An Error Analysis of Students in Using Personal Pronouns in Descriptive Paragraph

Writing at the Seventh Grade of SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu

Tanggamus in 2011/2012 Academic Year

By
Iwan Kurniawan & Upi Karani

Abstract

The aims of this research are to find out the type of and the percentage of errors done by
the students in using the personal pronouns in their descriptive paragraph writing at the
Seventh Grade of SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu Tanggamus in 2014/2015 Academic Year.
The research findings reveal there are errors in personal pronouns in subject, object,
possesive adjective, possesive pronoun in their descriptive paragraph writing made by
students. The number of wrong possesive error is 23 items, and the percentage is 54.8%.
The number of omission of subject and object error is 10 items, and the percentage is
23.8% .

Key words: Error Analysis, Personal Pronouns, Descriptive Paragraph

A. Background of the Problem

No communication will take place without a language. Language is a means of

communication used by people to interact one another. With language they are able to express

their feelings, thought, opinion, and ideas. They, furthermore, may learn something and

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understand other people by using language. According to Siahaan (2008) language is a set of

rules used by human as a tool of communication.i In other words, people require a language in

common to avoid misunderstanding in communicating among them.

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, communicating with people from different

countries really requires languages in common. English as one of the international languages is

the most widely used by people all over the world. It is used to help them to communicate or

interact with other people from different countries, and even to do their activities in the fields of

trade, science, technology, etc. Some countries in the world use English as the native language.

In this case they use English as their mother tongue. They use English as the tool of

communication in their lives. In some other countries, people use English as a second language.

It means that they use English in their daily communication instead of their native language. In

other words, they use English besides their own native language to communicate among other

people in the country.

In Indonesia, people use English as a foreign language. English is not used by the people

as a tool of communication but it is learned and taught to the students at school as a subject. It is

taught as a compulsory subject to the students from junior high school to university. Even though

English has been taught to them, but they still find difficulties in mastering the language skills,

i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and the language components, such as

pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

Based on the interview to an English teacher of Seventh grade of SMP Negeri 1 Ngarip

Ulu Belu Tanggamus Wihardini S.Pd : She said that most of the students still got difficulties in

mastering the language skills, especially in writing. They made mistakes in their writing when

they were asked to write a piece of writing. Particularly, they made errors in using personal

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pronouns in writing a descriptive text. This might be caused by having very little knowledge of

grammar, particularly personal pronouns.ii

In addition, this is supported by the result of the interview with some students of the

seventh grade, Based on the interview with the students, it was found that they could not learn

how to master writing especially to write descriptive paragraph because they easily felt bored of

the teaching technique used by the teacher. The teacher used a lecturing technique to teach them

to write. It seemed monotonous to them. Consequently, this made them bored and lazy to learn

writing.iii As a result, most of the students got low scores in writing test. Below is an example of

students descriptive paragraph at the seventh grade of SMP Negeri 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu

Tanggamus.

I will tell you something about my sister. Her name is diana saputri, she is 20 years old. She
has straigth hair and a sharp nose, she skin is white. She has a small mole near her left eye.
She likes reading a novel. A novel about Ayat- Ayat Cinta on the table in my bedroom is her.
She is a child very good and always takes care of her family. She is a example good to l.iv

It can be seen clearly that the student made a lot of errors in using Personal Pronouns such as

Subject, Object, Possesive Adjective, Possesive Pronoun. Below are the examples of students

errors in using Personal Pronouns taken from the paragraph above.

Incorrect : She skin is white

Correct : Her skin is white

Incorrect : The story book about Cinderella is her

Correct : The story book about Cinderella is hers

Incorrect : She is a child very good and always takes care of her family.

Correct : She is a child very good and 1 always takes care of her family

Incorrect : because she is a example good to I

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 Correct : because she is a good example to me

In view of the decription of the researchers finding in the preliminary research that the

junior high school students often do mistake and difficulty when apply their descriptive

paragraph writing. The Researcher is so interested in investigating students ability by their

descriptive paragraph writing in using Personal Pronouns. Therefore, the researcher proposes a

research entitled:An Analysis of Students Error in Using Personal Pronouns in their

Descriptive Paragraph Writing at the Seventh Grade Students of SMP Negeri 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu

Tanggamus in 2014/2015 Academic Year.

Based on the identification above, the researcher focused on an analyzing of students

error in using personal pronouns. They are: Subject Pronoun, Object Pronoun, Possesive

Adjective, and Possesive Pronoun in their descriptive paragraph writing, because based on

syllabus, these are kinds of personal pronouns are learned by the students in seventh grade of

junior high school. It is generally used in descriptive paragraph writing.

