THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS’ ERRORS IN USING INFLECTIONAL

MORPHEMES AT STATE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1 OF PENDOPO PALI

1. Background

In learning English, there are four skills which should be mastered by the

students. They are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Besides that, the language

aspects such as grammar, vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation should be taught to the

students also to support the four language skills.

Based on the writer’s experience in studying English, grammar is one of the

language aspects that is very complicated for the students. The students always face

difficulties. It is probably because English grammatical system is extremely different

from Indonesian one. For example; in forming a noun from singular into plural forms,

students should add the morpheme –s like “brother into brothers”. This rule is very

different from the rules in forming plural noun in Indonesian.

So mastering grammar is really important in order to choose and use the words

in order correctly in sentences. Grammar covers many topics, and one of topics that

should be mastered and understood by the students is morphemes. Because by

mastering and understanding morphemes, the students can enrich their vocabulary

because a large number of words that they have to learn at school can be developed

from morphemes, such as “help” becomes “helper, helpful, helpfully, helpless,

helplessly, etc.” It will also help them to distinguish between base words and affixes,

and among parts of speech.

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 Nunes, et al. (2006:4) state a morpheme is a unit of meaning. According to

Finegan (2012:46-47), morphemes can be free or bound. Morphemes that can stand

alone as words are known as free morphemes, and those that cannot are bound

morphemes. Sulaiman (2013:20-21) states free morphemes are divided into two groups.

The first group is called lexical morpheme which is as an open class of words. The other

group is called functional morpheme which is as a closed class of words. While bound

morphemes are divided into two types. They are the derivational morphemes which

usually change class of words, and the inflectional morphemes which indicate aspects of

the grammatical function of a word. Fromkin, et al. (2009:47) state English has only

eight inflectional morphemes; they are (1) third person singular present, (2) past tense,

(3) progressive, (4) past participle, (5) plural, (6) possessive, (7) comparative, and (8)

superlative.

In the field experience program (PPL 2), it was found that most of the students

still make some errors in using them. For examples:

TABLE 1

EXAMPLE OF ERRORS IN USING INFLECTIONAL MORPHEMES

No
Incorrect Sentences Correct Sentences
.
1. *She teachs English in my class. She teaches English in my class.
2. *A car stoped in front of my house A car stopped in front of my house
yesterday. yesterday.
3. *They are smileing. They are smiling.
4. *He has riden a new car. She has ridden a new car.
5. *There are many floweres in the garden. There are many flowers in the garden.
6. *Girls’s dolls are very expensive. Girls’ dolls are very expensive.
7. *That ball is biger than this ball. That ball is bigger than this ball.
8. *That ball is the bigest in this room. That ball is the biggest in this room.

2
 The examples illustrated above shows that the students generally encounter

difficulties in forming inflectional morphemes. Since English is learned as a foreign

language, the students still have difficulties to master the complexities and the use of

inflectional morphemes in the sentences.

Furthermore, the writer will do a research at State Junior High School 1 of

Pendopo PALI where she was graduated from. The school is located in the outside of

the city which is far away from modern situation. Derived from information that was

told by the teacher teaching over there, the students do not have enough knowledge in

English. They also did not get English subject when they were at elementary school.

Based on the explanation above, the writer intends to analyze the students’

errors and conduct a research entitled “The Eighth Grade Students’ Errors in Using

Inflectional Morphemes at State Junior High School 1 of Pendopo PALI.”

2. Problem of the Research

The problem of this study deals with the eighth grade students’ errors in using

inflectional morphemes at State Junior High School 1 of Pendopo PALI.

2.1 Limitation of the Problem

In doing this research, the problem is limited into the following points:

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1) Errors in using inflectional morphemes especially third person singular present

morpheme (–s), past tense morpheme (–ed), progressive morpheme (–ing) and past

participle morpheme (–en) in completion test.

2) Errors in using inflectional morphemes especially plural morpheme (–s), possessive

morpheme (–‘s), comparative morpheme (–er) and superlative morpheme (–est) in

multiple choices test.

