A STUDY ON THE ABILITY USING PREDICATIVE VERB IN SIMPLE

PAST TENSE OF THE SECOND YEAR OF

SMP 3 TAPUNG

THESIS

BY

ENI LESTARI

0505133228

ENGLISH STUDY PROGRAM

LANGUAGE AND ART DEPARTMENT

TEACHERS’ TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY

RIAU UNIVERSITY

2010

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Human being is the social creature that can not live alone. He/she does needs to make

relationship by communicating with others. To conduct the communication they certainly

have to use a language. One of the languages is English and it is one of the International

languages used by almost all countries in the world. Nowadays, the mastery of English is a

must if we do not want to be left behind, especially in terms of information and technology.

English is used for communication in both spoken and written forms, which is

absolutely intended to understand and give information, thought or to express a feeling in

addition to developing science, technology and culture. English has been taught to students

from the lowest educational institution levels up to the highest ones. In other words, English

has been taught from kindergartens up to universities. It indicates that the government has

been trying hard to develop human resources to equalize with other countries in the world.

Brown (1994:217) states that there are four language skills that the students should

master. They are productive skills (speaking and writing) and receptive skills (reading and

listening). In order to gain those skills, the students first have to master the components of the

language. One of the important components in English is grammar.

Grammar plays an important role in building a good sentence. Richad et al in Nunan

(1999: 97) say, “ Grammar is a description of the structure of a language and the way in

which linguistics units such as words and phrases are combined to produce sentences in the

language”. According to Swan in Fony (2003: 1), Grammar is the rule that says how words

change to show different meaning and how they are combined into sentences. Based on the

opinion above, it is clear that studying and mastering English grammar are very necessary.

By mastering grammar, we can produce correct sentences and helps to form correct and

acceptable expressions either in spoken or written forms. Besides, a good grammar can also

avoid misunderstanding in communication. From the explanation above, it is clear that

grammar is important in English.

Nowadays, mastering grammar by students in various school levels is still low. Some

of them are still poor in grammar. Therefore, it causes them unable to master English well

and afraid to speak English because of poor grammar. In this case, one of the schools is

SMPN 3 Tapung. Based on the curriculum of KTSP of SMP 3 Tapung (2008/2009) the goal

of learning English in this school is to develop communicative competence of students with

knowledge to use English actively either in term of oral or written form.

Here, English subject is taught twice a week. The various method of teaching English

expecially in learning grammar. Based on the syllabus of English teaching for SMPN 3

Tapung, grammar is one of the English components that are given to students. In learning

English, the students have studied about the simple grammar such as simple present, past

tense, future tense, etc. But in term of mastering English grammar, it is a big problem for

most of the students in SMPN 3 Tapung. One of the problem that the studentS faced in

learning grammar is how to used predicative verb in simple past tence correctly. Some of the

students still get troubel when make sentences in simple past tense using predicative verb.

Sihombing and Burton (2007: 59) state that a normal sentence consists of at least one

subject and one predicate. The predicate is the part of the sentence that has a verb. According

to Hartanto et al (1996: 37) state that a predicative verb sentence is a sentence whose

predicate is a verb. So, it is clear that predicate is a verb of the sentence. In this case, the

students always make mistakes using predicative verb in simple past tense. They are not able

to use predicative verb in simple past tense correctly. For example: change this sentence into

negative : George went to school yesterday. Most of the students make : George did not went

to school yesterday. They make mistake to change the verb in verb I. Based on the formula

the negative form past tense : (-) S + didn’t + VI + O + Adverb. so the correct sentence is

George did not go to school yesterday.

From the explanation above, it is clear that students still problematic in grammar

especially with the use of predicative verb in simple past tense. It can be seen with the

symptoms below:

1. Some of the students seem not able to use the form of predicative verb in simple past

tense correctly.

2. Some of the students still weak in grammar, so they make mistake using predicative

verb in Simple Past Tense.

