An Error Analysis on the Use of Past Tense in Writing Recount Text at SMAN 2 Pinrang

Abstract

This research aim to find out the types errors made by the students on the use of past tense in writing recount text and the dominant errors made by the students based on surface taxonomy. The errors namely omission, addition, misordering and misinformation. This reseacrh used qualitative descriptive approach. The qualitative descriptive approach was used to describe errors made by the students on the use of past tense in writing recount text. The subject of this research was students from XI.1 class at SMAN 2 Pinrang. There were 36 students who became the sample of this research. In this case, the reseacrher obtained the data by conducting writing test namely recount text writing to know types of errors and dominant error made by students. The researcher found that the students made error on the use of past tense in their recount text writing. The errors that appear are the lowest frequency misordering with a total of 10 errors (6,8%), followed by addition 14 errors (9,5%), omission 33 errors (22%), misinformation with a total of 90 errors (61,6%). The researcher concluded that XI.1 students still made error on the use of simple past tense in writing recount text and the highest frequency also most dominant error made by the students was misinformation.