2.2 Formulation of the Problem

The formulation of the problem in this study is “What errors are made by the

eighth grade students in using inflectional morphemes at State Junior High School 1 of

Pendopo PALI?”

3. Objective of the Research

The objective of this study is to find out errors made by the eighth grade

students in using inflectional morphemes at State Junior High School 1 of Pendopo

PALI.

4. Significance of the Research

It is expected that the results of this study are beneficial for the following:

1) For the Writer Herself

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 It is expected to enlarge the writer’s knowledge of errors made by the students in

using inflectional morphemes.

2) For the Students

It is expected the students will use the findings of this research to learn English

effectively especially in using inflectional morphemes.

3) For the Teachers of English

It is expected that the result of this study will be useful for the teachers of English to

anticipate the errors made by the students. For example: in writing skill, the material

is about inflectional morpheme can be minimalist.

4) For Other Researchers

It is expected that the result of this research will be useful as a source of information

for further study.

5. Literature Review

This part will describe (1) concept of errors, (2) concept of inflectional

morphemes, and (3) related previous study.

5.1 Concept of Errors

Dulay, et al. (1982:139) state, “Error refers to any deviation from a selected

norm of a language performance, no matter what the characteristics or causes of the

deviation might be.” According to Richards, et al. (2010:201), “Error is the use of

English item (e.g. a word, a grammatical item, a speech act, etc.) in a way which a

5
fluent or native speaker of the language regards as showing faulty or incomplete

learning.”

Corder (in Dulay, et al., 1982:139) states “In some of second language literature,

performance errors are called “mistake” while the term “errors” was reserved for the

systematic deviations due to the leaner’s still developing knowledge of the second

language rule system.” According to Brown (2000:217), a mistake refers to a

performance error that is a random guess or a slip, and it is a failure to utilize a known

system correctly. On the other hand, an error is a noticeable deviation from the adult

grammar of native speaker, reflects the competence of the learner.

Furthermore, Richards, et al. (2010:201) state, “A distinction is sometimes made

between an error, which results from incomplete knowledge, and a mistake made by a

learner when writing or speaking and which is caused by lack of attention, fatigue,

carelessness, or some other aspect of performance.” And according to Gass and Selinker

(2008:102), mistakes are akin to slips of tongue. The speaker who makes a mistake is

able to recognize it as a mistake and correct it if necessary. On the other hand, an error

is systematic. It is likely to occur repeatedly and it is not recognized by the leaner as an

error.

From those definitions above, it can be concluded that error is a deviation from

the selected rules of a language, no matter what the characteristics and causes of the

deviation are.

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5.2 Concept of Inflectional Morphemes

Jensen (1990:2) states “The fundamental units of words are called morphemes.”

And according to Fromkin, et al. (2014:37), morpheme is the most elemental unit of

grammatical form.

Furthermore, Finegan (2012:46) states “The meaningful elements in a word are

called morphemes.” Richards, et al. (2010:375) write “Morpheme is the smallest

meaningful unit in a language.” And according to Sulaiman (2013:20), “A morpheme is

the smallest unit of meaning.”

According to Sulaiman (2013:20), morphemes are divided into two types; they

are free and bound morphemes. Free morphemes are morphemes which can stand by

themselves as single words, e.g. open and tour. On the other hand, bound morphemes

are morphemes which cannot normally stand alone, but which are typically attached to

another form, e.g. re–, –ed, –es.

Bound morphemes can be divided into two types; they are derivational and

inflectional morphemes. Derivational morphemes usually change the class of words

such as –ment, –lty, –ous, –ence, –ate, and many others. While inflectional

morphemes are not used to produce new words in English language, but rather to

indicate aspects of the grammatical function of a word. Inflectional morphemes are used

to show if a word is plural or singular, if it is past tense or not, and if it is a comparative

or possessive form.

Furthermore Finegan (2012:49) writes “These inflectional morphemes change

the form of word but not its lexical category or its central meaning. Inflectional

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morphemes create variant forms of a word to conform to different roles in a sentence or

in a discourse.”

