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Describing the Students’ Grammatical Errors on Spoken English

Imanuel Kamlasi
English Lecturer of English Education Study Program of Timor University
Jl. Km. 9, Kelurahan Sasi, Kefamenanu, Timor, NTT, Indonesia
E-mail address: [email protected] Hp. 085239295604

Abstract: This present study describes the students’ grammatical errors on

spoken English based on the classifications of errors refer to Dulay, Burt and
Krashen’s theories. Qualitative method was used in the study. Oral test was used
as the research instrument. There were 25 participants of English education study
program of Timor University who were chosen randomly as the research sample.
The Tape Video Recording (TVR) was used to gain data of spoken English. There
were five techniques in analyzing the data: transcription, codification,
classification, analyses and discussion. The results of data analyses revealed that
omission presented 40,87% of errors. Then; addition presented 31,74% and
misformation presented 15%. The misorderning was categorized as the lowest
score with 12,30%. In linguistic category; the data showed that verb was
categorized as the highest errors which presented 19% of errors. The next error
was preposition which presented 17%. Then pronouns category presented 14% of
errors. The conjunction and article categories presented 11% of errors on spoken
English. The singular/plural and negation categories presented 10% of errors for
each category. The lowest error of linguistic category was word order which
presented 8% errors. The findings showed that the students still make errors on
linguistic category on spoken English. There was a phenomenon in this finding
that the students tend to use verb-ing instead of using verb-1 in the spoken
English. They dispose to add and omit any linguistic category unconsciously
when they speak.

Keywords: errors, grammar, spoken

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1. INTRODUCTION the system of sounds, words and

Speaking for Everyday Communication sentences. In fact, language learners
is one of the subjects which is taught need a long time to learn a new
for the first year students of English language; because she/he must learn a
education study program of Timor new structure, thousands of new
University. The purpose of this subject vocabularies and different
is to help the students to perform their pronunciation. In reality, learning a
speaking ability regarding to the language is very different from our
everyday communication. Therefore; mother language. It also takes much
the topics in this subject refer to the practice to develop listening skill,
daily communication. One of the topics speaking skill, reading skill and writing
is Telling Daily Routines. In this topic skills including the sub-skills;
students prepare their daily activities pronunciation, vocabulary and
and tell it orally to other students in grammar. Therefore; making errors and
front of the class. During my mistakes are part of language learning.
experiences in teaching speaking for a In speaking process; speaker(s)
couple of years; many of the students need to consider the grammar or the
still have problems in oral presentation. rules of the language system. Thus,
On other hand; they have difficulties to Batko, Ann & Rosenheim (2004 p. 24)
speak. Some students just keep silent or define grammar as the basic principles
event say some words or sentences and structures of the language that
during the presentation or conversation include correct sentences and proper
practice. My impression to this case words forms. The use of good grammar
that; speaking subject is classified as produces meaning in communication.
one of the difficult subjects for the first Grammar is used to make meaning for
year students of English Education communication in oral or written
study program. The students still have communication. To use a language
problems in pronouncing correct properly, it is important to know
English pronunciation, choosing grammar of language and their
appropriate vocabularies, and in using meanings. Therefore grammar is
good grammar of English. important in speaking. In fact; many
The most common problem that students still make errors in grammar.
the students make in speaking activities Students often make incorrect
is how to use good English grammar. utterances in spoken English. Dulay
This problem never ends. My (1982 p. 138) highlight errors are fault
assumption is that English is different of learning in speaking performance.
from Indonesia language or other local Spoken error is a part of conversation
languages in the world. These that depart from selected norm of
languages are completely different in mature language performance.

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However, making error is basic process solutions to improve the grammar

for human thus; it is possible for usage in spoken English.
language learners to make errors
unconsciously in speaking process. Review of Related Literature
Harmer (1983 p. 35) says that errors Dulay, et al., (1982 p. 139) define
are the results of incorrect rule; errors as flawed side of learners’
language has been kept in the human speech or writing form. They stress that
brain incorrectly. Errors could happen errors in oral and written depart from
in the classroom teaching and learning some selected norm in language
process. Errors maybe caused by performance. This means that error is a
teachers since they have the lack of part of language learning. Language
grammar competences in English learners cannot avoid errors because
teaching. Errors are also caused by errors mostly and naturally occur in
students since they have different learning process. Meanwhile; Brown
understanding on grammar. (2000 p. 170) states that errors as a
I found out so many noticeable deviation from the adult
grammatical errors in spoken English grammar of a native speaker, reflecting
during classroom speaking activities. the interlanguage competence of the
For example; I usually getting up at learner. Every learner has different
5.00 o’clock in morning, then I tidied competence of level in learning English
my bed room. After that, I taking and and it conduct that they have different
going to campus. The first and the third type of error.
underline the student should change the It is important to use correct
tense to be present. The reason is the grammar in oral communication;
time signal of daily activity should use because the language will have
present. And the second underline, the meaning if the speakers tend to use
student omits article the before good language grammar. Celce-Murcia
morning, the student should put article (1995 p. 249) underlines the term
the before morning. grammar is essentially about the
This present study classifies and systems and patterns which is used to
describes the students’ grammatical select and combine words. In studying
errors in spoken English of the first grammar; language learners will
semester students of English study identify the system which is as the
program of Timor University in the language foundation. Krishnasamy
academic year 2018/2019. The (2015) says that grammar is regarded
classifications of errors refer to Dulay, as the most fundamental element of
et al. (1982 pp. 154-163) which covers language learning for second language
omission, addition, misformation and learners. Realizing the important of
misordering. Even this study was grammar; it is taught in English
conducted in a small participants but it language class. In fact; grammar is
is hoped to be useful for any lecturers learnt by all language learners in all
and students to find out possible