Based on the description above, the writer would like to conduct a research entitle “ A

Study on the Ability Using Predicative verb in Simple Past Tense of the Second Year

Student of SMPN 3 Tapung

1.2 Setting of the Problem

1. Identification of the Problem

Based on the description above, it is understood that English structure plays an

important role in studying English language. However, what we finds is some of the students’

scores in English structure are still low. They still face difficulties in English structure as

discussed in the background above. The difficulties that the students have especially using

predicative verb in simple past tense can be seen below: Why do some of students seem not

able to use the form of predicative verb in sentences correctly?

1.3 Limitation of the Problem

Based on the problems identified above, the writer has to limit the problem in the

research students’ ability using predicative verb in simple past tense, in three types of

sentences, they are :

1. Positive type

2. Negative type, and

3. Interrogative type

1.4 Formulation of the Problem

Based on the limitation of the problems stated above, the research problems are

formulated in the following question

1. How is the students’ ability using predicative verb in simple present tense in

three type of sentences at second year students of SMP N 3 Tapung?

2. Which type of sentences of Simple Past Tense is easy for students?

3. Which type of sentences of Simple Past Tense is difficult for students?

Reason for Choosing the Title

This reasearch is conducted for some reasons as the following

1. The writer is interesting to know the students’ ability in using verb in simple

past tense in three types (Positive, Negative and Introgative sentences) of the

the second year students of SMPN 3 Tapung.

2. This research is very relevant to the writer as the student of English Education

Department.

3. The problems of the research are very interesting and challenging to be

investigated.

1.5 The General Objectives of the Research

To find out students’ ability in using predicative verb in Simple Past Tense in

three types (Positive, Negative and Introgative sentences) of the second year

SMPN 3 Tapung.

1.6 The Need of the Research

The writer find of this study will contribute useful information to the English learners,

concerning their difficulties in using verb in simple past tense. By knowing the student

difficulties, English teacher are also expect To find out the way to solve the problem.

1.7 The Definitions of the Terms

1. Study is attention in learning something (Oxford Dictionary, 1983). In this

research means the attention in learning the students ability using of the

predicative verb in Simple Past Tense.

2. Ability is capacity or power to do something physical or mental (Oxford

Advanced Lrearner’s Dictionary) and Webster in Mukminin (2006: 8) defines

ability as power to perform an act, physical, or mental either before or after

training. However, in this research ability refers to students’ ability in using

predicative verb in Simple Past tense.

3. Hartanto et al (1996: 37), defines predicative verb as a sentence whose

predicative is a verb.

4. Using is to apply for a purpose (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary

English, 1998 : 1161). It means the students are able to choose the correct

tense, they assume to be able to apply the tense.

5. Simple Past Tense is sentences talk about activities or situation that began and

ended out particular time in the past. Most Simple Past verbs formed by

adding suffixed. It can refers to short, quickly finished action and events, to

longer action and situation (Azar : 1992)

Example : (+) She bought a new dress two days ago

(-) She didn’t buy a new dress two days ago

(?) Dis she buy a new dress two days ago?

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

English teachers found that most students had difficulties in the use Simple Past

Tense. Their inability is seen especially in the use of verb, the use of verb ending –d and –ed.

May be this problem appears because the students have less mastery on English grammatical

structure or the students less to leanr and practice it.

2.1 Ability and Related Concept

Webster in Mukminin (2006: 8) defines ability as power to perform an act, phisical, or

mental either before or after traning. While, Hilgard in Slameto (2003: 57) says that the

ability will be realized became the real ability after learning and training. Based on the

statment above, the writer concludes that ability is the power of understanding a matter that

he/she can do something correctly. In relation to this research, the word ability means able to

use predicative verb in simple past tense.

2.2 The Nature of Predicative

a. Predicative Verb Pattern

Sihombing and Burton (2007: 59) state that a normal sentence consists of at least one

subject and one predicate. The predicate is the part of the sentence that has a verb. According

to Hartanto et al (1996: 37) states that a predicative verb is a sentence whose predicate is a

verb. So, it is clear that predicate is a verb of the sentence. In English, the verbs are divided

into two groups; regular and irregular verb.

