AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENT’S GRAMMATICAL AND LEXICAL ERRORS IN WRITING CLASS
1. INTRODUCTION
Writing is considered as the most difficult language skill to learn for a language learner. Writing activity involves some components such as grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics as the prerequisite of the written language rule. In this case, sometimes students have problems in those components. Consequently, it is hard for them to follow the writing class.
Making errors is an inevitable part of language learning particularly in writing process. Therefore, students cannot learn a language without first systemically committing errors. In a classroom setting, students cannot escape themselves from interference of their first language (L1) and that makes them unconsciously produce errors in the target language.
In line with the problems faced by the students, we took some students’ writing paragraphs as sample for this small research. We want to identify the students’ errors in terms of grammatical and lexical errors in their writing products. Furthermore, we elaborate those errors into 1) omission, 2) additions (double markings, regularizations, and simple additions), 3) misformation, 4) misordering. Besides, we also intend to find the kind of errors which more frequently occurs in their writing and try to propose some solutions which might useful to solve their writing problems.
2. SUBJECT AND SETTING OF STUDY
Actually, the subject of this small research is 10 pieces of paragraph writing in Writing 1 course. From 10 pieces of those paragraphs writing, we decide to take 3 pieces as samples of this small research. The setting of this research is in English Department, State University of Malang. Here, the students’ paragraph writing focuses on descriptive genre.
3. INSTRUMENT
3.1 Transcripts
The transcripts here are in the form of 3 pieces of paragraph writing written by students of writing 1 in English Department, State University of Malang. Those transcripts contain several errors in writing, namely grammatical errors include 1) omission, 2) additions (double markings, regularizations, and simple additions), 3) misformation, 4) misordering, and lexical errors. The following transcripts are arranged based on the number of students’ errors:
Transcript 1
The characteristics of a good wife
There are some points for you to master, as a woman who hope to be a good wife. As a wife, you must master a skill to manage money and be selective to buy goods, whether they are the priority or not. Then, it must be that you expect to have baby. So, you must be able to educate your children. The other thing is you must be creative to organize your house to be a comfortable home for your husband and children. You must also be able to cook. It can avoid your husband and children like to buy food outside. Then, the basic skill to have as a good wife is being a good sharing partner for your husband and children. I mean that you must be wise in facing your family’s problems. So, when your husband and children have problems, try to help them to solve those wisely.
Identification of errors:
No | Type of Errors | The Students’ Errors | Errors Correction |
1. | Grammatical Errors | ||
a. Omission | ü a woman who hope ü it must be… (object pron.) ü The other thing is you… ü …try to help them (subject pron.) ü those …wisely | ||
b. Additions | |||
Ø double markings | |||
Ø regularizations | |||
Ø simple additions | |||
c. Misformation | |||
d. Misordering | |||
2. | Lexical Errors |
No | Types of Error | The Students’ Error | Error Correction |
1. | Grammatical Errors | 1) the priority or not 2) be selective to buy goods 3) …to cook… it can… | 1) priority or not 2) Select in buying goods 3) …to cook because it can… |
2. | Lexical Errors | 1) Master 2) baby 3) avoid 4) The other thing is 5) ...organize your house | 1) Have 2) children 3) minimize 4) Besides 5) …manage your house |
1) | |||
Transcript 2
Angelina Jolie
Talk about pretty woman, Angelina Jolie has all the criterias. Beside beautiful face, she has a very attractive smile and perfect white teeth that every man has fallen for it including the handsome “Brad Pitt” although they are not together anymore. Angelina as an actress has perfect appearance. She is tall and slim with totally hot body. Her shoulder are wide and if you look at the arms they are nice builded. The thing that is not every actress has Angelina’s curly long black and shiny hair, it is beautiful. Her eyes color are hazel and indeed she looks very smart when she puts on her reading glasses. And who doesn’t agree if I will vote her as the most elegant woman.
Identification of errors:
No | Type of Errors | The Students’ Errors | Errors Correction |
1. | Grammatical Errors | ||
a. Omission | ü Beside … beautiful face ü And who doesn’t agree | ||
b. Additions | |||
Ø double markings | |||
Ø regularizations | |||
Ø simple additions | |||
c. Misformation | |||
d. Misordering | all the criterias | ||
2. | Lexical Errors |
No | Types of Error | The Students’ Error | Error Correction |
1. | Grammatical Errors | 1) Talk about pretty woman 2) all the criterias 3) nice builded 4) And who doesn’t agree if I will vote her 5) curly long black and shiny hair, it is beautiful | 1) Talking about a pretty woman 2) All criteria 3) Well build 4) Everyone will agree if I vote her… 5) Beautiful shiny curly long black hair. |
2. | Lexical Errors | - | - |
3. | Overgeneralization | 1) Angelina as an actress has perfect appearance 2) The thing that is not every actress has Angelina’s curly long black and shiny hair, it is beautiful | 1) It is better to be omitted 2) One thing that is not all actresses have is her beautiful shiny curly long black hair. |
4. | Developmental Errors | 1) Beside beautiful face 2) Including the handsome ‘Brad Pitt’ 3) The thing that is not every actress has Angelina’s curly long black and shiny hair, it is beautiful | 1) Beside her beautiful face…. 2) including the handsome actor ‘Brad Pitt’ 3) One thing that is not all actresses have is her beautiful shiny curly long black hair. |
5. | Transfer Errors | 1) Her eyes color are hazel and indeed she looks | 1) Her eyes color are hazel nut and ??????? |
Total Errors | 11 | ||
Transcript 3
My Dream Car
I have been thinking about the characteristics of my dream car. First, I will look at the size. It is not too big or not too small. The important thing is it can be contained by five persons, so I can still bring my family. Next, it must be comfortable, multifunction, comfort-seated, hot-cold air conditioner, smells good, and there is place for trash. On the other hand, my car must be sophisticated. There must television, music media player, computer completed with GPS so I will not get lost wherever I go, high security system. All of that will be unuseful without a good machine so it must be have. If it comes true, it will be my perfect travel mate.