B. Objectives of the Research

The objectives of this research were:

1. To find out type of errors did by the students in using the personal pronouns in their

descriptive paragraph writing?

2. To find out the percentage of errors did by the students in using the personal pronouns in

their descriptive paragraph writing

C. Research Methodology

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 This research was a qualitative. In this research, the researcher used qualitative method in

which it focused on descriptive text containing personal pronouns. According to Bodgan and

Taylor in setiyadi (2006), qualitative research is a research is a research that produces descriptive

data in the form of written words or oral forms from the subject and its behavior that can be

observed. Therefore, the goal of the research is an individual understanding and its background

complety.v

Therefore, in this research the researcher used descriptive research to gain description of

status of phenomena that appear in the current situation. This current research is in an attempt to

portray the present state of errors in personal pronoun in their descriptive paragraph writing

made by the students of seventh grade at SMP Negeri 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu Tanggamus in the

academic year of 2014/2015.

Setiyadi states that all individual which can be the target in research are called

population.vi It is supported by Arikunto (1993) who states the population is all subject of the

research.vii In this research the researcher took the whole students of the first semester of the

seventh grade of SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu Tanggamus in 2014/2015 academic year.

Table 2
The Numbers of the Students

Gender
No Class Total
Male Female
1 VII1 14 13 27
2 VII2 15 12 27
3 VII3 10 17 27
Total of the students 81
Source: The document of the seventh grade of SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu Tangggamus
In this research the researcher used purposive sampling technique. Arikunto says purposive

sampling technique is sampling technique which is done because some cause. Such as the

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researcher has particular purpose towards the sample and very limited time and funding.viii Here

is the average score of personal pronouns from each class in SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu

Tanggamus.

Table 3
The Students Score of Personal Pronoun of the Seventh

No Class Average Score

1 VII1 60
2 VII2 75
3 VII3 72
(Source: The document of the seventh grade of SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu BeluTanggamus)

From the table above, it can be said that each class has various average score. The class that has

low average score was class VII1, and class that has high average score was class VII2. The

researcher used class VII1 as a sample of this research because class VII1 has the lowest average

score so that it is possible for students to made errors in personal pronouns. It is appropriate with

purposive sampling technique that has been explained. So the sample represents the population,

because the students in this class have low average score compared to the other class. The

researcher used class VII1 as the subject of this research, it consists of 27 students.

In this research the researcher used documentation to collect the data of students error in

using personal pronouns in descriptive paragraph writing. According to Arikunto, documentation

derived from the word document means written object.ix It means the documentation data can be

found in the written record of subject. Furthermore, Setiyadi states that there were many

variations of documents, from the very personal document can be a photograph, diary, personal

letter and story told by someone. And formal one can be mark of certain lesson, report book,

final exam score, semester score and official letter.x In this research, the researcher used the
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document in the form of students descriptive paragraph writing that analysed to know kinds of

their errors in using personal pronouns.

In doing the research, the researcher took the data in the form of documentation. The

procedures of the research as follows:

1. The researcher Consulted to the English teacher at the seventh grade of SMP Negeri 1

Ngarip Ulu Belu Tanggamus.

2. The subject of the research were taken from the first semester of seventh grade in SMP N

1 Ngarip Ulu Belu Tanggamus.

3. The researcher took the data in the form of documentation. In taking the data, the

researcher took data of students descriptive paragraph writing in SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu

Belu Tanggamus.

4. Processing the data. From the data taken, the researcher processed the result of document

to know students errors in using descriptive paragraph writing, which is the paragraph

containing personal pronouns.

5. Analyzing the data. The researcher analyzed the data using identifying and classifying,

calculating the data, in determined the type of error based on Linguistic Category

Taxonomy.

6. Conclusion. The researcher concluded the result of data in doing the research.

7. Result of the research. The researcher made report of the result from the research in the

form of a script.

In analyzing the data, the researcher uses the four steps suggested by McCharty (1993)

as follows:xi

1). Collecting the data from the result of the students writing.

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The researcher tried to determine the data that was collected to be treated, e.g finding the

personal pronouns that were used by the students in descriptive paragraph writing.

2). Identifying the students errors

The researcher identified the students errors by underlining and giving code for each data,

example: WF for wrong possesive in personal pronouns, OM for omission of subject and object

in personal pronouns and MO for misordering of subject and object in personal pronouns. Then

the researcher counted the total number of error based on Linguistics Category Taxonomy.

