Analysis of English Language Errors

in Descriptive Essays of Junior High School in Klaten

Margaret Onggo , Novelia Anggun Dwi Astuty

Universitas Widya Dharma

Abstract
The research paper aimed (1) To identify and analyze the English language errors in descriptive
essays written by Junior High School in Klaten .(2) By identifying the prevalence of these errors,
we hope to provide insights into the areas where students need the most support and develop
targeted interventions to improve their descriptive writing skills. The research paper "Analysis of
English Language Errors in Descriptive Essays of Junior High School in Klaten” used a descriptive
qualitative method to analyze the writing errors in English descriptive essays of Junior High
School students. The study found that the errors were categorized as follows: misformation
(58.35%), omission (23.92%), addition (11.55%), and misordering (6. 19%).

Keywords : descriptive essay, error analysis, English, junior high school

INTRODUCTION
English has long been the most prominent foreign language in Indonesia and recognized as a
subject in formal education. English is taught as a foreign language in the current Indonesian
curriculum. Foreign language its role as a supporting element in international communication, such
as diplomacy and politics1 . Additionally, it serves as a conduit for the transfer of knowledge and
a source of enrichment for the vocabulary of the Indonesian language. So, the presence of foreign
languages is intended to strengthen the identity of the Indonesian language itself 2 .
Under the government's policy through the curriculum reform known as "Merdeka Belajar"
(Independent Learning), the general English language education at the levels of Elementary and
Secondary Education in the national curriculum now provides opportunities for students to study
English intensively in order to broad their perspectives related for self-awareness, social
relationships, culture, and global employment opportunities. Their understanding of socio-cultural
and intercultural knowledge can enhance critical thinking skills as a crucial part for competing
with other nations in this era of globalization 3.
English language learning in “Merdeka Belajar” is focused on strengthening proficiency in using
English in six language skills; namely : listening, speaking, reading, observing, writing, and

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presenting in an integrated manner across various text type4.This is why the skill of writing
nowadays becomes important for students.
This approach aims to prepare students for active engagement in the globalized world, fostering
not only linguistic competence but also the ability to navigate social and cultural contexts
effectively. The emphasis on writing skills underscores the importance of effective communication
in written form, aligning with the broader objectives of the "Merdeka Belajar" initiative to
empower students for success in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
To enhance students' writing proficiency, it is imperative for them to deepen their knowledge of
English grammar, which undoubtedly differs from Indonesian grammar, our national language.
This emphasis on grammar mastery is crucial in fostering effective written communication skills
in English, recognizing the distinctions inherent in the linguistic structures between English and
Indonesian5. By delving into the intricacies of English grammar, students not only refine their
writing abilities but also develop a nuanced understanding of language conventions, facilitating
more accurate and articulate expression. This strategy focuses on grammar within the English
language curriculum aligns with the broader goals of the education system, aiming to equip
students with the linguistic tools necessary for success in an increasingly interconnected global
environment.
There are rule and structure differences between English and Indonesian6. For example, there is
no change in verb in Indonesian, which is significantly different from English. The majority of
Indonesians are still impacted by their mother tongue (Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese, etc.) when
it comes to approach the target language (English)7. As a result, students frequently have
challenges or difficulty in use English correctly, particularly in grammar.
Grammar is one of the support sub-skills in writing. It is another fundamental component of
language that students must acquire 8.Grammar is the most difficult and complicated subject for
students to master. It implies that a language's grammar should be fully understood. As a result, it
is difficult for the students to improve their English skills. One of the elements that causes the
students to make several errors is the disparity between errors. It may have an impact on their
writing substance. As a result, when they send the message, it is not successfully conveyed to the
reader.9
Error is often the only way to learn the truth, and it can only be repaired by others. Errors, can be
defined as a lack of awareness of foreign language rules that leads to the production of improper
written or oral linguistic items 10. Writing is an activity that allows you to express your ideas and
thoughts. Writing is one of the learning tool that is included in every teaching and learning course.
Writing is one of the most vital abilitie to master. It is difficult for anyone who has not grasped the
elements of writing. Writing practice takes a long time for the students because various
characteristics must be mastered in order to produce outstanding writing11.
The writers chose descriptive essay because they can encourage the students to investigate their
ideas. Based on early findings, the writers discovered that the students at Junior High School in
Klaten struggled with their writing skills. They struggled to form sentences utilizing simple present
tense, conjunctions, word choice, and so on 12.

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Based on the reasons stated above, the writers opted to categorize the errors as errors of omissions,
errors of additions, errors of misformation, and errors of misordering. 13. As a result, error analysis
is critical in determining what types of errors kids make the most. The research aims to identify
and analyze the English language errors in descriptive essays written by Junior High School in
Klaten. By identifying the prevalence of these errors, we hope to provide insights into the areas
where students need the most support and develop targeted interventions to improve their
descriptive writing skills..