According to Fromkin, et al. (2014:47), English has only eight inflectional

morphemes, they are:

TABLE 2

KINDS OF INFLECTIONAL MORPHEMES

No. English Inflectional Morphemes Examples

1. (–s) third person singular present She wait–s at home.
2. (–ed) past tense She wait–ed at home.
3. (–ing) progressive She is eat–ing the donut.
4. (–en) past participle Mary has eat–en the donut.
5. (–s) plural She ate the donut–s.
6. (– ‘s) possessive Disa–‘s hair is short.
7. (–er) comparative Disa has short–er hair than Karin.
8. (–est) superlative Disa has the short–est hair.

From those explanations above, it can be concluded that morpheme is the

smallest unit of language that carrying the meaning. Inflectional morphemes are the part

of bound morphemes which can attack to the words for indicating aspects of the

grammatical function of a word.

5.2.1 Third Person Singular Present Morpheme (–s)

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 The verb for third person singular present is usually made by adding morpheme

–s. The following are the ways of third person singular present morphemes formed

based on Azar (2006:26):

1) The words are usually made by adding –s.

Sing sings

Read reads

2) The word ends –sh, –ch, –s, –z, and –x is made by adding –es.

Wash washes

Watch watches

Discuss discusses

Fix fixes

3) The word ends –y is preceded by a vowel is made by adding –s.

Buy buys

Play plays

4) The word ends –y is preceded by a consonant is made by changing –y into –i and

adding –es.

Cry cries

Study studies

5.2.2 Past Tense Morpheme (–ed)

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 According to Thomson (1986:161), “The simple past tense in regular verb is

formed by adding –ed to the infinitive. The following are the ways to form –ed based on

Azar (2006:6):

1) If the word ends in a consonant and –e, just add –d.

Hope hoped

Date dated

2) If the verb has only one syllable and ends in one vowel + one consonant, double the

consonant and add –ed.

Stop stopped

Rob robbed

3) If verb ends in two vowels + one consonant, just add –ed.

Rain rained

Fool fooled

Dream dreamed

4) If the first syllable of two syllables verb is stressed, just add –ed.

Listen listened

Offer offered

Open opened

5) If the second syllable of two syllables verb is stressed, double the consonant, and

add –ed.

Prefer preferred

Control controlled

6) If the verb ends in two consonants, just add –ed.

Start started

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 Fold folded

Demand demanded

7) If the verb ends –y is preceded by a vowel, keep –y and add –ed.

Enjoy enjoyed

Pray prayed

8) If the verb ends –y is preceded by a consonant, change –y into –i and add -ed.

Study studied

Try tried

Reply replied

9) If the verb ends –ie, add –d.

Die died

Lie lied

Exception:

The verbs end –w and –x are not doubled although they are preceded by one vowel.

Plow plowed

Fix fixed

5.2.3 Progressive Morpheme (–ing)

The verb in progressive is formed by adding morpheme –ing. Azar (2000:6)

states there are some rules in forming the morpheme –ing, as presented below:

1) If the verb ends in –e, drop the –e and add –ing.

Hope hoping

Date dating

Injure injuring

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2) If the verb has only one syllable and ends in one vowel + one consonant, double the

consonant and add –ing.

Stop stopping

Rob robbing

Beg begging

3) If verb ends in two vowels + one consonant, just add –ing.

Rain raining

Fool fooling

Dream dreaming

4) If the first syllable of two syllables verb is stressed, just add –ing.

Listen listening

Offer offering

Open opening

5) If the second syllable of two syllables verb is stressed, double the consonant, and

add –ing.

Begin beginning

Prefer preferring

Control controlling

6) If the verb ends in two consonants, just add –ing.

Start starting

Fold folding

Demand demanding

7) If the verb ends –y is preceded by a vowel, keep –y and add –ing.

Enjoy enjoying

12
 Pray praying

Buy buying

8) If the verb ends –y is preceded by a consonant add –ing.

Study studying

Try trying

Reply replying

9) If the verb ends –ie change –ie into –y and add –ing.

Die dying

Lie lying

Exception:

If a verb ends in –ee, the final –e is not dropped.