According to Betty Schramfer Azar (1993:21) say that irregular verb is the simple

past form or past participle ends in –ed. Most of verb are regular, but many common verbs

have regular past forms.

Djalinus et al (1977: 53) state, “Regular verb are the verb that the forming of simple

past and past participles is regular that add “d” or “ed” in the last word”. And “Irregular verbs

are the verb that the forming of simple past and past participles is not regular” The following

is the list of example of regular verbs.

Simple Form Simple Past Past Participle

Abuser

Bake

Create

Dry

Fry

Abused

Baked

Created

Dried

Fried

Abused

Baked

Created

Dried

Fried

The English language has a large number of irregular verb.

Betty Scramper Azar (1993:18) states that irregular verbs are simple past verb that are

formed by adding–d or –ed to a verb. That means the form are not regularity. The writer find

the diffinition taken from http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/irregular verbs. website that

irregular verb are those verb those fall outside the standard patterns of conjugation in the

languages in which they occur.

In addition, Hartanto (2003:239) adds that irregular verb are verb that do not allow the

regular rules by adding –d or –ed. Everyone who learn English must know a number of

irregular verbs in the begining, since irregular verbs are often used in daily communication

and they are more difficult that one to be put in mind. Furthrmore, the writer find that an

irregular verb is one that does not take the –ed ending for the past Simple and Past Participle

forms http:www.usingenglish.com/glossary/irregular-verb/html.

Those the discriptions of the theories above it can be concluded that an irregular verb

is a verb that does not follow the general rules for verb forms. Verb in English are irregular if

they do not have a conventional –d or –ed form.

According to Alexa Marin Urrego says that the classification of irregular verb can be

seen as follows:

First group :these are the verbs that present the some structure in all tenses. For Examples:

Table

The Examples of the First Group Classivication

of Irregular Verbs

Present Form Past Form Past Participle Form

Beat

Bet

Burst

Cast

Beat

Bet

Burst

Cast

Beat

Bet

Burst

Cast

Cut

Hit

Bid

Fit

Broadcast

Forecast

Spread

Read

Sweat

Thrust

Wet

etc

Cut

Hit

Bid

Fit

Broadcast

Forecast

Spread

Read

Sweat

Thrust

Wet

etc

Cut

Hit

Bid

Fit

Broadcast

Forecast

Spread

Read

Sweat

Thrust

Wet

etc

Second group : the past form and the past participle form of these verbs are the same.

For example :

Table

The Examples of the Second Group Classification

of Irregular Verbs

Present Form Past Form Past Participle Form

Abide

Behold

Buy

Bind

Send

Spend

Keep

Find

Pay

Say

Feel

Fling

Hear

Lose

Make

Mean

Sell

Abobe

Beheld

Bought

Bound

Sent

Spent

Kept

Found

Paid

Said

Felt

Flung

Heard

Lost

Made

Meant

Sold

Abode

Beheld

Bought

Bound

Sent

Spent

Kept

Found

Paid

Said

Felt

Flung

Heard

Lost

Made

Meant

Sold

Think

Weep

etc

Thought

Wept

etc

Thought

Wept

etc

Third group : these verbs have different structure in all tenses. For example :

Table

The examples of the Third Group Classification

of Irregular Verbs

Arise

Begin

Choose

Do

Draw

Drink

Drive

Eat

Fall

Fly

Arose

Began

Chose

Did

Drew

Drank

Drove

Ate

Fell

Flew

Arisen

Begun

Chosen

Done

Drawn

Drunk

Driven

Eaten

Fallen

Flown

Forsake

Freeze

Give

Go

See

Sing

Speak

Swim

Wear

Write

etc

Forsook

Froze

Gave

Went

Saw

Sang

Spoke

Swam

Wore

Wrote

etc

Forsaken

Frozen

Given

Gone

Seen

Sung

Spoken

Swum

Worn

Writen

Etc

Regular and irregular verbs depend on the tense of the sentence. Actually, there are

many sentences in English. In this case, the writer focuses in simple past tense.

