AN ERROR ANALYSIS ON THE USE OF SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE AT THE FIRST GRADE STUDENTS OF SMP MUHAMMADIYAH 1 GOMBONG IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

Abstract

The aims of this research are to know the kinds of errors made by the students in using simple present tense and the causes of those errors. The sample is the first grade students of SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Gombong in the academic year 2012/2013 class VII A which consists of 25 students. The researcher uses completing test which consists of 20 items as the instrument. There are some steps in collecting the data, such as: explain the material briefly, preparing the worksheets, giving the test, collecting the students’ answer in the worksheets and analyzing the result. The result shows that the mean is 57, 8. It is included in fair level and the category is C. Then, the kinds of error which are found: omission (47,4%), addition (13,27%) consists of two kinds; double markings (2,37%) and simple addition (10,9%), misformation (35,06) consists of two kinds; alternating (28,43%) and archi-form (6,63%), and misordering (4,27%). Meanwhile, the students’ errors are caused by intralingual errors which consists of overgeneralization, ignorance of rule of restriction, incomplete application of rules and false concepts hypothesized and the interlingual errors are caused by false description.

Keywords: error analysis, simple present tense, grammar, error