AN ANALYSIS OF ERRORS MADE BY THE SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS OF

SMP 1 MUHAMMADIYAH CIREBON IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

IBNU REVY WAHYUDI

English Department Education
University of Swadaya Gunung Jati Cirebon
E-mail:Ibnurevywahyudi5@gmail.com

Abstract: This research was an error analysis research which was aimed to find
out the types of error according to the theory of Corder (1981) and its sources of
error based on Brown (2007) and Richard (1973) made by the students in the
writing of descriptive text. The research was conducted in SMP Muhamadiyah 1
Cirebon in academic year of 2015/2016 and 6 of seventh grade students were
taken as respondents to take the study. In conducting the study, the writer carried
out the following steps: Classifying the errors, quantifying the error, describing
the errors, and analyzing the sources causing error. After the writer conducted the
research, 80 errors were made by the students in writing descriptive text. There
were 34 errors of omission (42,5 %), 6 errors of addition (7,5 %), 31 errors of
selection (38,5 %), and 9 errors of ordering (11,25 %). In the source of error, the
writer found that most students were influenced by interlingual transfer (29,1
%)and incomplete application of rule (25, 6 %). The rest source of error such as
over-generalization (19, 4 %), ignorance of rule restriction (16, 4 %), and false
concept hypothesized (10, 4 %)also caused the students made errors but not too
dominant. From the result, the writer can conclude that some students seemed
doomed in writing particularly in grammar area. It is suggested that teachers
should give more exercises especially about grammar because, based on the
result, the students seemed still influenced by mother tongue.
Keywords; error, error analysis, types of error, sources of error.

1. Introduction
There are four skills that English covers; writing, reading, listening and
speaking. Those competences are integratedly taught in every degree of school
in Indonesia because the main goal is that students can be able to develop their
communicative skills both in written or spoken English. The components of
English are structure, pronounciation, vocabulary and spelling. They are
separately taught. The goal is to support the development of those basic
competences.
Nowadays based on the curriculum that is KTSP applied in most
schools, the students are expected to master those four skills in order to be
able to use English communicatively. The aim of KTSP (Kurikulum Tingkat
Satuan Pendidikan) will not be also successfully achieved if the language
teaching does not consider the language components such as grammatical
structure, vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation. Therefore, grammar needs
to be mastered by the students since it is the basic rule of language.
Students are expected to be able to communicate with correct structure.
Structure or grammar is very important to be learned by students or learners
yet grammatical rules still become one of the most problems which secondlanguage learners have. Especially in writing, students or learners want to
write or express their ideas into the written form but they still do it wrong
grammatically or they put the words in the wrong order. As Kaweera (2013)
noted that it is not surprising that errors in writing are usually found as an
unavoidable part of English foreign language learning.
Based on the information obtained from one of the English teacher at
SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Cirebon, it was found that many students still had
difficulties in mastering grammar, especially in mastering Simple Present
Tense. Simple Present Tense is important as the basic rule for

the students to

make and use sentences to communicate in daily life. Besides, the students can
identify and make descriptive, reports or procedure text in which Simple

Present Tense is used. In line with that, Asassfeh (2013) classified that some
common grammatical errors are subject-verb agreement, definite and
indefinite article, prepositions, spelling, and logical connector use. The
subject-verb agreement is however the most common error which students
make in writing.
The case can be illustrated as below:
I am is your friend
She write on board
(Thornbury, 1999; 115)
From the example of common errors made by the students above, the
writer concludes that the misconstruction of the sentences occurs to the
incorrect use of verb or it is called subject-verb agreement error. Thornbury
(1999, 115) stated that language learners make mistakes that seem to be an
inevitable part in learning a language. However, the mistakes are supposed to
be corrected in order to gain the successful language learning.
Some researchers have conducted error analysis studies. One of them
is conducted by Palaguna (2014). The research was conducted in the second
year students of SMAN 1 Palimanan in 2014/1015. Moreover, this study is
to find out the most type common errors made by eleventh grade students
in making simple past tense and generic structure in narrative writing at SMA
Negeri 1 Palimanan. It includes the common errors in using simple past tense
that are divided into two parts: regular and irregular verb. And the generic
structure involves orientation, evaluation, complication and resolution. Based
on the purpose above, the writer intends to answer the question. How many
errors the students make in past tense in their narrative writing text? How
many errors the students make in the generic structure in their narrative
writing text? In doing this study, the writer uses descriptive analysis in form of
qualitative. The findings of the study is that in simple past tense the most of
the students make errors in irregular form, because almost all of the students

