmatically in order to achieve an outcome that can be
evaluated in terms of whether the correct or appropriate propositional content has been conveyed. To this end, it requires them to give primary attention to meaning
and to make use of their own linguistic resources, although the design of the task may predispose them to choose particular forms. A task is intended to result in
language use that bears a resemblance, direct or indirect, to the way language is used in the real world. Like other language activities, a task can engage productive
or receptive, and oral or written skills and also various cognitive processes. perpustakaan.uns.ac.id
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Task-based focuses the language learning process on how that language is used to accomplish the task conducted commonly in group. Richards 2006: 31
supports the use of tasks should fulfill some key characteristics of a task. The characteristics are:
1 It is something that learners do or carry out using their existing language resources.
2 It has an outcome which is not simply linked to learning language, though language acquisition may occur as the learner carries out the task.
3 It involves a focus on meaning. 4 In the case of tasks involving two or more learners, it calls upon the learners’
use of communication strategies and interactional skills. From those theories, it is assumed that a task is a number of meaningful
activities engaging learners in particular forms to comprehend, manipulate, produce or interact in the target language to result an outcome that can be
evaluated as a result of the study.
b. Tasks Goals
