Dewi Puji Anggriani, 2201403568 (2007) An Analysis of Students’ Errors on Simple Past Tense (A case of the Tenth Grade Students of SMA Negeri 1 Pekalongan in the Academic Year 2006/007). Under Graduates thesis, Universitas Negeri Semarang.

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Abstract

The objectives of this study are to find out the dominant errors on simple past tense, and to identify the factors that may cause the students’ errors. The writer chooses this topic because many Indonesian students get problems in comprehending the simple past tense. Indonesian and English are quite different both phonologically and grammatically. Besides that, Indonesian does not use tenses the way English does. The population of this study was the 10th grade students of SMA Negeri 1 Pekalongan. The total number of the population was 320 students. To take the sample, the writer used a random sampling technique. The whole population was grouped into 8 classes; those were classes X.1, X.2, X.3, X.4, X.5, X.6, X.7, and X.8. The writer wrote each of the students’ names on a piece of paper. Then the writer rolled the papers and put them into a slot of a tin can. After being well mixed, the papers were dropped out of the slot one by one. The writer took 12.5% of the population (320 students), so there were 40 students taken as the sample of the study. In gathering the data, the writer employed a test method. In preparing the test, the writer classified the test items into 6 categories: Affirmative statement, negative statement, and yes-no questions, question words question, adverb of time, and past habit. The instrument of the study was developed in the form of completion items and conversion items consisting of 110 items. A try out test was conducted. Then, the writer measured the validity, reliability, discriminating power and level of difficulty. From the analysis, it was found that there were 100 valid items which were taken as the final version to be used as the instrument of the study. After administering the test to the students, the writer analyzed the result by using statistical analysis and non-statistical analysis. The test result of statistical analysis shows the percentages of errors that were made by the students on simple past tense. In this category there were 713 errors, which were equal to 45.97 percent. The test result using statistical analysis was calculated to find out the dominant errors. The data showed each type of errors as follows: Affirmative statement (153 errors = 6%); Negative statement (10 errors = 6%); Yes-no questions (85 errors = 5.6%); Question word (145 errors = 7.25 %); Adverb of time (54 errors = 5.4%); Past habit (156 errors = 15.6%). The test result using non statistical analyzed to find out the causes or sources of the errors. The result of the analysis reveals that there were 713 errors (45.97%) because interlingual errors were 296 errors (35.24%) and intralingual errors were 417 errors (64.76%). The writer shows that past habit type of errors constituted the largest number of errors and so they are the dominant errors. In this category there were 156 errors, which were equal to 15.6 percent. This error occurred because the students found them confusing since the verb in English change according to the time relation. In Indonesian there are no changes of the verb caused by the tenses. In conclusion the students tended to have problems related to simple past tense and they were likely to have problems in forming the verb into past tense.

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