Azar (1989: 24) states that the simple past tense indicates that an activity or situation

began and ended at particular time in the past.

For example - Merry bought a dictionary last week.

- Kathy and Tom visited their grandmother in the village yesterday.

The Overview of Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past Tense is defined as “Something, activity or situation began and

ended at the particular time in the past, and will not be true in the future. It is used for general

statement of fact” (Azhar, 1982:12). The writer find the difinition of simple past from

http://www.answer.com/topic/past-tense website that the past tense is a verb tense expressing

action, activity, state or being the past of the current moment. Other definition taken from

http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/past-simple.html website explain that the simple past

tense, also called the simple past, is use for past actions that happened either at specific time,

which can either be given by a time phrase.

According to Eckersley (1960:160) ”The Simple Past Tense is used to express an

action wholly completed at the some point or during some period in the past.

The commenest use of Simple Past Tense is to refer to particular time that is to talk

about actions and situations, which happen in the past (Swan,M 1980:479)

According to Forum Tentor (2009:10-11) says that the simple past tense is used for :

1. An actios whose particular time that began and ended in the past.

Example : She went to the campus by bus

2. Past habit

Example : Rifky always went to campus by bus

Dealing with the theories above it can be inffred that this tense is used for describe

habitual activity which was done over a periode of time in the past, but which no

longer occured in the past.

Form of the Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past Tense has only one for all subject.

a. Regular Simple Past Tense Verb are the verb that have ending ED

(+) S + VII + O + Adverb

Example : Tono wached a movie on the plane

b. Irregular Simple Past Tense Verbs are the verb that have no the ending ED

Example : Tono had dinner on the plane

I saw the girl on the plane

c. The Negative Simple Past Tense Verb

To form the negative of Simple Past Tense Verb, use the auxiliary DID with NOT.

The contraction for DID NOT is DIDN”T can occur only with the base form of a

verb.

(-) S + Auxiliary (DIDN’T) + Based Form Ferb (VI) + O + Adverb

Example : Tono didn’t watch a movie on the plane

d. Question and Answers in the Simple Past Tense

To form questions in the Simple Past tense, use the auxiliary DID with the base

form of a verb. Put DID before the subject.

(?) DID (Auxiliary) + S + VI (Based form Verb) + Adverb?

Example : Did Tono watch a movie on the plane?

To give a short answer to a question in the Simple Present tense, use DID if the

answer YES and DIDN’T if the answer NO with a subject pronoun.

Example : Yes, he did

No, he didn’t

In the short answer above” yes, he did” means “yes, Tono watch a movie”, and “ no,

he didn’t” replaces “ did not watch a movie”.

2.3 The Uses of Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past Tense can refer to action, evens, or situation that took place at a

specific time in the past. This verb tense shows that the action or situation is finished.

1. An action wholly completed at some points or period in the past.

Example : Peter arrived here yesterday

I went to the cinema last night

2. The Simple Past Tense is used to talk about activities or situations that began and

ended in the past. E.g. Yesterday, last night, two days ago, in 2007.

Example : She walked downtown yesterday

He bought a television two days ago

3. Past habit or action repeated in the past

Example : When he was in hight school, Tono often thought about

visiting the United Stated.

When he was 19 he always visited his granma.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 The Research Design

This research in a descriptive study, which has only one variable. It is the ability of

the second year students in SMPN 3 Tapung in using predicative verb in Simple Past Tense.

3.2 The Specific Objective of the Research

The specific objective of the research is to describe the ability of the second years

students of SMPN 3 Tapung in using predicative verb in Simple Past Tense in three types at

SMP 3 Tapung.

3.3 The Location and Time of the Study

The research will be conduct at SMPN 3 Tapung, jl.Garuda On April 2010.

