AN ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING SIMPLE AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES USING MODALS AT ENGLISH DEPARTMENT OF BUNG HATTA UNIVERSITY

Abstrak

The aim of this research was to find out whether the second year students of English Department at Bung Hatta University faced difficulties in writing simple affirmative sentences using modals. This research was designed by descriptive method. The population of this research was the second year students at English Department of Bung Hatta University. The total number of population was 23 students. The researcher used total sampling technique to select the sample, so the total number of sample members was 23 students.

To collect the data, the researcher used writing sentence test. The researcher asked the students to write simple affirmative sentences using modals. The researcher only measured the difficulties of the second year students in writing simple affirmative sentences using modals that express ability, possibility, advice, and obligation by considering three aspects of writing (grammar, meaning, and mechanics). In analyzing the data, the researcher did the following steps. First, both assessors counted the difficulties and then the researcher counted the average number of difficulties found by both of assessors. Finally, he classified the students’ difficulties based on the criteria of difficulties.

Based on the result of this research, it was found that the second year students’ difficulties in writing simple affirmative sentences using modals at English Department of Bung Hatta University in general were low. It was shown by the evidence that 14.06% of them had difficulties in writing simple affirmative sentences using modals that express ability (can/could), 16.09% of them had difficulties in writing simple affirmative sentences using modals that express possibility (may/might), 13.49 of them had difficulties in writing simple affirmative sentences using modals that express advice (should/ought to), 10.58% of them had difficulties in writing simple affirmative sentences using modals that express obligation (must/have to).

Based on the results of the research, it can be concluded that the second year students’ difficulties in writing simple affirmative sentences using modals at English Department of Bung Hatta University was low. Relating to the conclusion, he suggests English lecturers to pay attention more detail to every students that still had difficulties and explain more about the kinds of sentence or modals based on the meaning. And the students are suggested to ask for the lecturers about the material in more detail, to do more exercises, and to study harder.

Keywords : Difficulties, writing simple affirmative sentence, writing sentence test, modals, descriptive method