Identification of errors:
No | Type of Errors | The Students’ Errors | Errors Correction |
1. | Grammatical Errors | ||
e. Omission | ü look at the size ü thing is it can be contained… ü must television, music media player, computer… ü without …a good machine | ||
f. Additions | |||
Ø double markings | |||
Ø regularizations | |||
Ø simple additions | |||
g. Misformation | |||
h. Misordering | All of that will be… | ||
2. | Lexical Errors | not too big or not too small |
No | Types of Errors | The Students’ Errors | Errors Correction |
1. | Grammatical Errors | 1) must television, music, media player, computer 2) it must be comfortable, multifunction, comfort-seated, hot-cold air conditioner, smells good, and there is place for trash 3) There must television, music media player, computer completed with GPS so I will not get lost wherever I go, high security system | 1) Must be a television, a music, a media player, and a computer 2) It must be comfortable, multifunction, and there is a hot-cold air conditioner and place for trash. 3) There must be a television, a music media player, a computer and a high security system completed with GPS so I will not get lost wherever I go |
2. | Lexical Errors | 1) contained 2) can still bring 3) On the other hand 4) Unuseful | 1) Filled 2) can carry my family 3) besides 4) useless |
3. | Overgeneralization | 1) All of that will be unuseful without a good machine so it must be have | 1) Those will be useless without having a good machine |
4. | Developmental Errors | 1) The important thing is it can be contained by five persons 2) There must television, music media player, computer completed with GPS so I will not get lost wherever I go, high security system | 1) The most important is my car can … 2) My car must be completed by a television, a music, a media player, a computer plus GPS so I can fell enjoy and safe wherever I go |
5. | Transfer Errors | - | - |
Total Errors | 10 | ||
Transcript 4
The description of Britney Spears
Everyone knows Britney Spears. She is a popular singer in this world. She has a good talented to sing a song. Many people have a dream to meet her. Her eyes are blue. It looks beautiful. Actually she has a beautiful voice. Besides that, all of her song make me excited. She has a beautiful body, so, all of boys like her. I don’t know why? But all of them said that Britney Spears is so sexy. Because of her voice, she once won in Grammy Award. She is clever too. Of course, she is a beautiful girl and become a favorite actress in this world.
Identification of errors:
No | Types of Error | The Students’ Error | Error Correction |
1. | Grammatical Errors | 1) a good talented 2) Besides that 3) song make | 1) Good talent 2) Besides, 3) Songs make |
2. | Lexical Errors | 1) Actually 2) Besides that | 1)???? 2) besides |
3. | Overgeneralization | 1) so, all of boys like her. I don’t know why? But all of them. | 1) so, most of boys like her and said that Britney Spears is so sexy |
4. | Developmental Errors | 1) But all of them said that Britney Spears is so sexy. She is clever too 2) Because of her voice, she once won in Grammy Award. Of course, she is a beautiful girl and become a favorite actress in this world. | 1) …and said that Britney Spears is so sexy and clever. 2) Because of her voice, she once won in Grammy Award and also become a favorite actress in this world |
5. | Transfer Errors | 1) Actually, she has a beautiful voice. Besides that, all of her song make me excited | 1) She has a beautiful voice and also all of her songs make me excited |
Total Errors | 8 | ||
Transcript 5
Uncomfortable Journey
It is very uncomfortable traveling by economic train when holiday comes. There are so many people in it that make it crowded. You won’t see the differences of sitting people from standing ones. It’s very difficult to move because you just have a little space. The vendors shout aloud to offer their merchandises and make the atmosphere become more uncomfortable. The standing people have to give space whenever the vendors move. The children are crying because of the hot air and of course it makes the situation worse.
Identification of errors:
No | Types of Error | The Students’ Error | Error Correction |
1. | Grammatical Errors | 1) You won’t see the differences of sitting people from standing ones | 1) You won’t see the difference between sitting people and standing ones |
2. | Lexical Errors | - | |
3. | Overgeneralization | in it that make it crowded | who make it crowded |
4. | Developmental Errors | - | |
5. | Transfer Errors | - | |
Total Errors | 2 | ||