3.4 The Population and Sample

The population of this research is the second years students of SMPN 3 Tapung, in

academic year 2009/2010. The total number of population is student. Because of the number

of the population is big, the writer take the sample based on Arikunto’s theory (2002:112).

He says that if the population is less than 100 persons we can involve them all, but if more

than 100 persons the reseacher can take the sample between 10-15 % and 20-25 % or more.

In this case, the writer take 15% of the population

The technique used in this research is stratified random sampling techniques for each

class. Every student had an equal chance to be selected as the sample. The data can be seen

from the table below:

THE POPULATION OF THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS

OF SMPN 3 TAPUNG

Class Number of Population

2A 36

2B 35

2C 32

2D 32

2E 33

2F 32

Total 200

from the table above, we can see that the total number of the third year students is 200

students, and 30 students as sample.

3.5 Techniques of Data Collection

1. Test

Test is an insrtument that is more appropiate to measure the students’ ability.

Therefore, to find out the students’ ability in using predicative verb in Simple Past

tense, the writer collect the data by giving the sample students written multiple-choice

test that consist of 30 items of predicative verb in Simple Past Tense.10 items in

positive statment, 10 items in negative statment, 10 items in introgative statment. The

duration time for doing the test is 40 minutes.

the Blue Print of the Research Instrument

No Material about Predicative verbs Number of

items

Item Number

1 Positive statment 10 1,3,5,7,9,11,18,21,24,26

2 Negative statment 10 2,4,6,8,13,14,16,22,25,29

3 Introgative statment 10 10,12,15,17,19,20,23,27,28,30

Total 30 30

In order to know the reliability as well as the validity of the test, the writer

conduct try out for twice in same place but different sample to get reliable test of the

research. It was also use to determine the difficulty level and the discrimination index

of each test item.

2. Reseach Instrument

1. I . . . . an interesting article yesterday.

a. Wrote c. Am writing

b. Is writing d. To write

2. I saw your mother at the restaurant last night. The negative form is . .

a. I do not saw your mother at the restaurant last night

b. I did not saw your mother at the restaurant last night

c. I do not see your mother at the restaurant last night

3. Mother . . . . . . fried rice yesterday morning.

a. Cooks c. Cooked

b. Cook d. Is cooking

4. My sister bought some books last week.

The negative form of the sentence is . . . .

a. My sister do not bought some book last week

b. My sister did not bought some book last week

c. My sister does not buy some book last week

d. My sister did not buy some book last week

5. Mrs. Miranda . . . . . . . work in the garden two days ago.

a. Is not c. Does not

b. Was not d. Did not

6. Lala lived in Jakarta two years ago.

The negative form of the sentence is . . . . .

a. Lala didn’t live in Jakarta tw years ago.

b. Lala didn’t lived in Jakarta tw years ago.

c. Lala don’t live in Jakarta tw years ago.

d. Lala doesn’t lived in Jakarta tw years ago.

7. Dicky . . . . . . . foot ball yesterday afternoon

a. Is playing c. Played

b. Was play d. Play

8. My mother made my bitrhday cake last month.

The negative form of the sentence is . . . . . .

a. My mother didn’t made my bitrhday cake last month

b. My mother didn’t make my bitrhday cake last month

c. My mother didn’t maked my bitrhday cake last month

d. My mother didn’t making my bitrhday cake last month

9. Did Randy . . . . . . his grandparents last month?

a. Visite c. Visites

b. Visited d. Was visite

10. Rani : . . . . . . . you see the doctor yesterday?

Doni : No, I didn’t

a. Are c. Did

b. Do d. Were

11. We . . . . . . some books at the library five minutes ago.

a. Take c. Was taking

b. Takes d. Took

12. Ihsan : have you ever been to Bali?

Indie : yes, I have

Ihsan : When . . . . . . . . ?