See seeing

Agree agreeing

5.2.4 Past Participle Morpheme (–en)

Morpheme –en is added to past participle in irregular verb. There is no specific

ways to form morpheme –en, but Azar (2000:12-13) states there are some past

participle in irregular verbs that end –en. They are:

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 Simple Form Past Participle
arise arisen
be been
beat beaten
bite bitten 5.2.5 Plural Morpheme (–s)
break broken
choose chosen The plural is the name of more than one
eat eaten
fall fallen thing. The plural noun is usually made by
forbid forbidden
forget forgotten adding morpheme –s to the singular. The
forsake forsaken
freeze forsaken following are the ways of the plural morphemes
get gotten
give given formed based on Wren and Martin (1995:10-
hide hidden
mistake mistaken 11):
ride ridden
rise risen
see seen 1) The plural of nouns generally formed by
shake shaken
steal stolen adding –s.
take taken
Pen pens
undertake undertaken
weave woven
Girl girls
write written
Desk desks

2) Nouns ending –s, –sh, –ch, or –x form the plural by adding –es.

Class classes

Brush brushes

Brach branches

Box boxes

3) Nouns ending –o form the plural by adding –es.

Buffalo buffaloes

Potato potatoes

Mango mangoes

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 Note:

There are some nouns ending –o form the plural by adding –s.

Dynamo dynamos

Canto cantos

Piano pianos

Kilo kilos

Photo photos

4) Nouns ending –y is preceded by a consonant form the plural by changing –y inyo –i

and adding –es.

Baby babies

Army armies

Lady ladies

5) Nouns ending –f or –fe form the plural by changing –f of –fe into –v and adding –es.

Thief thieves

Wife wives

Note:

There are some nouns ending –f of –fe take either –s and –es in the plural.

Dwarf dwarfs/dwarves

Wharf wharfs/wharves

Hoof hoofs/hooves

Scarf scarfs/scarves

There are some nouns ending –f and –fe form the plural by adding –s.

Chief chiefs

Gulf gulfs

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 Safe safes

Cliff cliffs

Proof proofs

Handkerchief handkerchiefs

5.2.6 Possessive Noun Morpheme (– ‘s)

The following are the ways to form –‘s based on Azar (2000:31):

1) To show that a person possesses something, add apostrophe (‘) and –s to a singular

noun.

The girl the girl’s

Tom Tom’s

My wife my wife’s

A lady a lady’s

Thomas’ Thomas’s

2) Add only an apostrophe (‘) to a plural noun that ends in –s.

The girls the girls’

Their wives their wives’

The ladies the ladies’

3) Add an apostrophe (‘) and –s to plural nouns that do not end in –s.

The men the men’s

My children my children’s

5.2.7 Comparative Morpheme (–er)

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 There are six ways to form –er based on Baehaqi (2012:184-185):

1) If adjective ends two consonants, add –er .

Fast faster

Strong stronger

Tall taller

Young younger

2) If adjective ends one consonant is preceded by two vowels, add –er.

Loud louder

Neat neater

Soon sooner

3) If adjective ends –w, –x, or –y is preceded by one vowel, add –er.

Slow slower

Lax laxer

Grey greyer

4) If adjective ends –e, drop –e and add –er.

Brave braver

Close closer

Late later

5) If adjective ends –y is preceded by one consonant, change –y into –i and add

–er.

Dry drier

Early earlier

Easy easier

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6) If adjective does not end –w, –x, or –y is preceded by one vowel, double the

consonant and add –er.

Big bigger

Hot hotter

Sad sadder

Exception:

There are some adjective have irregular comparative form. They are:

Positive Comparative
bad worse
far farther (further)
good better
little less
many more
much more

5.2.8 Superlative Morpheme (–est)

There are six ways to form –est based on Baehaqi (2012:184-185):

1) If adjective ends two consonants, add –est.

Fast fastest

Strong strongest

Tall tallest

Young youngest

2) If adjective ends one consonant is preceded by two vowels, add –est.

Loud loudest

Neat neatest

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 Soon soonest

3) If adjective ends –w, –x, or –y t is preceded by one vowel, add –est.