make errors in this area and the second level of errors is regular form but it is
the lowest that the students making errors. And in the generic structure, the
most of students make errors in evaluation and second level of errors is
orientation. All The students did not make errors in this area.
From the problem above, two research questions are formulated; (1).
What types of errors are made by the seventh grade students of SMP 1
Muhammadiyah Cirebon in writing descriptive text using the simple present
tense? (2). What are the sources of errors made by the first grade students of
SMP 1 Muhammadiyah Cirebon in writing descriptive text?
2. Literary Review
Errors in foreign language teaching and learning especially in English
are the cases which are difficult enough to be avoided by students. It rhymes
with the statement above, Brown (2007:219) gave detail that error analysis is
as the process to observe, analyze, and classify the deviations of the rules of
the second language and then to reveal the systems operated by learner. In the
other words error analysis is the process of determining the incidence, nature,
causes, and consequences of unsuccessful language.
While, Ellis (1997:17) gave detail that Errors reflect gaps in a learners
knowledge; they occur because the learner does not know what is correct.
Mistakes reflect occasional lapses in performance; they occur because, in
particular instance, the learner is unable to perform what he or she knows. It
means that it is essential here to make a distinction between mistakes and
errors. Two things need to be stated here; firstly, mistakes do not require
special treatment assuming they are recognized. Secondly, errors here refer to
structure only.
a. Types of Error

The types of the language may vary. Research on second language

learners interlanguage has resulted in the identification of several types of
errors. According to Corder (1981:36)
1) Omission
Omission errors are characterized by the absence of an item that must
appear in a sentence. Example:
Incorrect : He a doctor
Correct

: He is a doctor

2) Addition
Addition errors are characterized by the presence of an item which
must not appear in a sentence.
Incorrect : We have must to leave
Correct

: We have to leave or we must leave

3) Selection
Selection errors are characterized by the use of wrong form of the
morpheme or structure. Example:
Incorrect : My mother is going to the market yesterday.
Correct

: My mother was going to the market yesterday

4) Ordering
Ordering errors are characterized by the incorrect placement of words
in a sentence. Example:
Incorrect : Alex to school goes by bus
Correct

: Alex goes to school by bus

b. Source of Error
However, The categorization can be classified into two domains;
interlingual and intralingual transfer. As Brown (2007:224) classified the
sources of error made in language learning into:
1) Interlingual transfer
Brown (2007:224) stated that interlingual transfer is a
significant source of error. All these errors are attributable to negative
interlingual transfer. In other word, when learners make errors which
are influenced by mother language, it is called interlingual transfer.
The error made by the students could be omitting the to be or auxiliary
verbs or translating the sentence word by word from mother language
to the target language. As an example:
I like my pen blue.
2) Intralingual transfer
Brown (2007:224) cited that intralingual transfer is one of
major causes in second language learning which comes from the target
language. It means that the error comes from target language rule that
could be very opposite from the mother language.
In addition, Richards (1973:174) classified intralingual transfer into
four types;
A) Over-generalization.
Over generalization covers instances where the learner
creates a deviant structure on the basis of his experiences of other
structure of target language. It generally involves the creation of
one deviant structure in place of two target language structures. As
an example:
He dont go.
B) Ignorance of rule restriction
Ignorance of rule restriction is the failure to observe the
restriction of existing structures that are the application of rules to
context where they do not apply. As an example:
Keep to be you.
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C) Incomplete Application of Rules