Indie : last year.

a. Will you go there c. Have you go there

b. Did you go there d. Are you going there

13. Did you miss your boyfriend?

The negative form of the sentence is . . . . . .

a. I didn’t missded my boyfriend

b. I don’t missed my boyfriend

c. I don’t miss my boyfriend

d. I didn’t miss my boyfriend

14. We didn’t . . . . . . the exam because we have no class yesterday.

a. Join c. Joined

b. Joines d. Have joining

15. Hanna and I eat a lot of Durians last Sunday.

The introgattive form of the sentence is . . . . . .

a. Did we eat a lot of durians last Sunday?

b. Did we ete a lot of durians last Sunday?

c. Did we eats a lot of durians last Sunday?

d. Did we eaten a lot of durians last Sunday?

16. Nanda washed her clothes yesterday.

The negative form of the sentence is . . . . .

a. Nanda doesn’t wash her clothes yesterday

b. Nanda doesn’t washed her clothes yesterday

c. Nanda didn’t wash her clothes yesterday

d. Nanda didn’t washed her clothes yesterday

17. Did you know about the insident last nigth?

a. Yes, I do c. Yes, you do

b. Yes, I did d. Yes, I am

18. Sari : how about you holiday?

Lula : nice, I went to Tawangmangu. What about you?

Sari : Just at home, I . . . . . cooking from my mother.

a. Learn c. Learns

b. Learned d. Was learning

19. Nanu : Where did you . . . . . your last vacation?

Nina : I spent my vacation in Canada.

a. Spent c. Spend

b. Will spend d. Spending

20. Ranti : did the boys study after class?

Danu : No, they did not

Ranti : . . . . . .?

Danu : They played football.

a. What do they do? c. What are they do?

b. What were they do? d. What did they do?

21. Tyo :How do you go to school, Wawan?

Wawan : by my bycycle, but yesterday I . . . . . . to school by bus because the

tire of my bike got flat

a. Go c. Went

b. Have gone d. Will go

22. The man helped me yesterday.

The negative form of the sentence is . . . . .

a. The man didn’t help me yesterday

b. The man didn’t helps me yesterday

c. The man don’t help me yesterday

d. The man don’t helps me yesterday

23. Cici : I saw you in the Supermarket yesterday. What did you . . . . . there?

Ridho : Well, I bought soap, tootpaste, and shampoo.

a. Buy c. Bought

b. Will buying d. Have bought

24. Ninda : when did you write your assigment?

Rara : I . . . . . it last night.

a. Write c. Wrote

b. Have written d.will write

25. A : Do you know Bona?

B : Yes, but I did not . . . . . him for long time

a. Met c. Meet

b. will met d. Have met

26. I . . . . . . my letter three week ago.

a. Send c. Have sent

b. Sent d. Will sent

27. Yani : What time did you get up this morning?

Ina : . . . . . . .

a. I got up at five c. He gets up at five

b. They want to get up at five d. She is going to get up at five

28. Did you . . . . . some books from the library ten minutes ago?

a. Take c. Took

b. Have Taken d. Takes

29. I didn’t . . . . . . . the movie last night because my favorite actris didn’t perfom.

a. Will enjoy c. Have enjoyed

b. Enjoyed d. Enjoy

30. We studied English together at Eko’s house yesterday morning.

The introgative form of the sentence is . . . . . .

a. Did we studied English at Eko’s house yesterday morning?

b. Did we study English at Eko’s house yesterday morning?

c. Did we studying English at Eko’s house yesterday morning?

d. Did we will study English at Eko’s house yesterday morning?

3. Item Difficulties

Henning (1987: 49) says that item difficulty is determined as the proportion of

correct responses, signified by the letter “p”. It also used to determine the difficulty

level. The difficulty level on the item shows how easy or difficulty the particular item

provides in the test. To determine the item difficulty the following formula:

Where:

P = Difficulty, proportion correct

= The sum of correct response

N = The number of examines

4. Reliability

Henning (1987: 731) says the test reliability is the accuracy of the measurement.

