AN ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND-GRADE STUDENTS’ ABILITY TO APPLY SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT IN DESCRIPTIVE TEXT AT SMA N 7 PADANG

Abstrak

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to describe the students’ ability to apply subject-verb agreement in descriptive text at SMA N 7 Padang. This research design was a descriptive one, using quantitative method. The population of this research was the second-grade students at SMA N 7 Padang. Convenience sampling technique was used in this research to collect the data and the sample was class 11 F9 which consisted of 35 students. The instrument for collecting the data in this research was a completion test. To make the test reliable the researcher used split-half technique and the result of analysis showed that the test was reliable. It was supported by the fact that the coefficient correlation was 0.85. Then the test was valid because it had covered the material that the students had learned (syllabus covering). The result showed that there were 20 (57%) students who had high ability and 15 (43%) students had low ability to apply subject-verb agreement in descriptive text. Based on data analysis, the students had high ability to apply subject-verb agreement in nominal sentences in descriptive text. This was supported by the fact that 24 (69%) students who had high ability and 11 (31%) students had low ability. While the students had low ability to apply subject-verb agreement in verbal sentences in descriptive text. This was supported by the fact that 15 (43%) students who had high ability and 20 (57%) students had low ability. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the students’ ability to apply subject-verb agreement in descriptive text was high. It is expected that the teacher pay more attention to the students’ opportunities to do exercises, especially, for those who had low abilities to apply subject-verb agreement in descriptive text. Keywords: Ability, Subject-Verb Agreement, Nominal Sentence, Verbal Sentence, Descriptive Text