Incomplete Application of Rules means the occurrence of
structures which deviancy represents the degree of development
of the rules required to produce acceptable utterances. Ellis
(1997:95) stated that incomplete application of rules involves a
failure to fully develop a structure. As an example:
You like to sing?
In place of interrogative word order in questions
Do you like to sing?
D) False concepts hypothesized
False concepts hypothesized arise when the learner does not
fully comprehend a distinction in the target language. That is
sometimes called semantic error, may be derived from faulty
comprehension in the target language. As an example:
This is happened to me.
3. Research Methodology
In conducting this study, the writer uses descriptive qualitative method
as the research method to describe a situation by analyzing the existing data.
As stated by Best and Kahn (2006:118) a descriptive study describes and
interprets what is concerned with conditions or relationships that exist,
opinions that are held, processes that are going on, effects that are evident, or
trends that are developing. It is primarily concerned with the present, although
it often considers past events and influences as they relate to current
conditions.
To obtain the data, the writer collects the data of this research by using
test as a technique. As proposed by Brown (2001:384) that a test is a plain
word is a method of measuring a persons ability or knowledge in a given
domain. In the other words, test is a procedure intended to establish the
quality, performance, or reliability of something.

In this research, the writer gives a test about descriptive text which is
intended to determine types of students grammatical error and find out the
sources of error made in writing descriptive text.
The sample of the study is the first grade students of SMP 1
Muhammadiyah Kota Cirebon which consists of 19 students. In conducting
this research, the writer takes 6 students as the data resource and respondents.
After the data are gained, the writer analyzes them in order to answer the
research questions. In analyzing the data, the writer carries out the following
steps: Classifying the Error, Quantifying the Error, Describing the Error,
Analyzing the Source of Error.
4. Finding and Discussion
a. Types of error
1) Error of Omission
There are 34 errors or 42,5 % of omission which students made in
writing descriptive text:
Student 1
have hamster
Student 1 omitted an article where should be appear in such case
because hamster is a countable noun. The suitable article which
correct to such case is an a. It is clear if student 1 wrote have a
hamster instead.
Student 2
the color white.
The case is the same with the first. Student 2 omitted a crucial item
to build a sentence, predicate. The omitting item was a linking verb
which links a compliment white to the subject the color. The
result is the color is white.
Student 3
I born
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Student 3 was wrong not to put a complete predicate to the

sentence. The first rule to set up a sentence is there have to be at
least subject and predicate (Murphy 1985). The subject in that
sentence is I and born stands for complement. The linking verb
has to be in between. Student 3 should have written I was born

2) Error of Addition
There are 6 errors or 7,5 % of addition which students made in writing
descriptive text:
Student 2
have eyes is beautiful
Student 2 here did not really comprehend the distinction in English
grammar. He added an unnecessary item is in the sentence.
Besides he put the words in the wrong order. The simple truth
about what he intended to write is the rabbit has beautiful eyes.
He did not have to add other unnecessary item to write that.

Student 3
in years 2003.
Student 3 put an unnecessary word in the sentence. The
unnecessary item is years because 2003 indicates a year. The
correct clause which student 3 had to write is in 2003.
Student 5
play outside house.
There is an unnecessary word house. The word outside
represents that it is not inside a building. Therefore student 5 was

enough to say play outside instead of play outside house

because it is considered as an addition error.
3) Error o Selection
There are 31 errors or 38,5 % of selection which students made in
writing descriptive text:
Student 1
siung have
One of typical English grammatical rules is in the simple present
tense of which a single noun as the subject, the following verb has
to be in single form also (Murphy:1985). The item siung in the
sentence indicates a single noun as the subject. The right single
verb as the predicate is by adding -s at the end of base verb. In
this case by adding -s to the base verb have, it transforms to be
has. The right sentence is siung has. This also applies to the rest
of selection errors siung eat, siung like, and siung like eat.
Student 1 could have written siung eats, siung likes, and siung
likes to eat instead.
Student 2
I call see nyingnying
It is clear there is a disorder in the sentence. By interviewing
student 2, the writer got the intention why he wrote that way.
Student 2 intended to write I call her ningnying. He did not know
how to spell she so he wrote see instead. What he had intended
was wrong either. The item she is subjective pronoun which
cannot modify a noun. The right item is her which is a objective
pronoun.
Student 3
I life in panjunan