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levels, elementary school up to 2. METHOD

university level. This investigation was conducted to
A study on grammatical errors classify and describe the grammatical
in spoken English conducted by Ting, errors in spoken English of the first
et al. (2010) showed that the students year students of English study program
developed grammatical accuracy of Timor University in the academic
towards the end of the oral year 2018/2019. The classification of
communication class. In grammatical errors refer to theory of Dulay, Burt
categories, the students produced fewer and Krashen (1982 pp. 154-163) in
errors in the third role play compared which covers omission, addition,
to the first role play. The surface misformation and misordering. Thus;
structure showed that misformation and the descriptive qualitative method was
omission made 72% of grammatical applied in the study. Creswell (2014 p.
errors, while the addition and 234) mentioned the sources of data in
misordering were being less frequent. qualitative research are in multiple
The linguistic description showed that forms, i.e. observations, documents,
preposition and question were the most interviews, and audiovisual information
difficult for the less proficient students rather than rely on a single source of
which made 35% of total errors, and data. The instrument of this study was
then it was followed by word form and speaking test. The students were given
article which made 11% for each. The the clues to prepare their daily
other types of errors are relatively less activities. There were two parallel
frequent that cover subject-verb classes in the first year students of
agreement, tense, plural form, pronoun, English education study program of
misordering of question and negative. Timor University in academic year of
Furthermore; a study of 2018/2020 with the total numbers are
grammatical errors on paragraph 76 students. The participants of the
writing conducted by Ma’mu (2016) study were 25 students chosen
found 35 errors from the students’ randomly as the sample of this
writing. He used Dulay, Burt, and research. The Tape Video Recording
Krashen’s theories to describe the types (TVR) was used to gain data of oral
of error that cover omission, addition, presentation. The participants were
misformation, and misordering. The asked to tell their daily activities in oral
results revealed that most of them made presentation. The students’ spoken
errors in omission and another was English was recorded during their
misformation. The most common performance. There were five
errors which were made by students techniques used in analyzing the data
were misformation with the number of namely transcription, codification,
errors was 43%, omission with the classification, analyses and discussion.
number of error was 31%. In transcribing technique, the
researcher listened carefully to the
recording of spoken English and he

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transcribed the spoken form into The results of the analysis of the
written form. In codifying technique, classification errors shown in chart 1
the words, phrases, clauses or showed that the highest grammatical
sentences which were used by students errors on spoken English was omission
in oral presentation were given code. within the total errors were 103 or
The codes were based on the 40,87%. For example of omission
classification of errors and linguistic errors in student number 1: I usually
category that refer to Dulay, Burt and get up__5 o’clock. The student omits
Krashen (1982 pp. 154-163). In the preposition at before the time.
classifying techniques, the researcher There was an absence of article in the
classified the data into linguistic utterance. In English; preposition at is
surface category. In analyzing used before the hour. This is maybe
technique, the researcher analyzed the caused by the interference of the
data based on classification of errors Indonesian language; saya biasanya
and linguistic surface category. In bangung jam lima pagi. The next error
discussion section, the researcher was followed by addition errors within
discussed the result descriptively as the the score 80 or 31,74%. For example of
findings of the research. addition errors in student number 1:
Then, I prepare to making by bed. This
student produces addition errors of ing
3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION form. In English, the use of inventive
In this section, the findings of to + verb 1; but normally many new
grammatical errors in spoken English learners use verb-ing instead of to
are presented and discussed. The infinitive. Student number 2: I go to
grammatical errors refer to Dulay, Burt home. There was an addition errors of
and Kresen theory which covers to which is used before home. The
omission, addition, misformation and correct is I go home (without
misordering and linguistic category. preposition to). The next error was
misformation within the total error
Chart 1. Types of Errors on Spoken were 38 or 15%. For example in
English
student number 15: I go to campus by
103
foot. The student makes errors in using
preposition by. In English; by is sued
80
for car or motorcycle while the correct
40,87 38
English grammar is I go to campus on
31,74 31 foot. Student number 19: I usually have
15 12,3
porridge and tea for me breakfast. This
error is categorized as misformation
which the student uses me (object)
instead of my as the possession before
the noun. The last type error was
misorderning which was categorized as

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the lowest score within 31 or 12,30%. Table 1. