An Analysis Of Grammatical Amp Mechanical Errors In Writing Narrative Text

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This part discusses some introductory points include background of problem, the
research question, the purpose of research, the significance of research, rationale,
methodology of research, data analysis, and clarification of the terms.
1.1 Background of Problem
Each and every day, in every social interaction, we communicate our
feelings, ideas, and thoughts with others, besides, we keep social relations among
others when we communicate either verbally or nonverbally.
As social being, interaction and communication take an important place
in our life because people are actually dependent. Brown (1994: 159) explains that
interaction is the collaborative exchange of thoughts, feelings, or ideas between
two or more people resulting in a reciprocal effect on each other.
From the statement above, it can be inferred that interaction and
communication cannot be separated from language which is a main tools for them
(interaction and communication).
In teaching and learning process, language is important. Through
language, all ideas from teachers can be well communicated. A successful
communication will lead teachers to achieve a successful teaching.
Moreover, at present, there are many languages can be used to make a
communication among human beings. Many people can speak more than one

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language. They can master not only their native language but also their foreign
language—English, Dutch, French, etc.
Brown (1994: 122) says that English increasingly has used as a tool for
interaction among non-native speakers. English has become a tool for
international communication in transportation, commerce, banking, tourism,
technology, diplomacy, and scientific research.
In Indonesia, English takes an important place and has used largely in
many sectors of life, such as education, culture, economic, etc. In the field of
education, English plays as the subject, which is taught and learned by many
people from kindergarten up to the university. In teaching and learning process,
students are expected to practice English fluently, either good at listening,
speaking, reading or writing.
Most Indonesian students regarded writing as a difficult subject to learn
and to practice. Lenneberg (1967) in Brown (1994: 319) notes that human beings
universally learn to walk and to talk but that swimming and writing are culturally
specific learned behaviors. We learn to swim if someone teaches us. We learn to
write if we are members of a literate society and usually only if someone teaches
us. Therefore, many Indonesian English students were frequently criticized from
their lack of writing ability. This caused that students to make errors during their
writing process. They make some sentences ungrammatically, then make some
errors in writing mechanism.

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In written English, the grammatical and mechanical rules cannot be
separated. It would be impossible to learn or to write something effectively
without knowing the grammar and mechanics.
Grammatical rules are the way in which words are organized in a
language in order to make a correct sentence (Hewings and Hewings, 2005: 1). It
helps learners to identify grammatical forms, which serve to enhance and sharpen
the expression of meaning. Then, mechanical rules are conventional rules such as
the one requiring capitalization for the first word of a sentence.1
It helps them to
identify mechanical aspects, which involve spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
and paragraphing. A correct grammatical structure and mechanics will determine
the meaning of the sentence and it can avoid misunderstanding to the readers.
Moreover, the writer’s reason of choosing this case is based on his
teaching experience in Senior High School of Al-Islam, Cilengkrang, Bandung.
From that teaching experience, he found a problem which is related to students’
comprehension in writing text.
The problem involves errors on grammatical and mechanical rules in
English. Based on that problem, the writer is interested to analyze the errors and
to further know about kinds of grammatical and mechanical aspects which are
often met, and to know students reasons or argument for making the errors. Then,
the researcher would like to give an overcoming to the English teachers in that
school to avoid or at least to decrease the errors students make.
1
Taken from: http://teachingenglishonline.net/grammatical-and-mechanical-sentence-problems-
in-writing-1/ [accessed on 11/12/2012].

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To give a little description about what the writer intends to do, he puts
some examples of grammatical and mechanical errors in writing, which are the
result of his pre-observation on his teaching experience at SMA Al-Islam
Cilengkrang, Bandung, as follow:
A. Grammatical Aspect
1. The students wrote the composition using sentence patterns well.
For example, “My mother cooks everyday in my house.”
2. The students used the wrong articles.
For example, “Dina play a games everyweek.”
3. The students could not determine the singular and plural forms.
For example, “He cannot use his both foots to walk.”
4. The students ignored the tenses.
For example, “The teacher teach English yesterday.”
B. Mechanical Aspect
1. The students made some mistakes in spelling.
For example, “I go to shcool at 7 am.”
2. The students made some mistakes in punctuation.
For example, “Are you sick.”
3. The students made some mistakes in capitalization.
For example, “He met mr. andi last year.”

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In the case of grammatical errors, the writer would like to analyze the
errors in tense, pronoun, word order, articles and preposition. While in mechanical
errors, he would like to analyze the spelling-mistakes, errors in capitalization and
punctuation.
Brown (1994:340) suggests that in the case of writing, error correction
must be approached in a different manner. So it is hoped that this research can
overcome and give solution to the errors they make. It is also expected that the
result of writing evaluation can make the students to avoid some errors during the
writing process whether it is grammatically or mechanically.
Regarding those statements above, the writer formulates his research
entitled “AN ANALYSIS OF GRAMMATICAL AND MECHANICAL
ERRORS IN WRITING NARRATIVE TEXT MADE BY GRADE ELEVEN
STUDENTS OF SMA PGRI TANJUNGSIANG SUBANG”.
1.2 The Research Question
Based on the explanation above, what the writer tries to search for in this
research can be interpreted into several questions as follow:
A. What kinds of grammatical and mechanical errors do the students make
in their writing?
B. What are the casual factors of errors they make in their writing?

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1.3 The Purpose of Research
Regarding the problems above, this research intends to find out the
follow purposes:
A. To find out the kinds of grammatical and mechanical errors that the
students make in their writing.
B. To find out the casual factors of errors that the students make in their
writing.
1.4 The Significance of Research
This research has significances in some areas as follows:
1.4.1 To the English Department and Englihs teachers:
a. This research will get them know how to avoid students’ errors on
grammar and mechanics in writing an English composition.
b. The teachers will know what they have to do and they can
stimulate their students to write an English composition
grammaticallay and mechanically correct.
1.4.2 For the students:
a. By this research, students will recognize their grammatical and
mechanical errors and then do the self-correction in writing.
b. They will avoid those grammatical and mechanical errors in their
writing.

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1.4.3 For the other reseacher:
a. This research can be a source of information in order to show the
grammatical and mechanical errors by giving the right forms of
the errors that are found from this research.
b. This research will be a reference for someone who looks for the
material related to errors on grammar and mechanics in writing
composition.
1.4.4 For the writer:
a. He will know more about the errors evident in students’ writing
composition and giving the ways to overcome the errors of
grammar and mechanics in their writing.
b. He will know some factors and students’ reasons of making errors
in their writing then he tries to solve the problems of their
reasons.
1.5 Rationale
Evaluation, according to Gilbert Sax (1980: 18) in Arifin (2010: 5), is a
process through a value judgment or decision is made from a variety of
observations and from the background and training of the elevator.
Evaluation can be used as a tool to measure the ability of students’
acquisition in their study. This way is useful for a teacher to know his/her
students’ achievement in their learning. Because of this evaluation, teacher can

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prepare what they have to do in order to get their students gain the information
and knowledge which are given by him/her during the process of learning.
One of evaluation tools is an analysis. According to (Kamaluddin, 2000:
6), analysis is “a process of using a technique to identify, classify, and interpret
systematically to the given data made by the students in order to determine the
progress or success in learning a foreign language and what problems they
encounter.”
What will be analyzed here is about the errors of grammar and mechanics
in writing narrative text. Error is a flawed side of a learner speech or writing. The
error is explained in Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics
(1992), which is quoted by Abushihab in his Journal (2011: 545), as follow:
A student makes mistakes and errors when writing. Mistakes are due to
lack of attention, fatigue or carelessness. They can be self-corrected when
attention is called. Errors are the use of linguistic items in a way that a
learner of the language regards them as showing faulty or incomplete
learning. They occur because the learner does not know what is correct,
and thus errors cannot be self-corrected.
According to Brown (2000: 217), “a mistake refers to a performance
error in that it is a failure to utilize a known system correctly; while an error is a
noticeable deviation from the adult grammar of a native speaker, reflecting the
inter-language competence of the learner.”
Grammatical errors are the errors which include errors in tense, pronoun,
articles, word-order and preposition. Then mechanical errors are the errors in
spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
The type of text will be used for analysis is narrative text. Narrative text
is a type of texts which tells a series of event from one time to other one, which is

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outlined from first events, then triggers crisis, and then get resolution (Pratyasto,
2011: 39).
Regarding those explanation above, the writer is interested to analyze
students’ errors in their composition of writing narrative text either grammatically
or mechanically. This is done in order to give a contribution by giving the
solutions to overcome the errors.
Therefore, error analysis can give information about students’ difficulties
during their acquisition and the way they learn and develop their language
learning. The writer expects that the results of this analysis of error can help
English teachers to adapt themselves to the learner’s needs rather than impose
their (the teachers’) preconceptions of how the students ought to learn and when
they ought to learn. The chart shown in Figure 1.1 well illustrates this rational.
1.6 Methodology of Research
Kothari (2004: 8) explains that research methodology is a way to
systematically solve the research problem. It may be understood as a science of
studying how research is done scientifically.

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This research uses a qualitative methodology because the study is
intended to discover the phenomenon exists in student writing, that is the errors in
grammar and mechanics rules. According to Sugiyono, (2012: 15) a qualitative
methodology is a research methodology that is based on postpositive philosophy
and used to do a research on scientific subject (not experiment) where the writer is
an instrument key. In their Handbook of Qualitative Research, Denzin and
Lincoln (2000: 3) in Ritchie and Lewis (2003: 2) offer the following definition:
Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the
world. It consists of a set of interpretive, material practices that makes
the world visible. These practices turn the world into a series of
representations including field notes, interviews, conversations,
photographs, recordings and memos to the self. At this level, qualitative
research involves an interpretive, naturalistic approach to the world. This
means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings,
attempting to make sense of, or to interpret, phenomena in terms of the
meanings people bring to them.
Research process consists of series actions or steps necessary to
effectively carry out research. The chart shown in Figure 1.2 well illustrates a
research process.

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1.6.1 Method of Research
This research uses a descriptive method. The purpose of this method is
to describe the grammatical and mechanical errors in students’ writing for the
grade eleven students of SMA PGRI Tanjungsiang, Subang.
1.6.2 Source of Data
The writer takes the data from some published-books, e-books,
journals, and websites related to this research. The data gives the writer some
theoretical backgrounds to support writing this paper.
1.6.3 Technique of Collecting Data
The techniques that used by the writer in this research for collecting
the data are through:
1.6.3.1 Test
Test is an instrument that can be used to measure a base
capability and achievement. The important of using the test will
understand the problem of collecting data in the research (Arikunto,
2006: 223).
The test will be obtained from asking the students to write a free
composition on narrative text consisting at least of three paragraphs or
in 90 minutes on free topics. Each student is provided with two pieces
of lined polio paper and a piece of test containing the instruction of
doing test. They are then asked to write a composition. After students
finished their writing, the writer collects their writing and choose 15

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compositions randomly. Then he analyzes them by investigating the
grammatical and mechanical errors in their writing.
1.6.3.2 Interview
In order to gain directly some important information related to
some factors of making errors on grammars and mechanics in writing
a composition, the writer uses interview guidance by interviewing
some of the students.
According to Arifin (2009: 157), interview is a form of non-test
evaluation tools which is done through direct or indirect conversation
with the students. The writer uses a type of mixed interview between
structured and non-structured interview (opened and closed
interview).
In this interview guidance, the writer uses a purposive sampling.
Sugiyono (2012: 124) states that a purposive sampling is a technique
of determining samples by a certain consideration. The writer uses this
purposive sampling because he wants to interview some students
which mostly make errors on grammar and mechanics in their writing
process.
1.7 Data Analysis
The data that are analyzed on the research are qualitative data. The
qualitative data are organized by using descriptive analysis, which is to organize
the data that are gained by describing and clarifying it.

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The chart shown in Figure 1.3 well illustrates a process of data analysis.
Firstly, the researcher asks the students in the class to write a free
composition on narrative text consisting of three paragraphs or about 250 words in
90 minutes on the given topics. Each student is provided with a piece of lined
double polio paper and a piece of test containing the instruction of doing test and
the topics of which they might choose. They are then asked to write a
composition.
Second, after students finished their writing, the researcher collects their
writing and analyzes them by investigating and organizing the data based on
based on two main aspect of English composition.
Third, if the data are fallen into grammatical errors, then the researcher
classify and list them into related aspect of the grammar; tense, pronoun, word
order, article or preposition.

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Fourth, if the data are fallen into mechanical errors, the researcher
classifies and lists them into related aspect of the mechanics; spelling,
capitalization, or punctuation.
Fifth, the researcher chooses some students to be interviewed. Those
chosen students are they who mostly make errors on grammar and mechanics in
their writing process. By doing this interview, the researcher wants to know some
factors of making errors on grammars and mechanics in writing a composition.
Sixth, after analyzing the students’ composition and interviewing them,
the researcher edits and proofreads the student’s composition. Then the researcher
assesses those compositions from the first drafts to the final ones.
Finally, the researcher takes a conclusion from that analysis and
interview by giving feed-back either for the students or for their English teacher.
This conclusion may also be useful for further researcher.
1.8 Clarification of the Terms
To avoid misunderstanding, the writer gives some clarifications as
follow:
1. Grammar, according to Knapp and Watkins (2009: 32), is to describe and
analyse the way that words are put together within sentences. Grammar is
also how a text is structured and organized due to the characteristic of
particular genres in relation to purpose, audience, message and structure.
2. Grammatical error, which the writer means in this this research, is the
errorneous grammatical form. It exists in the students’ English

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composition. It involves the error of English sentence tense, articles,
pronouns, preposition, and word order.
3. Mechanics is conventional rules such as the one requiring capitalization
for the first word of a sentence, from
(http://teachingenglishonline.net/grammatical-and-mechanical-sentence-
problems-in-writing-1/) [accessed 11/12/2012].
4. Mechanical error stated in this research discusses the problems of
writing mechanism, which involved errors in spelling, puntuation,
capitalization and paragraphing.
5. Narrative text is a type of texts which tells a series of event from one
time to other one, which is outlined from first events, then triggers crisis,
and then get resolution (Pratyasto, 2011: 39).

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CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter discusses some general and explicit theories related to the study. It
covers theories on general concept of writing, narrative text, error analysis,
mistakes and errors, grammatical errors, and mechanical errors.
2.1 Writing
The meaning of writing is about the way we arrange a sentence. If we can
arrange sentences well, we will be able to write down anything easily. Generally,
EFL learners tend to write down a long and complex sentence without keeping a
clear meaning related to the sentence, even the sentence has no meaning at all
(Pratyasto, 2011: 1).
Pratyasto (2011: 1) adds that in writing process there are some rules that
have to be followed in order to make a writing composition easily. He also says
that a sentence is a composite from many kinds of word to be something which
has a meaning. Generally these kinds of words which are applied to make a
sentence are: noun, verb, linking verb, adjective, and adverb. These five elements
are the main section to make a simple sentence.
Memering and O’Hare (1980: 5) state that writing is a craft, and those who
practice it enough can become good at it. While Digest (1975: 3) says that writing
is a skill that can be learned to make a good writing.

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Then, Memering and O’Hare (1980: 6) add that:
Learning to write means becoming fluent in written English. All
native speakers of English are, by definition, fluent in spoken English.
But these same fluent speakers have shown a surprising tendency to
“shutter”, falter, become inarticulate when they write. It is
specifically, and only, in the process of writing English that
inexperienced writers tent to lose their natural fluency with language.
Badger and White (2000: 153) states that in relation to writing, there
are three approaches; (1) product approach, (2) process approach, and (3)
genre approach. Pincas (1982) in Bagder and White (2000: 153) explains that
in product of approach, writing is seen as being primarily about linguistic
knowledge, with attention focused on the appropriate use of vocabulary,
syntax, and cohesive devices.
In process approach, Badger and White (2000: 154:155) adds that
writing is seen as predominantly to do with writing skills, such as planning
and drafting, and there is much less emphasis on linguistics knowledge, such
as knowledge about grammar and text structure. Meanwhile, they also adds
that genre approach regards writing as predominantly linguistic, but unlike
product approach, they emphasize that writing varies with the social context
in which it is produced.
Regarding some theories above, we can conclude that writing is
organizing experience, ideas or information, in the form of arranged
sentences or even paragraphs, by using combination of letters which relate to
the sound we make when we speak. We can also add that in order to make a
good written text we have to pay attention to the rules of writing when we are

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going to write a composition such as grammar, sentence structure,
vocabulary, punctuation, spelling and letter formation.
2.2 Narrative Text
Pratyasto (2011: 39) states that a narrative text is a kind of texts which tells
a series actions from time to time that is outlined through early actions, crisis
actions and then resolution. This text is to entertain the readers and even
sometimes the text makes the readers as they are experiencing themselves the
actions told in the story.
Alwasilah and Alwasilah (2005: 119) state that narrative is to tell a story –
a series of event or moments chronologically in the form of facts or fiction. They
add that narration can include the flashback moments and it can be subjectively
positioned in the first person style or objectively positioned in the third person
style depending on the author.
In other words, Pratyasto (2011: 39) says that narrative text has the basic
purpose namely to entertain and to gain and hold the reader’s interest in a story.
Narrative may include fairy stories, mysteries, science fiction, romance, horror
stories, adventure stories, fables, myths and legend, historical narrative, ballads,
and personal experience.
Furthermore, Pratyasto (2011: 39) adds that the generic structure of
narrative text include orientation, complication, and resolution. The first stage is
orientation which introduce the major characters, the topic of story, and
established setting – time and place that the story happens. The second stage is

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complication in which the series actions unfold. This stage contains the event falls
on the major characters and explains a conflict among the characters. The conflict
can be shown naturally, socially, or psychologically. He adds that complication is
the main element in the narrative text. Without this conflict, the text can be said to
be a narrative. The third is resolution. In this stage, the conflict or crisis is
resolved, and all things return to normal. The thing is related whether the
characters are success or not, but the main point is that the appeared-conflict has
become extinct.
Pratyasto (2011: 39) also gives explanation about the significant lexico-
grammatical features (language features) of narrative: (1) using opening words
that interesting the readers, (2) focus on specific and usually individual
participant, (3) use storytelling convention especially on myth and fairy story, such
as once upon a time, (4) use of past tense, (5) use of variated-sentences: simple,
compound, or complex sentences, (6) use of time words: after that, then, a few
moment later, etc., to connect an event with others, and (7) a noun group
describes characters and setting.
Thus, narrative text is to tell a story, mysteries, science fiction, romance,
horror stories, adventure stories, fables, myths and legend, historical narrative,
ballads, and personal experience. Then, narrative text has a generic structure,
those are orientation, complication, and resolution.

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2.3 Error Analysis
Brown (2000: 216-217) states that human learning is fundamentally a
process that involves the making of mistakes. Later, the second language learning
is a process that is clearly not unlike first language learning in its trial-and-error
nature. Then, he adds an explanation about the important about analysis as follow:
Researchers and teachers of second language came to realize that the
mistakes a person made in this process of constructing a new system of
language needed to be analysed carefully, for they possibly held in them
some of the keys to the understanding of the process of second language
acquisition.
In fact, many learners do make errors in their writing composition. In order
to avoid these errors, researchers or teachers can observe, analyze and classify
these errors in the composition, then they can give feedback and reveal something
related to the system of writing composition to the learners (Brown, 2000: 218).
Furthermore, Corder (1967: 167) in Brown (2000: 217) explains that “a
learner’s errors are significant in (that) they provide to the researcher evidence of
how language is learned or acquired, what strategies or procedures the learner is
employing in the discovery of language.”
Regarding explanation above, the errors that learners make must be
analysed and rectified for that the errors will not habit to continue. Researchers or
teachers must analyze these errors in a careful analysis in order to provide the
learners with feedback for an ideal language proses especially in writing skill.

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2.4 Mistakes and Errors
“In order to analyze learner language in an appropriate perspective, it is
important to make a distinction between mistakes and errors, technically two very
different phenomena” (Brown, 2000: 217).
Brown (2007: 282) adds that learning a language, like any other human
learning, has the same process in terms of appearance of mistakes made by the
learners. Consequently, it is impossible for someone to learn without committing
any errors. Before analysing the learners’ errors, it will be useful for us to
understand the difference between errors and mistakes.
Brown (2000: 217) also says that a mistakes refers to a performance error
that is either a random guess or a slip, in that it is a failure to utilize a known
system correctly. It means that an error is something unconventional that can be
clearly seen when the learners perform it and when they show their inter-language
competence.
It is very likely that a teacher or researcher will be difficult to assess
whether a learner makes a mistake or an error. If on one occasion an EFL learner
says “I am study” and on the other occasion says “I study” or “I am studying”, it
is not always easy to judge whether “I am study” is a mistake or an error. If
further examination of the learner’s speech reveal that the learner consistently
produces such forms, it can be concluded that he or she represent forms of errors.
On the other hand, if the learner correct the wrong-formed utterance immediately
after he or she produced them, we can be sure that they are only mistakes (Brown,
2000: 217-218).

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Furthermore, he adds that if a learner say “I am eat” without correcting
of to be and bare infinitive, it is can be concluded that the utterance is the form of
error. If the learner realizes that the utterance “I am eat” is wrong and then he or
she correct it immediately by expressing “I eat” or “I am eating”, it is
determined that the utterance is only a mistake.
Regarding explanation above, we know that the difference between
errors and mistake is that about the continuity in making the wrong words, either
spoken or especially written text. If a student makes the same type of wrong word
more than twice, so it is an errors. In contrast, if he / she makes a type of wrong
word in a time but does not in times after, so it is only a mistake. Moreover,
mistakes are what the researchers name them as performance mistake (the learners
know the system but they fail in using it), while errors are the result of someone’s
systematic competence (the learner’s system is not appropriate).
2.5 Sources of Error
Brown (2007: 289-293) explains that there are four factors that being
sources of error: a) inter-lingual transfer, b) intra-lingual transfer, c) context of
learning, and d) communication strategies.
2.5.1 Inter-lingual Transfer
Brown (2007: 289) says that one of significant sources of learners’
errors is inter-lingual transfer. Inter-lingual transfer is sensitive to the learning
a second language (foreign language) from interference of the first language
(native language). In this stage, before the learners well know the system of

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the second language (foreign language), they can rely on the first language
(native language) as the only previous linguistic system.
Indonesian students who learn English as a foreign language may get
the trouble with Indonesian grammar. For instance, they may say “different
with” for “different from”, because in Bahasa it is said “berbeda dengan”
not “berbeda dari”. They may also say “book of Jack” instead “Jack’s
book” or “sheep” instead “ship”. These all errors can be related to negative
inter-lingual transfer from the speaker’s native language.
Therefore, we can conclude that the inter-lingual transfer appears
before the system of the foreign language (target language) is familiar with
the learners’ native language. Inter-lingual transfer consists of positive and
negative inter-lingual. This negative inter-lingual transfer which can be a
source of errors.
2.5.2 Intra-lingual Transfer
The second source of error is intra-lingual transfer which is the main
factor in learning a second language. Brown (2007: 290) says that the early
stages of language learning are characterized by a dominant interference
(inter-lingual transfer), but once learners have begun to acquire some new
systems, more and more intra-lingual transfer is manifested.
Negative intra-lingual transfer (over generalization) has already been
illustrated in such utterance as “Does John can sing?” for “Can John sing?”,
“He goed” for “He went”, and “I don’t know what time is it” for “I don’t
know what time it is”.

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According to explanation above, intra-lingual transfer appears when
learners have begun to acquire some new systems from the target language
(foreign language).
2.5.3 Context of Learning
The third major source of error is the context of learning. Brown
(2007: 292) explains that context refers, for example, to the classroom with its
teacher and its material in the case of school learning or refers to the social
situation in the case of untutored second language learning. Students often
make errors because of a misleading explanation from the teacher, the faulty
presentation of a structure or words in the textbook, the pattern which is
memorized in a drill but it is not properly contextualised, or because a teacher
may out some ignorance provide incorrect information by way of a
misleading definition or grammatical generalization. An EFL learner may
produces the utterance “interested to” instead “interested in” and “I was
angry at my brother” instead “I was angry with my brother”.
2.5.4 Communication Strategies
The fourth source is communication strategy. Brown (2007: 292)
defines and relates it to the learning styles. Learners obviously use production
strategies in order to enhance getting their messages across, but at times these
techniques can become a source of error. One ESL learner said “Let us work
for the well done of our country.” While it exhibited a nice little pattern of
humor, the sentence had an incorrect approximation. Likewise, word coinage,

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circumlocution, false cognates, and prefabricated patterns can all be sources
of error. So, communication strategy is relating to the learning style that the
learners use when they are conveying their message to others.
2.6 Grammatical Errors
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 611-612) states that checking over your
sentences to catch careless syntactical and grammatical errors is an important part
of the completing stage.
EFL students often make some grammatical errors in writing. They
produces many erroneous sentences. These errors are the cause of either inter-
lingual or intra-lingual transfers or context of learning in the classroom (Brown,
2000: 223-225).
It is known that the students will not be able to understand a grammatical
explanation of the mistakes they have made if they have not already reached an
academic language teaching. So the teacher should guide the students and give
them a correction. For example, a teacher who finds the sentence “I don’t know
no stories bout eleffants, I know bout rabbit” might correct it and write “I don’t
know any stories about elephants, but I know about rabbit”.
Grammatical is a phrase, clause, or sentence is acceptable because it
follows the rules of grammar, for example: “He studies English every day.”
Ungrammatical is a phrase, clause, or sentence is unacceptable because it doesn’t
follow the rules of grammar, for example: “He study English every day.”

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Based on explanation above, we know that many English learners make
errors in grammatical rules when they write a composition. These errors are
caused by either inter-lingual or intra-lingual transfers or context of learning in the
classroom. Grammatical error is the erroneous grammatical form. It exists in the
students’ English composition. It involves the error of English sentence tense,
pronouns, preposition, and word order, etc.
2.6.1. Errors in Agreement (Subject-Verb Agreement)
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 612) say that rules of agreement affect the
relationship between subject and verb and between pronoun and antecedent.
They add that agreement means that a singular subject must have a singular
verb and that a pronoun must match its antecedent (the word it refers to) in
number (singular or plural), in gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) and in
person (first, second, or third).
Kolby, in his book, says that within a sentence, there are certain
requirements for the relationship between the subject and the verb.1
a. The subject and verb must agree both in number and person.
Example:“We have surpassed our sales goal of one million
dollars.”
Here, the first person plural verb have agrees with its first person
plural subject we.
1
Jeff Kolby, The 4000 Words Essential for an Educated Vocabulary, p. 123, from:
http//shop.bea.vn/ebook/getlink.php [accessed on July 17, 2013].

27
b. Interviewing phrases and clauses have no effect on subject-verb
agreement.
Example: “Only one of the President’s nominees was
confirmed.”
Here, the singular verb was agrees with its singular subject one.
The prepositional phrase word of of the President’s nominees has
no effect on the number or person of the verb.
c. When the subject and verb are reserved, they still must agree in
both number and person.
Example: “Attached are copies of the contract.”
Here, the plural verb are attached agrees with its plural subject
copies. The sentence could be written as: “Copies of the contract
are attached.”
Furthermore, in fact, sometimes the learners tend to simplify and leave
together the third person singular inflection. For example, the learners might
write down such statements “He live in Bandung” and “She say she will come
to Sumedang” instead “He lives in Bandung” and “She says she will come to
Sumedang.”
Occasionally, some learners will over-generalize the inflection and
apply it to uninflected-forms such as modal auxiliaries, for example: “Dandy
cans play a guitar well” instead “Dandy can play a guitar well,” and “Jack
wills go to Australia” instead “Jack will go to Australia.”

28
Yet another reason why learners overuse this form is that interpret the
morpheme –s as a plural marker on the verb to be used in agreement with
plural subject, for example: “They / The boys goes to the movies often.”
In other hand, some learners often make some errors in making
sentences or expressing utterances. When the subject is he, she, it or a noun in
the singular number, they usually leave out the morpheme –s or –es from the
present verb, for instance: “He speak English well.”
Sometimes they do not use don’t (do not) with the subject I, we, you,
they and with the words that are in the plural number, or they don’t use
doesn’t (does not) with words that are in the singular number, for example:
“He don’t care what she says.”
2.6.2. Errors in Tense
Kolby says that a verb has four principal parts: 2
a) Present Tense
According to Team Yayasan Pendidikan Haster Bandung
(2004: 1-2), the used of simple present tense is as follow:
a. Used to express general truths.
b. Used to express something habitually.
c. Used with will or shall to express future time.
2
Ibid, pp. 130-131.

29
b) Past Tense
Team Yayasan Pendidikan Haster Bandung (2004: 4-5) state
that the used of simple present tense is as follow:
a. Used to express an event happened in past in certain time.
b. Used to express an event which its time is not known but it
has already finished at this time.
c. Used to express something habitually in past time.
c) Past Participle
Kolby says that past participle is:3
a. Used to form the present perfect tense, which indicated that
an action was started in the past and its effect are continuing
in the present (using have or has and past participle of the
verb).
b. Used to form the past perfect tense, which indicates that an
action was completed before another past action (using had
and past participle of the verb).
c. Used to form the future perfect tense, which indicates that an
action will be completed before another future action (using
will have or shall have and the past participle of the verb).
d) Present Participle
Kolby says that present participle is:4
3
Ibid, p. 130.
4
Ibid, p. 131.

30
a. Used to form the present progressive tense, which indicates
that an action is ongoing.
b. Used to form the past progressive tense, which indicates that
an action was in progress in the past.
c. Used to form the future progressive tense, which indicates
that an action will be in progress in the future.
Furthermore, in fact, some English students sometimes make an error
in determining the present perfect tense and progressive aspect, for example:
* He is here since June. (wrong)
He has been here since June. (right)
* I am seeing a tree behind the house. (wrong)
I see a tree behind the house. (right) / (sensory perception)
* We are desiring an explanation. (wrong)
We desire an explanation. (right) / (emotion)
They may use the past tense after “did” instead of the infinitive without
“to”.
* Did you went to school every day? (wrong)
* Did you go to school every day? (right)
They also use the third person singular verb after “does” instead of the
infinitive without “to”.
* Does the gardener waters the flower? (wrong)
* Does the gardener water the flower? (right)

31
They use the third person singular verb after “can, must, etc.” instead of
the infinitive without “to”.
* He can speaks English very well. (wrong)
* He can speak English very well. (right)
2.6.3. Errors in Pronoun
Kolby states that pronoun is a word that stands for a noun, known as
the antecedent of a pronoun. Pronoun must agree with their antecedents in
both number (singular or plural) and person (1st
, 2nd
, or 3rd
).5
A pronoun
usually refers to something earlier in the text and it must agree in number with
the thing to which it refers.
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 594) state that pronouns are usually defined
as noun substitutes because they frequently replace nouns mentioned earlier in
a sentence or in a previous sentence. As noun substitutes, pronouns are
important in reducing redundancy in sentences, for example: “John broke his
leg as he was climbing down the mountain.”
2.6.3.1 Personal pronoun
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 594) say that personal pronoun
occurs in the same positions as nouns, but notice that the form of the
pronoun changes with its function in the sentence. There are two kind
of personal pronoun, subject pronoun and object pronoun.
5
Ibid, p. 118.

32
a. Subject pronoun
Subject pronouns occur in the subject position of a
sentence or after the verb be, and sometimes learners make errors
in this case. The subject pronouns are: I, we, you, he, she, it, and
they. For example:
Him and I have seen this movies before. (wrong), and
He and I have seen this movies before. (right).
b. Object pronoun (complement pronoun)
Complement pronouns are: me, us, you, him, her, it, and
them. Complement pronouns occur in complement position,
whether they complement a verb or a preposition, for example,
learners may write down:
“She called he on the telephone” instead
“She called him on the telephone”.
2.6.3.2 Possessive pronoun
Possessive pronoun words are: my, mine, our, ours, your,
yours, his, her, hers, its, their, and theirs. Cowan and Cowan (1980:
595) say that as indicators of ownership or possession, these pronouns
function just as possessive nouns do. Essentially, they modify the
nouns with which they appear, for example:
This is my book. That is yours.
She forgot her homework. I forgot mine.

33
Their story is well written in this book.
2.6.3.3 Reflexive pronoun.
The words of reflexive pronoun are: myself, ourselves,
yourself, yourselves, himself, herself, itself, and themselves.
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 595) say that:
Reflexive pronouns only occur when a noun and pronoun or
two pronouns in the same simple sentence or clause clearly
refer to the same antecedent. This is why the pronoun is
called reflexive: it is grammatically and semantically bound
to the noun or pronoun it refers to.
For instance, some learners sometimes produce the errors
when applying such the word hisself and theirselves, as the following:
- She sent the letter to hisself.
- They were talking among theirselves.
Both statements are wrong. Those should be:
- She sent the letter to himself.
- They were talking among themselves.
2.6.3.4 Relative pronoun.
The words are who, whose, whom, which, that, when, where,
and wherever. Cowan and Cowan (1980: 595) state that this set of
pronouns replaces the noun in a relative clause. They add that like all
other pronouns, relative pronouns are referent; that is, there is always
a noun to which the pronoun refers. For example:
- The dress which I worked on yesterday is still not finished.

34
- The street where Joan lives is hard to find.
In the first sentence, which refers to dress; in the second,
where refers to street.
2.6.3.5 Demonstrative pronoun.
The words are this, that, those, and these. Cowan and Cowan
(1980: 595) say that demonstrative pronouns function as nouns or as
modifier. In the context of longer passage of speech or writing,
demonstrative pronouns always refer to a specific noun. For example:
- Those flowers are the freshet ones on the shop.
- If you like exciting mysteries, read this book.
2.6.4. Errors in Word Order / Function
Some English learners often make errors in ordering the words. They
are confused to order the words in sentence. They also misplace the words in
the sentence. They put the wrong position of adverb, verb, subject, object,
adjective, etc, for example:
* We gave the name to the baby John. (wrong)
We gave the name John to the baby. (right)
* My uncle has a garden very large (wrong)
My uncle has a very large garden (right)
* He neither speaks English nor French (wrong)
He speaks neither English nor French (right)

35
2.6.5. Preposition
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 608-609) state that prepositions are words
or groups of words that indicate relationships between the object of the
preposition and some other words in the sentence. They function as indicators
of time, place, cause, manner, agency, association, or other relationships.
Usually, prepositions occur in phrases that function as adverbs or adjectives.
They add that when the object of the preposition is separated from the
preposition, the sentence may end in a preposition. This construction is one of
the worst grammatical sins in the English language. There is really no logical
reason for claiming that it is incorrect to end a sentence with a preposition.”
They also say that the objection to ending the sentences with a
preposition is that it makes the sentence sound informal and casual. Ending a
sentence with a preposition is not a grammatical but a stylistic matter, for
example:
- “Who are you going to the party with?”
- “Who are you mailing that to?”
Both sentences above are not grammatically arranged, it is better if
those sentences rewrite as follow:
- “With whom are you going to the party?”
- “To whom are you mailing that?”
Regarding explanation above, a well-placed preposition is useful for
writers in order to deliver what they want to intend in their writing.

36
2.7 Mechanical Errors
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 676) state that mechanics are rules that
standardize certain things in writing. They are simply convention that standardize
things like capitalization, etc.
Memering and O’Hare (1980: 401) say as follow:
By comparison with larger matters of purpose and substance and structure,
such things as punctuation, spelling, and capitalization may seem trivial.
But all these mechanics of writing are tools the writer uses to signal the
reader. An occasional error may be excused, but writers cannot afford to
ignore the effect of mistakes on the reader. At the least, mistakes are
distracting and interrupt thought; faulty punctuation, a mistaken spelling,
even a word not capitalized may create a meaning unintended by the
writer. Careful writers take pains to ensure that the effect of their words is
not distorted by faulty mechanics.
They (1980: 401) add that mechanics can give you greater facility and
maturity of expression. Then, Digest (1975: 338) adds as follow:
“Don’t underrate good punctuation and spelling! These “little” skills are
basic tools in the writer’s constant quest for clarity and accuracy. And,
what’s more important, they can make all the difference in whether your
writing makes a fovarable or unfovarable impression on others.”
Regarding explanation above, mechanical errors is the second main point
of errors in writing which needs more attention of teachers and students who
engage the writing process. The mechanical errors are merely as harmful as the
grammatical errors. Mechanical errors in general involve the errors of spelling,
punctuation, and capitalization.

37
2.7.1 Spelling Errors
Memering and O’Hare (1980: 423) say that misspelled words are
distraction to the educated reader. They add that a poor speller’s first step
should be to learn to proofread composition carefully for misspellings.
Many learners of English find the spellings difficult to remember.
However, to spell well is something that cannot be ignored. The followings
are examples for misspelled words:
Academiy for academy, _alloon for address, adverticement for
advertisement, archetect for architect, _alloon_e/asociate fot associate, autum
for autumn, _alloon/ballon for balloon, between for believe, between for
between, braught for brought, curiculum/curicullum for curriculum, devlop
2.7.2 Punctuation
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 660-661) states that punctuation is very
important in indicating the writer’s purpose. It is a series of rules that are
applied in sentences.
They add that correct punctuation is effective punctuation. The more
the writer writes, the more he / she will discover that punctuation marks can
work for him / her in directing the readers in the same way.
Digest (1975: 339) says that punctuation lends a carefulness to our
writing, gives it clarity, and conveys to the readers exactly the meaning we
intend. Punctuation is considerable importance to our writing, its clarity, and
its effectiveness.

38
Memering and O’Hare (1980: 401-421) state that one of the best tools
a writer has is punctuation. They add that with a view small signal, the writer
can tell the reader how to interpret the ideas on the page and how to
understand the relationships among them. There are dozen significant marks
in the punctuation system, they are: comma, semicolon, colon, parentheses,
dash, bracket, italics (underlining), apostrophe, quotation marks,
abbreviations, etc.
Example:
a. Period (.): Open the window, please.
b. Question mark (?): Is he a student?
c. Exclamation mark (!): Be careful!
d. Comma (,): Mary, by the way, received your mail last night.
e. Semicolon (;): The pianist was very ill, therefor, the concert was
cancelled.
f. Colon (: The following words are conjunction: and, but, or, …
g. Quotation mark (“…”): “I am going for a walk,” she said.
h. Apostrophe (‘): Can’t you run faster?
i. Parentheses ((…)): If it rain (and we hope it doesn’t), the picnic will
be cancelled.
j. Dash (---): There are four skills in English—listening, speaking,
reading, and writing.
k. Triple dots (…): The most important part of speech is the verb …
l. Hyphen (-): Forty-three plus twenty-nine equals seventy two.

39
Sometimes learners produce two patterns that exemplify over-
generalization of the “of” form; for example, “The car of my friend is new”
and “My friend car is new”. Both sentences are wrong, they should be “My
friend’s car is new”.
2.7.3 Capitalization
Memering and O’Hare (1980: 438) says that the basis rule, to which
there are very few exceptions, it to capitalize “first” words and words that are
considered proper names or titles.
The followings are some rules of using capitalization as quoted from
Cowan and Cowan (1980: 676-677):
a. Capitalize the first word of every sentence.
Example: “The University is one of the most famous universities
in the world.”
b. Capitalize proper nouns:
1) Names of persons
Example: “James Frank Harper”
2) Names of places
Example: “Washington, D.C.”
3) Events and periods
Example: “the Civil War”
4) Names of vessel
Example: “Apollo 8”
5) Monuments, museums, buildings, etc.

40
Example: “the Library of Congress”
c. Capitalize name of deities.
Example: “Krishna”
d. Capitalize titles before and after names.
Example: “Dr. John Smith, Ph.D.”
e. Capitalize the first word and all other words except prepositions,
conjunction, and articles in the titles of literary works, movies, and
works of art.
Example: “The Catcher in the Rye”
f. Capitalize name of recognize groups and organization.
Example: “National Organization for Muslims”
g. Capitalize specific course names.
Example: “Phycology 441”
h. Capitalize direction when they refer to specific geographical areas.
Example: “She’s from West Java”
2.8 The Common Problem Students Find in Writing

41
CHAPTER III
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
In this chapter, two main data from handwriting compositions and
recorded interviews are classified. They are categorized into two main divisions of
errors; grammatical errors and mechanical errors. Grammatical errors involve
agreements, tenses, pronouns, word order/ function, and preposition. While the
mechanical errors involve spelling, punctuation and capitalization.
3.1 Grammatical Errors
The data from handwriting composition are analyzed, discussed, and
solved by giving a simple (alternative) solution. While the data from recorded
interviews give more information about how the participants (the learners) get the
troubles of writing process and about the reason why they make some mistakes
and errors in writing process.
In this chapter, some symbols are used such as P for Problem, AS for
Alternative Solution, and S for Solution, for example, P-13 means the thirteenth
problem, P-26 means the twenty-sixth problem, so on and so forth.
3.1.1 The Findings from Handwriting Compositions
a. Agreement (Subject-Verb Agreement)
P1 : Once upon a time, there was two monkeys …
S : Once upon a time, there were two monkeys …
P2 : … two monkeys that was hungry at a forest.
S : … two monkeys that were hungry at a forest.

42
P3 : When they was tired,
S : When they were tired,
P4 : … a garden that full of bananas.
S : … a garden that was full of bananas.
P5 : They was very happy.
S : They were very happy.
P6 : … as many as they could eat until they was satisfied.
S : … as many as they could eat until they were satisfied.
P7 : … that some bananas was eaten.
S : … that some bananas were eaten.
P8 : … who was stole his bananas.
S : … who stole his bananas.
P9 : because they was hungry.
S : because they were hungry.
P10 : … they was surprise that …
S : … they were surprise that …
P11 : because there was some glues …
S : because there were some glues …
P12 : His wife was passed away when she expressed her last
daughter.
S : His wife passed away when she expressed her last daughter.
P13 : His income only Rp. 10.000/ day.
S : His income was only Rp. 10.000/ day.
P14 : And not enough for buy rice.
S : It was not enough for buy rice.
P15 : He always be patient in his trouble.
S : He was always patient in his trouble.
P16 : Therefore, many people were very admire him.
S : Therefore, many people admired him.

43
P17 : There were a couple lived in a palace.
S : There was a couple lived in a palace.
P18 : One day, he advent guest.
S : One day, a guest came to his house.
P19 : He came for require food.
S : He came for requiring some foods.
P20 : because he not yet ate.
S : because he did not ate yet.
P21 : He very grateful to God.
S : He was very grateful to God.
P22 : One day, Dewi Limaran was walked in the garden.
S : One day, Dewi Limaran walked in the garden.
P23 : …and could not to use the arrow to shoot.
S : …and could not use the arrow to shoot.
P24 : Because of she was afraid to arouse the anger of the bear, …
S : Because she was afraid to arouse the anger of the bear, …
P25 : In a village, there was lived a big family.
S : In a village, there lived a big family.
P26 : All student who were graduated …
S : All students who were graduated …
P27 : There were three bus …
S : There were three buses …
The students made errors in subject-verb agreement when they
wrote and constructed the English sentences. Some examples of their
errors in making the subject-verb agreement can be seen below:
a. They did know when they should use “to be”. For example, it is
impossible to write the sentence like *his wife was passed away

44
when she expressed her last daughter, Dewi Limaran was walked
in the garden, they saw a garden that full of bananas. So, the
constructions do not need the “to be” if they have verbs, and they
must have “to be” if they are in nominal case. The sentences should
be “his wife passed away when she expressed her last daughter,
Dewi Limaran walked in the garden, they saw a garden that was
full of bananas.”
b. They also got difficulties to construct the sentences using the
correct subject-verb agreement. For example, “once upon a time,
there was two monkeys, when they was tired, as many as they could
eat until they was satisfied.” Those sentences must have the correct
number of verbs that agree with the subject. So those sentences
should be “once upon a time, there were two monkeys, when they
were tired, as many as they could eat until they were satisfied.”
c. The students forgot replacing the verb in the adjective clause
whereas it must agree with the noun or pronoun in the main clause
to which it refers, for example, “he knew that someone who was
stole his bananas was a human.” This sentence should be” he knew
that someone who stole his bananas was a human.
b. Tense
P1 : They do not eat anything for a week.
S : They did not eat everything for a week.
P2 : They walk and look for some food …

45
S : They were walking and looking for some food …
P3 : … that they can eat.
S : … that they could eat.
P4 : They see a garden …
S : They saw a garden …
P5 : Then, they go to the garden and eat bananas as many as they
can eat,
S : Then, they went to the garden and ate bananas as many as
they could eat,
P6 : … the owner of the garden come to see his bananas.
S : … the owner of the garden came to see his bananas.
P7 : He want to know who stole his bananas.
S : He wanted to know who stole his bananas.
P8 : He think about an idea how to catch the thief.
S : He thought about an idea how to catch the thief.
P9 : He find a good idea.
S : He found a good idea.
P10 : He was sure that the thief is not a human.
S : He was sure that the thief was not a human.
P11 : He make a statue from wood which is like a human.
S : He made a statue from wood which was like a human.
P12 : One day, the two monkeys come again.
S : One day, the two monkeys came again.
P13 : After they arrive in the garden,
S : After they arrived in the garden,
P14 : … and they cannot wait again.
S : … and they could not wait again.
P15 : So, they come to the statue, which they think that it is a
human, and they attack it.
S : So, they came to the statue, which they thought that it was a

46
human, and they attacked it.
P16 : Three years ago, I have a friend.
S : Three years ago, I had a friend.
P17 : I am in the same class with her.
S : I was in the same class with her.
P18 : The year is the first time I know her.
S : The year is the first time I knew her.
P19 : because she and I study in the same class.
S : because she and I studied in the same class.
P20 : I often ask to her about some subjects.
S : I often asked to her about some subjects.
P21 : which I do not understand from my teacher.
S : which I did not understand from my teacher.
P22 : She always help me to understand it.
S : She always helped me to understand it.
P23 : My feeling become great…
S : My feeling became great…
P24 : I am afraid and shy to tell her that I love her.
S : I was afraid and shy to tell her that I love her.
P25 : I think a way to tell her…
S : I thought a way to tell her…
P26 : I give the gift to her and I tell that I love her.
S : I gave the gift to her and I told that I love her.
P27 : Then she reply that she love me too.
S : Then she replied that she love me too.
P28 : The name of the second son is Husain.
S : The name of the second son was Husain.
P29 : His wife passed away when she express her last daughter.
S : His wife passed away when she expressed her last daughter.

47
P30 : Abdullah and his son can not ate.
S : Abdullah and his son could not ate.
P31 : There was a couple live in a palace.
S : There was a couple lived in a palace.
P32 : She don’t know that the snail was old.
S : She did not know that the snail was old.
P33 : She can change herself to be something.
S : She could change herself to be something.
P34 : She take it and brought it to home.
S : She took it and brought it to home.
P35 : Then she can’t believe what she saw.
S : Then she could not believe what she saw.
P36 : He want to break the witch’s spell.
S : He wanted to break the witch’s spell.
P37 : They quickly carry the holy gamelan to the old woman’s
house.
S : They quickly carried out the holy gamelan to the old
woman’s house.
P38 : She shoot and killed so many ….
S : She shot and killed so many ….
P39 : However, the bear did not made the rabbit to get any…
S : However, the bear did not make the rabbit to get any…
P40 : I and my family go to Pangandaran beach.
S : I and my family went to Pangandaran beach.
P41 : There we take a rest at a house,
S : There we took a rest at a house,
P42 : A cap seller pass through a forest.
S : A cap seller passed through a forest.

48
The students made errors in tenses when they wrote and
constructed the English sentences especially in simple past tense. Some
examples of their errors of tenses in making sentences the can be seen
below:
a. The students made wrong tenses especially in determining the time
on which the event occurred, for example, “The year is the first
time I knew her.” To correct and modify this sentence we should
replace is with the suitable “to be” of past tense. So, the sentence
may become “The year was the first time I knew her.”
b. The students made errors in determining the past continuous tense,
for example, “When they walked and looked for some food, there
found a garden that was full of bananas.” To correct this sentence,
we should modify the tense into past continuous tense. So the
sentence may become “When they were walking and looking for
some food, there found a garden that was full of bananas.”
c. The students were not careful to maintain consistency in the use of
tense. Therefore, they made errors in meaning by shifting tense or
made a wrong sequences of tenses, for example, “I gave the gift to
her and I tell that I love her.” To correct this sentence, we should
be consistent to use the same sequences of tense. So, this sentence
may become for example, ““I gave the gift to her and I told that I
love her.”

49
c. Word Order/Function and Sentence Construction
P1 : They could not do anything and they also was very hungry.
AS : They was very hungry but they could not do anything.
P2 : because I and she studied in the same class.
AS : because she and I studied in the same class.
P3 : They were prince Raden Putra and Dewi Limaran.
S : They were Prince Raden Putra and Princess Dewi Limaran.
P4 : Father’s Prince Raden Putra was king of the palace.
S : Prince Raden Putra’s father was the king of the palace.
P5 : They could not do anything and they also were very hungry.
AS : They were very hungry but they could not do anything.
P6 : He gave that cloth to Abdullah while gone.
AS : He gave that cloth to Abdullah when he would go.
P7 : When I had age threeten,
AS : When I was threeten,
P8 : This was a gift from my father to my birthday threeten.
AS : This was a gift from my father to my birthday.
P9 : I saw many views is beautiful in left and right of me.
AS : I saw some beautiful views in left and right of me.
P10 : We went back to our home with feel happy all of us.
S : We went home with happiness.
They made some errors in making simple sentence correctly. Some
examples of their errors of tenses in making sentences the can be seen
below:
a. They had a problem with simple sentence, for example, “and it not
enough for buy rice.” This sentence does not consist of the fully
simple sentence pattern. This sentence should be “and it was not
enough for buying some rice.”

50
b. They were not able to make a compound sentence correctly, for
example, “There was an old man, his name is Abdullah”. This
sentence is not perfect compound sentence because a compound
sentence must have a coordinating conjunction, such as and, but,
etc. if we do not use them, we must run on new sentences. So this
sentence should be “There was an old man. His name is Abdullah”
or “There was an old man, and his name is Abdullah”
c. Some of them were not able to make a complex sentence correctly,
for example, “then he gave that cloth to Abdullah while gone,” this
sentence should be “then he gave that cloth to Abdullah when he
would go / was going to go”.
d. Preposition
P1 : I often asked to her about some subjects,
S : I often asked her about some subjects,
P2 : I told that I love to her.
S : I told that I love her.
P3 : I want know more about her.
S : I want to know more about her.
P4 : In there I and my friends looked for machine shop.
S : There, I and my friends looked for machine shop.
P5 : The beggar lose the bowels in his cloth.
S : The beggar lose the bowels on his cloth.
P6 : They asked to her to stay on the palace.
S : They asked her to stay in the palace.
P7 : … aslo had food in her table.

51
S : … aslo had food on her table.
P8 : ... she saw the golden snail on her net.
S : ... she saw the golden snail in her net.
Some of the students used the wrong prepositions and were
confused to determine the correct determine in a sentence, for example:
a. I often asked to her about some subjects.
This sentence should be “I often asked her about some subjects.”
b. I told that I love to her.
This sentence should be “I told that I love her.”
c. I want know more about her.
This sentence should be “I want to know more about her.”
d. … as the school subject since junior high school till high education.
This sentence should be “….as the school subject from junior high
school till high education.”
e. The distance between my house with Ciater was about 15 km.
This sentence should be “The distance between my house and
Ciater was about 15 km.
3.1.2 The Findings from Recorded Interviews
Some of the students, which were interviewed, told about their errors of
grammatical rules in writing as follow:

52
a. The first respondent
When I interviewed the first respondent, she got the following
problems of grammatical rules:
1. She still did not understand well about the use of tenses actually for
simple tense and past tense. (lack of understanding)
2. She also often was not sure when determining the appropriate
number of subject with its verb in a sentence. (lack of confidence)
3. She always got difficulty in making a complex sentence.
Sometimes she could make it, but she was often confused with the
structure or composition of the sentence. (lack of knowledge)
4. She also got some difficulties in determining the singular and plural
form from nouns. Then she was also still confused with
uncountable and countable noun forms when she was writing a
composition. (lack of knowledge)
5. It was still confusing her to determine the singular or plural form
from a verb which had to agree with its subject. (lack of
knowledge)
6. She was not sure to use the appropriate preposition actually for
word in and at. She said that she still did not know well about the
function from that prepositions in writing an English composition.
(lack of knowledge)

53
b. The second respondent
When I interviewed the second respondent, he got the following
1. He still made some errors in determining the appropriate verb with
its subject. He doubted whether he should use the singular or plural
form from the verb because he still did not understand yet about
that. (lack of confidence)
2. He often made errors in using morpheme –s for some nouns
because he was still confused in applying the morpheme. It
confused him because there are some nouns which mean plural but
the forms are like singular. (lack of knowledge)
3. He was still confused with tenses because there are too much
structures in the tense for him. (lack of knowledge)
c. The third respondent
When I interviewed the se respondent, he got the following
1. He got difficulty in wiring English vocabulary because he did not
know about the words, except if he used a dictionary he could write
them. (lack of knowledge)
2. He still did not understand in determining subject and verb, and in
arranging the correct word formation in a sentence. (lack of
understanding)

54
3. He always made some errors in determining the subject-verb
agreement. He was able to make a concord (agreement) between
the certain subjects; for example, the third singular pronoun and the
verb of the sentence. (lack of understanding)
4. He always made errors in writing a sentence without a correct tense
because he did not know yet and did not understand well about
tenses. (lack of knowledge)
5. He was also still confused in applying the correct pronoun because
he did not have a good understanding about it. (lack of knowledge)
6. He could make an agreement for certain subjects and the verbs
(be), but he still got confused with other agreement between them.
(lack of knowledge)
7. It was difficult for him to determining the correct preposition in a
sentence because he was still confused about it. (lack of
understanding)
d. The fourth respondent
When I interviewed the fourth respondent, she got the following
1. She always made errors in tenses because she got the difficulty in
determining the base and participle form from a verb. Sometimes
when she was writing a text, she often forgot the tenses at all. She
doubted whether she should use the simple present or simple past

55
tense because she didn’t understand those tenses. (lack of
confidence)
2. She was confused in using and determining the preposition,
whether it is as a subject or an object, because she still did not
understand well about it, so it often made her confused. (lack of
knowledge)
3. She had a little knowledge about agreement between a subject and
a verb. So she always got the difficulty when making a correct
agreement in a sentence. (lack of understanding)
e. The fifth respondent
When I interviewed the fifth respondent, he got the following
1. He was always confused in using the correct preposition because he
still did not understand yet about the use of preposition. (lack of
knowledge)
2. He also still made errors in tenses because he had a little
knowledge about it and he was still confused with the form of base
and participle from a verb. (lack of knowledge)
3. He did not understand the sentence well so it made her confused in
determining the correct preposition. (lack in knowledge)

56
f. The sixth respondent
When I interviewed the sixth respondent, she got the following
1. She was confused in arranging the correct arrangement of a
sentence; such as which word that should be in the beginning or in
the end. (lack of knowledge)
2. She was not sure in making a singular and plural form, so she often
looked up a dictionary to help them in determining the form. (lack
of confidence)
3. She also was not sure in determining the correct preposition in a
sentence because she had a little understanding on it. (lack of
understanding)
4. She was confused with tenses and was not able to make a sentence
with its correct tense because she did not know about the tenses.
(lack of knowledge)
g. The seventh respondent
When I interviewed the seventh respondent, she got the following
1. It was difficult for her to determine the plural or singular forms;
uncountable and countable noun, because those matters made her
confused. (lack of understanding)
2. She was also confused to differentiate between prepositions at, in,
and on. (lack of knowledge)

57
3.2 Mechanical Errors
Mechanical errors in general involve the errors of spelling, punctuation,
and capitalization.
3.2.1 The Findings from Handwriting Compositions
b. Spelling
No. Mistakes Correction
1. Schock Shock
2. Birtday Birthday
3. There pore Therefore
4. Restorant Restaurant
5. Becouse Because
6. Threeteen Thirteen
7. Imfortant Important
8. Elementari Elementary
9. Goverment Government
10. Conpersation Conversation
11. Supprised Surprised
12. Trought Through
13. Spreed Spread
14. Neightbor Neighbor
15. Caracter Character
16. Undrestant Understand
17. Comunication Communication
18. Motorcicle Motorcycle
19. Distanse Distance
20. Miracel Miracle
21. Cildren Children
Table 3.1 (Table of Spelling Errors)
Some of the students misspelled many words which caused to their
writing difficult to read. When I asked why they made errors in

58
spelling, they replied that they were careless to write the words and
never edited their writing. They seldom looked up the dictionary if they
had difficult words. The problem also came if they found the new words
which made them difficult to spell or to write. Their mother tongue also
interfered with the English spelling. They sometimes forgot to write one
letter, whereas the letter should be slipped on. They were also difficult
to differentiate the letter /f/ and /p/, /i/ and /y/.
c. Punctuation
P1 : Therefore they went back to their place.
AS : Therefore, they went back to their place.
P2 : So he decided to prepare a snare …
AS : So, he decided to prepare a snare …
P3 : Then he gave it a clothes …
AS : Then, he gave it a clothes …
P4 : Then he placed it in front of the garden.
AS : Then, he placed it in front of the garden.
P5 : I am in the same class with her class 2B.
AS : I am in the same class with her; class 2B.
P6 : Step by step I know her well.
AS : Step by step, I know her well.
P7 : Sometimes we go home together after school.
AS : Sometimes, we go home together after school.
P8 : There was an old man, his name is Abdullah.
AS : There was an old man. His name is Abdullah.
P9 : The name of the second son is Husain His wife was passed
away.

59
AS : The name of the second son is Husain. His wife was passed
away.
P10 : After several days praying and mediating. Finally the God
granted his wish.
AS : After several days praying and mediating, finally the God
granted his wish.
P11 : A rabbit was a good shooter. But in contras, the bear was
clumsy.
AS : A rabbit was a good shooter, but in contras, the bear was
clumsy.
P12 : …and could not use the arrow to shoot (without a period)
AS : …and could not use the arrow to shoot.
P13 : There were lots of meats left after (without a period)
AS : There were lots of meats left after.
P14 : Fortunately the youngest children of the bear …
AS : Fortunately, the youngest children of the bear …
P15 : The poor rabbit went home hungirily (without a period)
AS : The poor rabbit went home hungirily.
P16 : (in a title) My Wordl My Heaven My Hero My Everyhing
AS : (in a title) My Wordl, My Heaven, My Hero, and My
Everyhing
The students used erroneous of the punctuation frequently. They
usually used the misused punctuation marks on their writing. The
misused punctuation, which more appeared in their writing, were full
stop, comma and semi colon. They sometimes forgot to end sentence
with full stop, in the contrary, they put the comma in the end of
sentence. Indonesian language also influenced their decision to cut the

60
English words based on the Indonesian syllable rules. The followings
are some example:
- Therefore, they went back to their place.
The sentence should be “Therefore, they went back to their place.”
- My Wordl My Heaven My Hero My Everyhing (in a title)
The sentence should be “My Wordl, My Heaven, My Hero, and My
Everyhing.”
- I am in the same class with her class 2B.
The sentence should be “I am in the same class with her class 2B.”
- There was an old man, his name is Abdullah.
The sentence should be “There was an old man. His name is
Abdullah.”
d. Capitalization
P1 : he had two sons and a daughter.
S : He had two sons and a daughter.
P2 : finally the god granted his wish.
A : finally the God granted his wish.
P3 : Once upon a time, There lived a rabbit and a bear.
S : Once upon a time, there lived a rabbit and a bear.
P4 : a rabbit was a good shooter.
S : A rabbit was a good shooter.
P5 : … was Very kind to the rabbit.
S : … was very kind to the rabbit.
P6 : His mother always gave him an extra large of Piece of meat.
S : His mother always gave him an extra large of piece meat.