In order to know the reability, the writer conduct try out in other place. Based on

Heaton (1988: 178), the test is accepted if the degree of difficulty is berween 0.30-

0.70 and it is rejected if the degree of difficulty is less than 0.30 (difficult) or over

0.70 (easy). Reliability is a necessary characteristic of a good test. To find the

reability of the test, the following formula:

Where

= The Reliability

N = The Number items in the test

m = The Mean score on the test for all test

x = The Standar deviation of all test

5. Validity

After knowing the result of item difficulty and reability of the test, the next step is

to compute the validity of the test. Henning (1987: 89) states that validity of the test

means any appropriatenesss of a given test or any of a given test or any of its

components as a measure of what it is purposed to measure. In order to find the

validity of the test, based on Arikunto’s theory, (2009: 70) the writer used the

following formula:

Where

= Coefficient correlation between variable X and Y

= Score of multiplying between variable X and Y

= Score deviation of X after square

= Score deviation of Y after square

Suharsimi Arikunto (2009:75) states the result of analysis validity of the test can

be catagorized as follow:

0.800 – 1.00 Very high

0.600 – 0.800 High

0.400 – 0.600 Enough

0.200 – 0.400 Low

0.00 – 0.200 Very low

6. Interview

To supoport the main data collected and get information, the writer apply

interview to the second year students of SMP 3 Tapung to know where is the easierst

and the most difficult from the three type sentences of Simple Past tense

7. Percentage Score

Henning (1987: 17) says percentage score obtain by dividing the row score by the

total score possible and multiplying the result by 100. The formula can be seen as follow:

S =

Where S = Individual Score

R = Right Answer

N = Number of Item

100 = Standar Mark

Afterwards, computing the average score from the test give each item, the writer

uses formula below:

Where

= The mean of the students’ score

= The sum of the students score

N = The total of respondents

To know the level difficult using predicative verb of positive, negative and

introgative sentences in Simple Past Tense is used:

D = E X 100%

N X I

D =level of difficult

E = number of student mistakes

N = number of respondent

I = number of items

(Hugles, 1989:76)

THE SCALE OF STUDENTS’ABILITY IN USING PREDICATIVE VERB

POSITIVE, NEGATIVE AND INTROGATIVE SENTENCES

The Score of ability level Category

90 – 100 Exellent

80 – 89 Good

70 – 79 Enough

60 – 69 Fair

0 – 59 Poor

CHAPTER IV

THE PRESENTATION OF THENRESEARCH FINDINGS

4.1. The Description of the Research Variable

This research was conducted in order to find out the bility of the second year students

of SMPN 3 Tapung in using Predicative Verbs in Simple Past tense. There are thirty-five

respondents participated in this research. In order to get the data for this research to find out

the score.meanwhile, the data were taken from objective test about positive, negative and

introgative sentences in simple past tense. The test consisted of thirty items formatted in

multiple choices.

Before the test was given. It was important to try it out. The try out was necessary

conducted to know validity and reliability of the test. The try out cosisted of 30 items. The

students score can be seen in appendix I.

After conducting the try out, the writer found that there were some items that needed

to be revised because their level of difficulty did not fulfil the criteria. The items to be revised

were number

Name of the students Correct answer

for positive

Correct answer

for negative

Correct answer for Introgative

Total Score Level of difficulty

1. Ika

2. dasga

3. artika

4. ike

5. eko

6. bahry

7. siti

8. isna

9. lena

10. Yuliana

11. Sinta

12. Cici Ayu

13. Try Ambar

14. Ahmad

15. Sri Rahayu

16. Yenifa

17. Ayu Amida

18. Rosy

19. Trykholifah

20. Bayu

21. Yolanda

22. Riska

23. Abdurrahman

24. Riski

25. Hervina

26. Sita Uli

27. Joko

28. Iponk

29. Nurul

30. Nursanti

31. Riska

32. SIti Mulyani

33. Argo

34. Yora

35. Putri

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Brown H. Douglas. 1994. Teaching by Principle: An Interactive Approach to Language

Pedagogy. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents, Inc

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Nunan, David.1999. Second Language Teaching and Learning. Boston: Heinle & Heinly

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