Slow slowest

Lax laxest

Grey greyest

4) If adjective ends –e, drop –e and add –est.

Brave bravest

Close closest

Late latest

5) If adjective ends –y is preceded by one consonant, change –y into –i and add

–est.

Dry driest

Early earliest

Easy easiest

6) If adjective does not end –w, –x, or –y is preceded by one vowel, double the

consonant and add –est.

Big biggest

Hot hottest

Sad saddest

Exception:

There are some adjective have irregular superlative form. They are:

Positive Superlative
bad worst
far farthest (furthest)
good best
little least

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 many most
much most

5.3 Related Previous Study

There has been related previous study in the library of PGRI university of

Palembang which entitled “Errors Made by the Seventh Grade Students of SMPN 6

Palembang in Using Inflectional Morphemes”.

This thesis belongs to Ria Arini which has a similarity and differences with the

writer’s study. A similarity of both studies is the same topic namely inflectional

morphemes. And the differences of both studies are in the population and in the

objective. The population of Ria’s thesis is the seventh grade students of SMP 6

Palembang and the objective of her thesis are to find out the students errors made in

using inflectional morphemes especially in forming morpheme –s in the plural noun,

-ing in the progressive and –ed in the past at SMPN 6 Palembang and to know the

percentage of students’ errors in forming inflectional morphemes especially in forming

morpheme –s in the plural noun, -ing in the progressive and –ed in the past at SMPN 6

Palembang. The result of her thesis is that the students made errors in using the

morpheme –s to form plural noun (34,96%), the students made errors in using the

morpheme –ing in the progressive (31,79%), and then the students made errors in using

the morpheme –ed in the past tense (33,25%).

The population that will be taken by the writer is the eighth grade students of

State Junior High School 1 of Pendopo PALI and the objective is to find out errors

made by the eighth grade students in using inflectional morphemes at State Junior High

School 1 of Pendopo PALI.

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6. Research Procedure

This part will describe (1) operational definitions, (2) population and sample, (3)

method of research, (4) technique for collecting data, and (5) technique for analyzing

data.

6.1 Operational Definitions

In the operational definition there are three terms to be defined operationally.

They are described below.

1) Error

Error is the students’ incorrect answers that are noticeable deviation from the

selected rules of a language in answering a valid and reliable test, no matter what the

characteristics and causes of the deviation are.

2) Using

Based on this research, using means answering the questions about inflectional

morphemes.

3) Morpheme

Morpheme is the smallest unit of language that carrying the meaning, and

inflectional morphemes are the part of bound morphemes which can attack to the

word for indicating aspects of the grammatical function of a word.

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6.2 Population and Sample

6.2.1 Population

In this study, the population is the eighth grade students of State Junior High

School 1 of Pendopo PALI which are 8 classes. According to Fraenkel, et al. (2012:91),

“The larger group to which one hopes to apply the results is called the population.” The

population of this study will be taken from the whole students of State Junior High

School 1 of Pendopo PALI especially the eighth grade students in the academic year of

2014/2015. Table 3 shows the population of this study

TABLE 3

THE POPULATION OF THIS STUDY

No. Class Number of Students

1. VIII.1 32
2. VIII.2 32
3. VIII.3 37
4. VIII.4 38
5. VIII.5 38
6. VIII.6 38
7. VIII.7 38
8. VII.8 35
Total 288

6.2.2 Sample

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 The writer will take one of the eighth grade students’ classes in State Junior

High School 1 of Pendopo PALI as a sample. According to Fraenkel, et al. (2012:91),

“A sample in a research study is the group on which information is obtained.”

According to Arikunto (2006:134), if the number of the subjects of the investigation is

less than 100, all must be taken as the sample, but if the number of subjects of the

investigation is more than 100, the sample is taken from 10 up to 15% or from 20 up to

25% or more. Because the population of this research is more than 100, the writer will

take 11% from the total of the population and it is 32 students.