61
P7 : … and Pretent to Play ball …
S : … and pretent to play ball …
P8 : He kicked the ball of the meat into the rabbit House.
S : He kicked the ball of the meat into the rabbit house.
P9 : (in a title) The Monkey And The Cap Seller
S : (in a title) The Monkey and the Cap Seller
Some student did not care of the capital letters in their writing
activities. They often ignored the capital letters as follow:
- They made errors in the first word of sentences.
- They made errors in capitalization case in a title. The words also
did not include the preposition and coordinating conjunction.
- They made errors in the first word of people’s names.
- They made error in the first word of name of places / specific
location.
3.2.2 The Findings from Recorded Interviews
Some of the students, which were interviewed, told about their errors of
mechanical rules in writing as follow:
a. The first respondent
When I interviewed the first respondent, she got the problem of
mechanical rules. She got the difficulty in writing an English word
correctly if only she did not use the dictionary. (lack of understanding)

62
b. The second respondent
When I interviewed the second respondent, he got the following
problems of mechanical rules.
1. He got some difficulties in determining the correct spelling words
especially for some long words because he did not know well about
those words in his mind. (lack of understanding)
2. He did some errors when using capitalization for some nouns, but
he could use the correct capitalization for people names. (lack of
understanding)
c. The third respondent
When I interviewed the third respondent, he got the following
problems of mechanical rules. He got the difficulty in writing a correct
spelling word without a dictionary. (lack of understanding)
d. The fourth respondent
When I interviewed the fourth respondent, she got the problem of
mechanical rules. She felt that capitalization was not too difficult for
her because it is quite the same with Indonesian writing rules. (lack of
understanding)
e. The fifth respondent
When I interviewed the fifth respondent, he got the problem of
mechanical rules. She often did not write a word correctly, sometimes

63
she left one or two letter missed from the word, or she made a
misplaced word. (lack of carefulnees)
f. The sixth respondent
When I interviewed the sixth respondent, she got the problem of
mechanical rules. She always made errors in spelling rules because
sometimes she was in a hurry to write a composition and because the
rules of pronunciation and it writing are different. (lack of
understanding)
g. The seventh respondent
When I interviewed the seventh respondent, she got the following
problems of mechanical rules.
1. She was not sure of understanding the punctuation. She doubted
whether she must use a full stop and comma. (lack of confidence)
2. She was not able to write the words based on the spelling rules
easily because she was sometimes in hurry to write something and
never consulted the dictionary. (lack of time)
3.3 The Casual Factors of Composition Errors
They talked more about the casual factors why they made errors during the
writing process. The following statements are the results of the interview which
was conducted in the classroom.
1. They lacked of understanding the grammatical rules of English.

64
2. They were confused to determine the singular and plural forms.
3. They did not understand to use the suitable prepositions.
4. They sometimes forgot to use the morpheme –s or -es for plural forms of
nouns.
5. They were in doubt about tense, so they only predicated the tense usage.
6. They felt confused to use the tenses because their teachers denied using
the tenses in daily conversation or composition.
7. They were in doubt about tenses because they never found them in
Indonesian.
8. They were difficult to study tenses because the patterns of tenses are very
complex.
9. They were confused to replace the noun with its pronoun.
10. They lacked of vocabulary mastery, so they had a problem to develop
sentences.
11. They felt confused to use the correct agreement between a subject and a
verb because they lacked of knowledge about it.
12. They were in doubt about placing the correct preposition in a sentence.
13. They were confused to make a good order of words in a sentence.
14. They were in doubt about punctuation marks and their usage because
they did not have the basic knowledge on the punctuation rules.
15. They seldom practiced writing. As they wrote the composition, they
never care of the correct punctuation.

65
16. They were in a hurry to write and finally they made some errors in
spelling.
17. Some of them did not have dictionaries with the spelling rules. So they
never lookup up the dictionary to make sure the correct spelling.
18. They were difficult to master the spelling rules because they were
accustomed to keep Indonesian spelling rules.
19. They were in doubt and sometimes forgot to use the capitalization for
some words which should be capitalized.
20. Their mother tongue influences their English.
21. When they wrote English composition, they never revised or edited their
works.
3.3 Summary of Findings
From the findings above, it can be summarized that the grammatical errors
have dominated the problems of writing, and the mechanical errors are not much
more than the grammatical errors. The results of findings are tabulated as follow:
3.3.1 Grammatical errors from 15 compositions
No. Category
Item of Error
(Problem)
1. Subject-Verb Agreement 27
2. Tense 42
3. Word Order 10
4. Preposition 8
Ʃ 88
Table 3.2 (The Number of Grammatical Errors)

66
Thus, from that table we can conclude that the most commonly kind of
error in grammatical rules that appeared in students’ writing composition was
the error in tense which tends to 42 problems.
3.3.2 Mechanical errors from 15 compositions
No. Category
Item of Error
(Problem)
1. Spelling 21
2. Punctuation 16
3. Capitalization 9
Ʃ 46
Table 3.3 (The Number of Mechanical Errors)
The most commonly kind of errors in mechanical rules that appeared in
students’ writing composition was the error in spelling which tends to 21
problems. Thus, we can conclude that there are 88 problems of grammars and
46 problems of mechanics. Therefore, it can be said that the mechanical
errors is a half of grammatical errors.
3.3.3 The casual factors of errors
No. Casual Factor Respondent Number Total
1. Lack of knowledge
R#1, R#1, R#1, R#1, R#8, R#3,
R#3, R#3, R#3, R#3, R#4, R#5,
R#5, R#5, R#6, R#6, R#7
17
2. Lack of understanding
R#1, R#2, R#3, R#3, R#3, RN 3,
R#4, R#6, R#7
9
3. Lack of confidence R#1, R#4, R#6 3
4. Lack of time R#1, 1
Ʃ 30
Table 3.4 (The Number of Casual Factors)

67
Thus, from above table we can conclude that the casual factor which
often appears is that because the students lacked of knowledge about English
grammar and mechanics rules in writing composition.

68
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
After the writer conducted the research and found some various findings, in this
chapter the writer will draw the conclusion and give suggestion for further
research.
4.1 Conclusion
Based on the result of research on An Analysis of Grammatical and
Mechanical Errors in Writing Narrative Text Made by Grade Eleven Students of
SMA PGRI Tanjungsiang Subang can be concluded as follow:
1. The kinds of grammatical errors that appear in students’ writing
composition on narrative text are the error in subject-verb agreement,
tense, word order, and preposition. The most common mistakes that
students made of grammatical rules in their writing is the error in tense.
2. The kinds of mechanical errors in students’ writing composition on
narrative text that appear are the error in spelling, punctuation, and
capitalization. The most common mistakes that the students made is the
error in spelling.
3. The casual factors of errors in grammatical and mechanical rules from
students’ perceptions are (1) lack of knowledge, (2) lack of
understanding, (3) lack of confidence, and (4) lack of time. The most

69
commonly kind of casual factors in errors is lack of knowledge, which
tends to 17 students’ perceptions.
4.2 Suggestion
Based on the conclusion above, the researcher would like to propose some
suggestion in order to avoid the errors that students make in their writing below:
a. The English teachers should guide their students to write a composition
which is grammatically correct, especially for mastering tenses that is
the most commonly kind of grammatical errors that occur in their
writing. They have to give the students some tasks in mastering
grammar in English writing. Then, the teachers should give some
suggestions for them to write well by revising their writing.
b. The English teachers should guide their students to write a composition
which is mechanically correct, especially for spelling case, which is the
mostly error that appears in their writing. They have to give the students
some tasks in mastering mechanics in English writing, then the teachers
have to revise their compositions in order to give some suggestion for
their writing.
c. In the case of casual factors, the English teachers should give more
explanations to the students, especially in the case of tenses and
spelling, in order to get them have more knowledge related to grammars
and mechanics.

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