3). Classifying the students errors

After the researcher identified and divides the data, the researcher classified the error based on

lingustic category taxonomy. They had been classified in wrong possesives error, omission of

subject and objects error and misordering of subject and objects error.

4). Calculating the percentage

After classifying the data, the researcher calculated the students categories errors and made

percentage each error classifications based on Linguistics Category Taxonomy.

Calculating the percentage of error by using the following formula:xii

P= x 100

Explanation :
P = The total percentage of errors

F = total number of students errors

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 N = The total number of personal pronouns.

The total number of students errors was described in the following table:

Subject Students errors in personal pronouns Total %

WF OM MO

Total

D. Result of the Research

The researcher has conducted the research at SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu Tanggamus in the first

semester. The subjects of this research are seventh grade students of class VII1 in SMP N 1

Ngarip Ulu Belu Tanggamus. The students followed are twenty one students from twenty seven

students in one class, some of them cannot join the class because they are meeting during the

test.

After analyzing the students test result, the researcher had found some errors by the students in

using personal pronouns (subject, object, possesive adjective, possesive pronoun) in descriptive

paragraph writing. There are 42 errors

1. Types of Students Error in using Personal Pronouns (Subject, Object, Possesive Adjective,

Possesive Pronoun) in Their Descriptive Paragraph Writing Based on Lingusitic Category

Taxonomy.

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 In this research, the researcher analyzed the students error in using personal pronoun

(subject, object, possesive adjective, possesive pronoun) in descriptive paragraph writing based

on Lingustic Category Taxonomy. There are three error cassifications in Lingustic Category

Taxonomy: they are wrong possesive, omission of subject and object, and misorderind of subject

and object. Here are the data of students error in using personal pronoun (subject, object,

possesive adjective, possesive pronoun) in descriptive paragraph writing based on error

classifications in Lingustic Category Taxonomy.

a. The Data of Students Wrong Possessive Errors

Wrong Possessive error is error classification in Linguistics Category Taxonomy when

the students chose wrong/incorrect Possessive. The following data are presented as samples of

some errors commited by the students.

Types
No The students errors Correction of
error
1 It name is popo Its name is popo WP
2 She name is Nova Sintia Her name is Nova Sintia WP
3 She favorite colour is green. Her favorite colour is green. WP
4 She favorite food is egg. Her favorite food is egg WP
5 She favorite fruit is apple. Her favorite fruit is apple. WP
6 She favorite drink is white Her favorite drink is water.
WP
water.
7 Talking about problems in Talking about problems in our live.
WP
we live.
8 Hers name is Nabila Nilna Her name is Nabila Nilna Ghina.
WP
Ghina.
9 Hers hobby is singing and Her hobby is singing and watching. WP
watching.
10 I hope we can be a friend I hope we can be a good friend as
WP
good as long as ours live. long as our live.
11 She name is Riska Oktavia. her name is Riska Oktavia. WP

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 12 She favorite color is blue Her favorite color is blue. WP
13 Her name is Ahmad Samsul His name is Ahmad Samsul Huda. WP
Huda.
14 Her name is Inderak Saputra. His name is Inderak Saputra. WP
15 She name is mei nur hayati her name is Mei Nur Hayati WP
16 She favorite colour is red. Her favorite colour is red. WP
17 She favorite food is noodle. Her favorite food is noodle. WP
18 She favorite fruit is Her favorite fruit is watermelon.
WP
watermelon.
19 She favorite drink is juice. Her favorite drink is juice. WP
20 She is also famous with she She is also famous with her latin WP
face latin. face
21 It is name is Bobo Its name is Bobo WP
22 It colour is gray Its colour is grey
WP
24 She also very love she She also very love her children
WP
children

b. The data of Students error omission of subject and object.

This type of error happens when the students liked to miss an item that must appear in a

sentence. The following data are presented as samples of some errors commited by the students.

No Types of
The students errors Correction
error
1 I choose as my best friend I choose her as my best friend
OM
because she usually can because she usually can understand
understand me. me.
2 She is my favorite actress. She is my favorite actress. I hope OM
hope can meet her can meet her
3 Her full name is Agnes Her full name is Agnes Monica OM
Monica Muljoto But famous Muljoto But she is famous as
as Agnes Monica Agnes Monica
4 She is singer But can dance She is singer But she can dance too
OM
too
5 People usually call Raffi People usually call him Raffi
OM
Ahmad or Raffi Ahmad or Raffi
6 She looks beautiful while She looks beautiful while she is
OM
smile. smile.
7 I always wash my bag I always wash my bag because it
OM
because make my bag clean. make my bag clean.