In this study, the writer will take one class as a sample by using cluster random

sampling. According to Fraenkel, et al. (2012:96), “Cluster random sampling is similar

to simple random sampling except that groups rather than individuals are randomly

selected.” The writer will write the names of seven classes on the seven pieces of paper,

roll and put them into a cup. Then shake a cup. Finally take one of the roll out. It will be

the sample of this research. Table 4 shows the sample of this study.

TABLE 4

THE SAMPLE OF THE STUDY

No
Class Number of students
.
1. VIII.1 32

6.3 Method of Research

The method of this research will be done through the descriptive method.

According to Fraenkel, et al. (2012:15), “Descriptive studies describe a given state of

23
affairs as fully and carefully as possible.” In doing this study, the writer will take some

steps are as follows:

1) identifying the problem;

2) reading relevant books;

3) formulating research problem;

4) making design and defining the objective;

5) making the test item;

6) choosing the sample;

7) trying out the test to the students;

8) giving a written test to the students;

9) collecting the data;

10) analyzing the data;

11) drawing a conclusion;

12) proposing suggestion;

13) reporting the result;

6.4 Technique for Collecting Data

In collecting the data, the writer will give a written test to the students.

According to Arikunto (2010:193), test is any series of question or exercise or other

skill, knowledge, intelligence, capacities of attitude of an individual or group. The

writer will give the completion test which consists 25 items and multiple choices test

which consists 25 items. The test is given to describe and identify the errors made by

24
the students of State Junior High School 1 of Pendopo PALI in using inflectional

morphemes.

6.3.1 Validity of the Test

According to Fraenkel, et al. (2012:147), “Validity is the most important idea to

consider when preparing or selecting an instrument for use.” Arikunto (2010:211) states

validity is a measurement that shows the level of validity of an instrument. The validity

of the test items will be classified as the following table of specification of the test.

TABLE 5

THE SPECIFICATION OF THE TEST ITEM

Number Item
No. Type Items Material Tested Indicators
of Items Number

I Completio Morpheme –s in third 6 1, 4, 9, The students

n person singular present. 13, 19, are be able to
Test. 24 change the
Morpheme –ed in past 6 3, 6, 10,
basic verb into
tense. 14, 21,
third person
25
singular
Morpheme –ing in 7 2, 7, 12,
present, past
progressive. 16, 18,
tense,
20, 23

25
 Morpheme –en in past 6 5, 8, 11,
participle. 15, 17,
progressive and
22
past participle
II Multiple Morpheme –s in plural 6 27, 31, The students
choices noun. 35, 38, are be able to
Test. 44, 48 choose the
Morpheme –‘s in 6 29, 32, correct
possessive. 34, 37, morpheme to
41, 45 complete the
Morpheme –er in 7 28, 30,
sentences.
comparative. 36, 40,
43, 46,
49
Morpheme –est in 6 26, 33,
superlative. 39, 42,
47, 50
Total Number of Items : 50

6.3.2 Reliability of the Test

According to Fraenkel, et al. (2012:154), “Reliability refers to the consistency of

the scores obtained. How consistent they are for each individual from one

administration of an instrument to another and from one set of items to another.” To

estimate the test reliability the writer will use KR-21 formula, as follows (Fraenkel, et

al., 2012:156)

K M (K −M )
KR21=
K−1
1−
[
K (SD)2 ]
In which:

KR21 = Kuder-Richardson Reliability Coefficient

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K = Number of Items on the Test

M = Mean of the Set of the Test Scores

SD = Standard Deviation of the Set of Test Scores

2
SD =
√ ∑ ( X− X́ )
N

In which:

X= Student’s Score

N= Number of the Students

6.4 Technique for Analyzing Data

To analyze the data obtained from the test, the steps will taken are as follows:

1) Checking the students’ incorrect answers in using inflectional morphemes.

2) Identifying the students’ errors.

3) Calculating the number and percentage of the students’ incorrect answers in using

inflectional morphemes by applying the following formula:

R
Χ= x 100%
N xT

Where: X= Average Percentage of the Students’ Errors

R= Total Number of Errors

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 N= Number of Items

T= Number of the Students

4) Describing the students’ errors.

28