AN ANALYSIS OF THE THIRD YEAR STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES TO USE EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY IN WRITING POSITIVE SIMPLE SENTENCES AT THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT OF BUNG HATTA UNIVERSITY

Abstrak

INTRODUCTION Writing is one of the basic skills to communicate. We often write letters or messages to give someone information. Sometimes, writing is difficult to do because we have to express our ideas into a paper and think about the important components which are vocabulary and grammar. It is very important for us to master writing skill. One of writing types is wariting sentence. In relating to the use, the sentences can be grouped as statement, interrogative, exclamation or imperative(3)[1]. In relation to the complexities, sentences are divided into simple coumpound sentence, complex sentence, and compound-complex sentence [2]. Writing has some major aspects. One of the big aspects of writing is grammar. The grammar of a language is the set of rules that govern its structure[3]. An aspect of grammar that may come in sentence structure is expressions of quantity. some expressions of quantity can be used only with countable nouns. Some others can be used only with noncountable nouns, and some others can be used with countable and noncountable nouns[4]. Two previous related studies at Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Bung Hatta University which have been conducted by Mardianti (2015) and Putri (2015). Mardianti’s study related to the second year students’ difficulties in writing simple sentences in present continuous tense at SMPN 18 Padang. She found that 21 students (67,74%) had difficulties in writing simple sentences in present continuous[5]. Putri’ study related to the ability of the second year students’ of English Department of Bung Hatta University in using quantifier in writing simple sentence. She found that in general 2 students (8%) had high ability, 21 students (84%) had moderate ability, and 2 students (8%) had low ability in using quantifier in writing simple sentence[6]. Based on those phenomena, the researcher was interested in investigating “An Analysis of the Third Year Students’ Difficulties to Use Expressions of Quantity in Writing Positive Simple Sentences at the English Department of Bung Hatta University”. METHODS In this study the researcher used descriptive method. Descriptive research involves collecting data in order to test hypotheses or to answer questions concerning the current status of the subject of the study[7]. The number of population of this research was 26 students. The researcher used total sampling technique in selecting the sample. The instrument used to collect the data was witing test in the form of positive simple sentences. Then the test was valid in terms of content because it had covered all materials that students had learnt. The reliability index of the test was 0.88 which means that the test was reliable. The researcher administered the test in 40 minutes by using google form application and the data were analyzed by calculating the average of students’ scores. Next the researcher counted the the number of students who had or no difficulty. Finally, the researcher found the percentage of the students in each of difficulty level. The data were analyzed by using formula stastical as suggested by Arikunto (2015). FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS The results of the research showed that generally the students had difficulties in writing positive simple sentences by using expressions of quantity (both, a couple of, several, a number of). It was supported by the fact that 19 students (73,08%) had difficulties to write positive simple sentences by using expressions of quantity (both, a couple of, several, a number of). In detail, 13 students (50%) were found to have difficulties to write positive simple sentences by using both, 15 students (57,69%) were found to have difficulties to write positive simple sentences by using a couple of, 16 students (61,54%) were found to have difficulties to write positive simple sentences by using several, 17 students (65,38%) were found to have difficulties to positive simple sentences by using a number of. The Table of All Findings No. Aspects The Number of Students Who Had Difficulties Number Percentage 1 In writing positive simple sentences using expressions of quantity (both, a couple of, several, a number of) 19 students 73,08% 2 In writing positive simple sentences using both 13 students 50% 3 In writing positive simple sentences using a couple of 15 students 57,69% 4 In writing positive simple sentences using several 16 students 61,54% 5 In writing positive simple sentences using both a number of 17 students 65,38% CONCLUSSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS Based on the the findings the researcher drew conclussion that the third year students’ at the English Department of Bung Hatta University had difficulties to use expressions of quantity in writing positive simple sentences. Related to the study the researcher proposed some suggestions. To the lecturers, they should give more explanation about grammar especially in writing positive simple sentences, the use of expressions of quantity, and the use of mechanic (punctuation, spelling, and capitalization) to make a good sentance. To the students, they should pay attention to the lecturers’ explanation about grammar, expressions of quantity, and mechanics in writing simple sentences and do more exercises to write simple sentences by using expressions of quantity. To the future researchers, they are suggested to study the expression of quantity in writing negative, introgative, or WH quaestions simple sentences. Keywords: Difficulties, Simple Sentence, Expressions of Quantity