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It is quite clear that student 3 did not know the distinction. She
failed to choose the word choice. The item life is a noun, not a
verb. The correct sentence is I live in panjunan.
4) Error of Ordering
There are 9 errors or 11,25 % of ordering which students made in
writing descriptive text:
Student 2
rabbit I cute
Student 2 was wrong to put the words that way. After interviewing
him, the writer finally got the intention about what student 2 was
going to say. Student 2 meant to say my rabbit is cute. Besides he
omitted the predicate of the sentence.
Student 3
13 February
In English grammatical patern, the placement of date has to be
month, date and then year. Or it is fine to say an ordinal number of
date first, and then followed by months and then years. It is quite
different with Indonesian literature starting from date, month and
then year. Therefore, the phrase which student 3 made is
considered as an ordering error because student 3 put the date and
month in a wrong order. The sentence should be February 13 or
the writer could have said 13th of February.

Student 4
skin white
Student one seemed confused in putting the phrase in a correct
order. The item white is a pre modifier which happens to identify
the noun skin. The correct sentence is white skin.
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b. Source of Error
1) Interlingual transfer
There are 19 errors or 29,1 % which are influenced by interlingual
transfer which students made in writing descriptive text:
Student 1
Like eat grass
In the clause above, it could be considered as an omission error.
Student 1 mistook to mention a particle to to the term of to
infinitive. And also he missed to write one of modifiers to the
uncountable noun. The most related one is some. By guessing on
the context, he intended to write like to eat some grass which in
Indonesian grammatical pattern, it is fine to say suka makan
rumput.
Student 2
Rabbit I cute
In the clause above, it was considered as error of ordering,
selection and omission. The intended one is M rabbit is cute. It can
be concluded by analyzing the error that student 2 failed in the
transfer it from the mother tongue to the target language.

Student 3
I born
In the sentence above, student 3 omitted the predicate of the
sentence. According to the sentence, the suitable predicate is was.

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The error derives from the mother tongue because in Indonesian

grammatical pattern the word was has no exact meaning.

2) Over-generalization
There are 13 errors or 19, 4 %which are influenced by interlingual
transfer which students made in writing descriptive text:
Student 1
Suing have, siung like, siung eat
In the clauses above, student 1 made errors which are subject-verb
agreement. Generalization of using base verb to the subject I or
you influences this error as in I like or you like. The verbs
taken in the example are base verbs (without adding any singular
form of verb suffix -s/-es) because the terms of I, you, they
and we are exceptional (Murphy 1985). Meanwhile, based on the
context, the subject is singular and the verb is required to be
singular either with adding singular form of verb suffix -s/-es at
the end of the base verb. These errors come from the other
structure rule of English.

Student 5
She have, Belang like, Belang eat, She also like
In the sentences above, student 5 made errors about subject-verb
agreement which both subject and verb did not go in harmony.
Generalization of using base verb to the subject I or you
influences this error as in I like or you like. The verbs taken in
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the example are base verbs (without adding any singular form of
verb suffix -s/-es) because the terms of I, you, they and we
are exceptional (Murphy 1985). Meanwhile, based on the context,
the subject is singular and the verb is required to be singular either
with adding singular form of verb suffix -s/-es at the end of the
base verb. These errors come from the other structure rule of
English.

Student 2
My rabbit like, also like
In the sentences above, student 2 made error about subject-verb
agreement which both subject and verb did not go in harmony.
Generalization of using base verb to the subject I or you
influences this error as in I like or you like. The verbs taken in
the example are base verbs (without adding any singular form of
verb suffix -s/-es) because the terms of I, you, they and we
are exceptional (Murphy 1985). Meanwhile, based on the context,
the subject is singular and the verb is required to be singular either
with adding singular form of verb suffix -s/-es at the end of the
base verb. These errors come from the other structure rule of
English.