It can be used to assist students in writing a descriptive paragraph, and students are capable of
contributing in attempting to reduce errors made by the students and strengthen their writing skills
especially in producing descriptive essay. It can be used as a resource for people interested in
conducting similar studies.14
RESEARCH METHOD
The study employed a descriptive qualitative research methodology. The first step involved
formulating the research problem, which to identify and analyze the types of errors made by Junior
High School in Klaten in their descriptive writing. The data collection held in one of Junior High
School in Klaten consisting of eight classes, each class consist of 32 students. For this research,
the author took data samples from four classes out of the total eight classes, namely A, B, E, and
H. The research involves a detailed examination of errors in students' descriptive writing. Data are
collected from the students' work, written on individual pieces of paper directly in the class room.
The researcher reconstructs erroneous sentences, compares them with the corrected versions, and
meticulously describes the identified errors. The data are then classified based on error types,
providing a concise and organized presentation of the findings.

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

The results of the analysis revealed that misformation was the most common error type, accounting
for 58.35% of the errors. Omission was the second most common error type, with a percentage of
23.92%. Addition accounted for 11.55% of the errors, while misordering was the least common
error type, with a percentage of 6.19%. The results of the analysis are presented in the following
table:
Table 1. The Numbers of Errors

TYPE OF ERROR
NO CLASS mis mis
omission addition
formation ordering
1 A 28 19 94 5
2 B 31 1 72 6
3 E 15 11 50 4
4 H 42 25 67 15
Total 116 56 283 30
% 23,92 11,55 58,35 6,19

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The writers felt it necessary to focus on various elements when teaching writing, emphasizing the
importance of effective writing skills. Students should comprehend vocabulary, grammar, and
proper sentence structure, as sentences lacking appropriate vocabulary and grammar lose their
significance15. To obtain the results of this research, the writers focused on examining errors in the
use of simple present tense grammar, as it is one of the characteristic language features in
descriptive essays 16. The final results of the descriptive essays that the students worked on were
observed, with a sentence-by-sentence analysis conducted to detect any errors that occurred.

For each error, the writers selected some data as samples for discussion in this article.
1. Omission Error.
The first sample (Code H1.1) involves the sentence "I also sport with my friend." The corrected
version, "I also play sports with my friend," addresses this issue by introducing the necessary
action. This type of error is categorized as an omission, which refers to the absence of linguistic
elements required in a correct sentence 17. In the first sample, it was identified that a crucial verb
was lacking.
In the writer's opinion, it appears that students are affected by the Indonesian grammar structure,
leading to errors like the omission of verbs in their sentences. The sentence "I also sport with my
friend" has an error in the use of the word "sport." In English, "sport" is not used as a verb to
indicate playing sports. Therefore, the word "sport" should be replaced with a more appropriate
infinitives verb18, such as "play sports." Students might want to write "Saya juga berolahraga
dengan temanku" in Indonesian, and while this structure is acceptable in Indonesian, if translated
literally without considering English grammar, the result could be ambiguous.
Students may make this mistake due to the influence of language patterns or the use of
inappropriate words. Some students may rely on their intuition or language knowledge without
realizing the nuances or rules for using verbs correctly in specific contexts. Therefore, it is
important to continually understand and practice the correct usage of words so that students can
avoid such errors.
2. Misformation Error.
Moving on to the second sample of error (Code H1.2), a misformation is identified with the
sentence "Sport and swimming is my favourite hobby." Misformation occurs when a learner uses
the wrong grammatical form or structure. Here, the incorrect use of the singular verb "is" for plural
subjects is evident19. By modifying it to "Sport and swimming are my favourite hobbies," the error
is corrected. This falls under the misformation category, specifically related to the misuse of
linking verb forms.
Linking verbs is a type of stative verb, connect the subject with information about the subject's
state or condition without creating measurable or physically observable actions.Stative verbs, also
known as verbs of state, are verbs that describe a state or condition that tends to be stable and does
not involve measurable or concrete actions. Examples of linking verbs include "be" (am, is, are,
was, were) 20. As the subjects comprise two nouns, the linking verb created should be in the plural
form. In the case of plural present tense linking verbs, 'are' is employed.

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The third error sample (Code H1.3) still mirrors the misformation issue, as the phrase "Sport and
swimming is my favourite hobby" also requires correction to "Sport and swimming are my
favourite hobbies." In this case, the error arises from an incorrect plural form, emphasizing the
importance of using the appropriate suffix, in this instance, "-s" for "hobbies"21.
The errors mentioned may also stem from students being accustomed to freely translating using
dictionaries. However, Indonesian and English are non-equivalent languages, so translations
cannot be done straightforwardly without sufficient knowledge22. For instance, to express plurality
in English, it is sufficient to add the suffix "s" or "es" to the noun23. In Indonesian, on the other
hand, plural forms are indicated by repeating the word and using a hyphen (-) between the
elements24. For example: "buku - buku" in Indonesian becomes "books" in English.
3. Addition Error

The fourth error sample (Code A1.4) involves an addition issue in the sentence "And my favorite
sport is cycling, jogging and also running." Addition involves the inclusion of linguistic elements
that are unnecessary for a correct sentence 25. The unnecessary use of "and" is addressed in the
correction, "My favorite sports are cycling, jogging, and also running." By removing the redundant
"and," the sentence is streamlined for improved clarity. This type of error is classified as an
addition.