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 8 He is not short but tall He is not short but he is tall
OM
9 He is not too handsome but He is not too handsome but he have
OM
have many admires. many admires.
10 Actually it is not too large Actually it is not too large but it is
OM
but clean enough. clean enough.

c. The data of students error misordering of subject and object.

This type of error happens when students don not how to place the appropiate subject and object

in sentence. The following data are presented as samples of some errors commited by students.

No Types of
The students errors Correction
error
1 My bag is simple. But it help My bag is simple. But It help me to
MO
to bring me everything. bring everything.
2 My bag is simple. But It help My bag is simple. But It Help me MO
to bring everything what to bring everything what I need.
need I.
3 Now, practices play guitar he Now, he practices play guitar MO
everyday. everyday.
4 I like because her beautiful, I like her because beautiful, cute. MO
cute.
5 Sometimes, often he tell Sometimes, he often tell funny MO
funny story. story.
6 I admire so much her I admire her so much MO
7 Sometimes, always I listen Sometimes, I always listen her MO
her song before i go to sleep. song before i go to sleep
8 The cage is clean once a The cage is clean with me once a MO
week with me. week.
9 I want it to match with colour I want to match it with walls MO
wall colour

To make the description of students error in wrong possesive, omission of subject and object,

and misordering of subject and object more clear, see the table below:

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 The Classification of the Errors Commited by Each Student

Kind of Errors
No Sample Gender Errors
WP OM MO
1 Ade Supriyadi L 1 - - 1
2 Ahmad Andi Saputra L 1 - - 1
3 Ahmad Samsul Huda L 1 - - 1
4 Ari Wibowo L - 1 - 1
5 Alfin Ardiansyah L 3 1 - 4
6 Arifian Subakti L 1 - 1 2
7 Deo Erlangga L - 1 - 1
8 Doni Kurniawan L 1 1 - 2
9 Deni Jepriadi L - 2 1 3
10 Dimas Aji Pratama L - - 1 1
11 Febriyanti P 2 - - 2
12 Fiki Verlando L - 1 - 1
13 Leo Anggara L - 1 - 1
14 Mei Nur hayati P 5 - - 5
15 Nova Sintia P 5 - - 5
16 Rosa Putri Khotimah P 1 1 2 4
17 Riska Oktavia P 1 - - 1
18 Sindi Meilin P 1 - 1 2
19 Septina Indah Lestari P - - 1 1
20 Sitti Agustina P - 1 1 2
21 Taufik Hidayat L - - 1 1
Errors 23 10 9 42
Source: Data Analysis

Explanation:

WF : Wrong Possesive

MO : Misordering of subject and object.

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2. The percentage of students Error in using Personal Pronouns (subject, object,

possesive adjective, possesive pronoun) in their descriptive paragraph based on

Linguistics Category Taxonomy.

After the researcher identified and diveded the data, the researcher classified the error

based on Linguistics Category Taxonomy. They had been classified in wrong possesive,

omission of subject and object, and misordering subject and object. The total numbers of errors

were 42 items. they were 23 items of wrong possesive, 10 items of omission of subject and

object, and 9 items of misordering of subject and object.

The result of this research showed that the percentage of errors in wrong possesives were

higher and misordering of subject and objects were lowest. the result showed that the percentage

of wrong possessives error were for about 54.8%, the percentage of omission of subject and

objects errors are 23.8% and the percentage of misordering of subject and objects errors are

21.4%.

To make it clearer see the table belows:

Table 9
The Percentage of Students Errors
No Kinds of Error Item Percentage
1 Wrong possesive 23 items 54.8%
2 Omission of subject and object 10 items 23.8%
3 Misordering of subject and object 9 items 21.4%
Total 42 items 100%

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3. Discussion

After collecting the data from the students, the errors were identified and then they were

classified based on Liguistics Category taxonomy, they had been classified in wrong possesives

error, omission of subject and objects error and misordering of subject and objects error. After

calssified the types of errors, the percentage were determined based on error classification in

Linguistics Category Taxonomy.

Based on the result of the research above, the researcher has found that the percentage of

wrong possesives errors were higher, and the percentage of misordering of subject and objects

errors were lowest. The total numbers of wrong possesives errors are 23 errors or 54.8%. Then,

the total numbers of omission of subject and objects errors are 10 errors or 23.8%. and the total

numbers of misordering of subject and objects errors are 9 errors or 21.4%.

It can be seen that most of the students did errors in wrong possesives errors. the percentage of

errors in these type are 54.8%. As previously stated that wrong possesive is such error which is

commited by students when they choose an appropiate possesive in completing sentence.

Here are the examples of students error in wrong possesive:

1. it name is bobo.