3) Ignorance of rule restriction

There are 11 errors or 16, 4 %which are influenced by interlingual
transfer which students made in writing descriptive text:
Student 1
Name suing
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In the incomplete sentence above, student 1 did not apply the rule
of the sentence. A sentence requires at least subject and predicate.
Student 1 omitted the predicate and a modifier to the subject which
he did ignore. He should have written the name is suing.

Student 2
The color white
In the incomplete sentence above, student 2 did not apply the rule
of the sentence. A sentence requires at least subject and predicate.
Student 2 omitted the predicate which he did ignore. The most
related verb is is. The whole sentence should have been the color is
white.

Student 4
She age 18 years old now
In the sentence above, it is considered as an error of omission
because student 4 omitted the predicate of the sentence which is the
related verb is is. Student 4 did not apply the rule of the sentence.
A sentence requires at least subject and predicate. Student 4 also
mistook in choosing the right word she is subjective pronoun
which cannot define a noun. The sentence should be her age is 18
years old now.

4) Incomplete application of rule

There are 17 errors or 25, 6 %which are influenced by interlingual
transfer which students made in writing descriptive text:
15

16

Student 1
Have hamster
In the clause above, student 1 wrote the phrase incompletely. The
item hamster is a countable and singular noun. Thereby, it requires
an article. The right article is a. The clause should be have a
hamster.

Student 2
I like touch
In the sentence above, student 2 was going to write I like to touch
the rabbit but he missed some items which had been important in
the existence of the sentence. Student 2 omitted to to form of to
infinitive which goes follow the bare verb like and the object my
rabbit because the verb mentioned in the sentence is a transitive
word which needs an object. He wrote it incompletely
grammatically.

Student 2
I like touch
In the sentence above, student 2 was going to write I like to touch
the rabbit but he missed some items which had been important in
the existence of the sentence. Student 2 omitted to to form of to
infinitive which goes follow the bare verb like and the object my
rabbit because the verb mentioned in the sentence is a transitive
word which needs an object. He wrote it incompletely
grammatically.

5) False concept hypothesized

There are 7 errors or 10, 4 %which are influenced by interlingual
transfer which students made in writing descriptive text:

17

Student 1
White, orange and black
It is completely an incomplete sentence because there are no
subject and predicate appearing in the sentence. Student 1 did not
comprehend how to set up a sentence. The first rule to be the
sentence is that there has to be a subject and a predicate. The clause
has to be its colors are white, orange and black because the item
colors refers to a noun identified before.
Student 3
I school in SMP 1
Student 3 did choose the wrong word choice in setting up the
sentence. It can be seen that she translated them word by word and
did not comprehend well about the distinction in the target
language. The student 3 did not know the distinction in English
structure. Student 3 should have written I go to SMP 1 instead.
I elementry school until class 6 in bogor.
By only guessing, the writer could get what student 6 was going to
say. Student 6 meant to say I finish my elementary school in
Bogor. He put the words together in wrong order. He did not
comprehend the distinction in the target language so he made error
in translating them.

c. Discussion
Based on the data analyzed above, the writer can conclude students
still make errors in writing and students errors are caused by their
comprehension of target language which is influenced by their native
language. In other word, when learners make errors which are under
influenced by mother language which is Indonesian language, it is called
interlingual transfer Brown (2007:224).

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5. Conclusion and Suggestion

The purposes of this research are to find out the types and sources of
error made by the students in writing descriptive text. Based on the data
analyzed, the writer concluded that many students, especially the respondents
made errors in omission and selection in writing descriptive text.
Based on the research result, the writer would like to offer some
suggestions which hopefully could be useful for the readers especially for
English teachers out there.
Teachers should give more exercise about grammar, not only its theory.
Based on the result, the students seem not so understand about simple present
tense. In teaching material related to grammar, the teachers should use
interesting method and media and give more easily understood explanation
which will make students interested in learning English, particularly in
learning grammar. In addition, motivate and discuss their grammatical error in
writing and let the students understand the errors they made so they are able to
correct themselves.

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