There are two categories of conjunctions such as ; Coordinating conjunctions, also known as
coordinators and Subordinating conjunctions, also referred to as subordinators.
The primary coordinators include and, or, and but. These conjunctions are utilized to connect
elements of equal importance 23. In both Indonesian and English, using the conjunction "and" at
the beginning of a sentence is considered uncommon. It may disrupt the flow of the sentence and
is deemed less appropriate in sentence structure. Instead, it is more common to use the conjunction
"and" in the middle or at the end of a sentence.
Example in Indonesian:
- Incorrect: "Dan saya pergi ke toko."
- Correct: "Saya pergi ke toko dan membeli beberapa barang."
Example in English:
- Incorrect: "And I go to the store."
- Correct: "I go to the store and buy some items."
To construct structured sentences, it is advisable to avoid using "and" at the beginning of a
sentence26.

4. Misordering Error

The last sample, error (Code B6.6) entails misordering, where the sentence "Playing tool music is
my favourite hobby" is refined to "Playing music tools is my favourite hobby." Misordering
involves placing words in an incorrect order within a sentence 27. By rearranging the placement of
"tool" and "music," the corrected version enhances the sentence's coherence.

The student's mistake appears to stem from the impact of their native language. When learning a
second language, students may be influenced by the sentence structure or word order in their
mother tongue, leading them to transpose incorrect sentence patterns or word order into the
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language they are currently acquiring. In English, adjectives precede nouns, whereas in
Indonesian, nouns precede adjectives. This distinction becomes evident in the following examples:
English:
1. a beautiful garden
2. an interesting book
3. the tall building
In these instances, adjectives (beautiful, interesting, tall) are positioned before nouns (garden,
book, building)28.
Indonesian:
1. taman yang indah
2. buku yang menarik
3. gedung yang tinggi
In Indonesian, nouns (taman, buku, gedung) precede adjectives (yang indah, yang menarik, yang
tinggi)29.This error likely arises from the student's inclination to transfer sentence structures from
their native language (Indonesian) to the language they are learning (English), where the
arrangement of nouns and adjectives differs.

As per discussion results of the above research, the author dares to engage about what would be
the causes of these errors. At the higher academic level, many students still encounter difficulties
in writing English. Thus, it can be understood that those at the secondary education level, where
researchers are currently conducting their studies, are likely to experience numerous errors in
English writing. Therefore, the errors that occur are common and understandable in English
writing, particularly in terms of grammar. Students continue to utilize mixed tenses and neglect
the principles of effective academic writing. They remain perplexed when it comes to applying
tenses, including the simple present tense. Many factors contribute to errors in students' textual
works, such as a lack of vocabulary in English, insufficient knowledge of grammar, and a shortage
of writing practice30.
Students who are accustomed to using the Indonesian language in their writing, when they have to
adapt to English with its distinct structures, are likely to encounter rigidity and lack of
synchronization in word arrangement, especially in grammar. The influence of one's native
language is bound to play a more significant role in a student's writing habits. As a result, the
outcomes of writing in English may become ambiguous and miss the mark6. Therefore, when
composing texts in English, numerous errors tend to occur. As teachers, the writers suggest to
emphasize students do more writing exercises, not only in the classroom but also at home in daily
life.31 Especially focus exercise in places that have the highest error rate, which is misformation.

CONCLUSION
This paper thoroughly analyzed English language errors in descriptive essays written by Junior
High School students in Klaten, utilizing a descriptive qualitative method. Four main types of
errors were identified: misformation, omission, addition, and misordering. Misformation emerged
as the most common error at 58.35%, indicating challenges in sentence formation, including verb
usage and pluralization. Omission errors, the second most prevalent at 23.92%, highlighted

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difficulties in completing sentences with essential elements. Addition errors, constituting 11.55%,
showcased instances of unnecessary elements affecting clarity. Misordering errors were the least
common at 6.19%, suggesting occasional challenges in structuring sentences coherently.
The study successfully achieved its objectives by providing valuable insights into areas where
students need support. The high prevalence of misformation errors underscores the necessity for
targeted interventions to enhance grammar, verb usage, and sentence structure understanding.
Omission errors emphasize the importance of reinforcing fundamental writing skills for
completeness, while addressing addition errors is crucial for clarity and conciseness. The relatively
lower occurrence of misordering errors suggests a need for focused attention on sentence structure
and organization.
These findings contribute to understanding students' challenges in descriptive writing, particularly
in English as a foreign language. The results can guide educators and curriculum developers in
designing effective interventions. By acknowledging and addressing these issues, educators can
significantly improve students' descriptive writing skills, fostering better English communication.
This research serves as a valuable resource for similar studies and underscores the ongoing
importance of enhancing language education at the Junior High School level in Klaten and similar
contexts.

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