2. talking about problems in we live.

3. it colour is gray

The examples of error above are the examples of students in wrong possesive errors because

they choose an inappropiate possesive in those sentences. The revisions of wrong possesives

errors above are:

1. its name is bobo

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2. talking about problem in our live

3. its colour is grey

Thus, most of the students did errors in wrong possesives errors type because they had weakness

on cognitive abilities in using personal pronouns.

Meanwhile, in omission of subject and object the researcher found 10 items or 23.8% error

commited by the students. Omission of subject and object error happened when the students

liked to miss an item that must appear in a sentence.

Here are some examples of students omission of subject and object error:

1. Her full name is Agnes Monica Muljoto, but famous as Agnes Monica.

2. She is singer, but can dance too.

3. I always wash my bag because make bag clean.

All of the examples above are some errors that were done by the students in omission of subject

and objects error. The revise versions of those errors are as follows:

1. Her full name is Agnes Monica Muljoto, but she is famous as Agnes Monica.

2. She is singer, but she can dance too.

3. I always wash my bag because it make bag clean

Thus, most of the students did errors in omission of subject and objects error type

because the students did not know what personal pronouns they should use. It made felt afraid to

take risk in making mitakes, the students liked to miss an item that must appear in a sentence.

The last in misordering of subject and object the researcher found 9 items or 21.4% error commit

by the students. In addition, these total numbers of errors in type are lower. Misordering of

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subject and objects error occurs when students did not understand how to place the appropiate

subject and object in sentence.

Here are some examples of students misordering of subject and object error:

1. my bag is simple, but it help to bring me everything.

2. my bag is simple, but it help to bring me everything what need I

3. sometimes, often he tells funny story.

4. Sometimes, always l listen her song before l go to sleep.

All of the examples above are some errors that were done by the students in misordering

of subject and objects error. The revise versions of those errors are as follows:

1. my bag is simple, but it help me to bring everything.

2. my bag is simple, but it help me to bring everything what I need.

3. Sometimes, he often tells funny story.

4. Sometimes, always l listen her song before l go to sleep

The students made error this error because they did not understand the use of personal pronoun

of subject and object in the sentence. Most of the students got difficulties in choosing and using

right grammar, so the meaning of the sentences was confusing.

In conclusion, the students ought to learn more and more in mastering English.especially

in mastering personal pronouns. The students should be ask to the teacher about the personal

pronouns in order to make them understand in mastering personal pronouns.

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E. Conclusion and suggestion

Based on the result of data analyzed in the previous chapter about the analysis of the

students error in using personal pronouns in descriptive paragraph writing by the seventh grade

students of SMP N 1 Ngarip Ulu Belu Tanggamus, the researcher concludes as follows:

1. There are personal pronouns in subject, object, possesive adjective, possesive pronoun errors

in their descriptive paragraph writing made by students.

2. The total numbers of errors committed by the students are 42 items. The percentage of the

students errors in using personal pronouns(subject,object, possesive adjective, possesive

pronoun) in descriptive paragraph writing based on the Linguistics Category Taxonomy as

follows:

a. The number of wrong possesive error is 23 items, and the percentage is 54.8%

b. The number of omission of subject and object error is 10 items, and the percentage is

23.8%

c. the number of misordering of subject and object error is 9 items, and the percentage is

21.4%

A. Suggestions

Based on the result and discussion of the research, the researcher would like to give some

suggestions for:

1. The English Teacher

a. The teacher should given motivation and attention to students in their English descriptive

paragraph writing.

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 b. The teacher should increase the students ability in using connector words especially,

personal pronouns.

c. The teacher may give more interesting teaching methods in teaching English in order to

make them more interest in learning English.

2. The Students

a. The students should more active in learning English.

b. The students should more pay attention in every particular material in learning English.

c. The students should increase their understanding in using personal pronouns by reading

and practicing make descriptive paragraph writing.

3. For the school

a. The school should provide some more English book to read by the students, so they can

increase their knowledge.

b. The school should provide another facility for students to practice their English

competency.

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M. McCharty, 1993. Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers, Cambridge University Press,
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Siahaan Sanggam, 2008. Generic Text Structure. Graha Ilmu. Yogyakarta.

Setiyadi, Ag Bambang. 2006. Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Yogyakarta. Graha

Ilmu.
Suharsimi Arikunto. 1993. Procedure Penelitian: Suatu Pendekatan Praktek. Second Edition.

Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.

Sudjino, Annas. 2008. Pengantar Statistik Pendidikan, PT Raja Grafindo Persada, Jakarta, 2008.

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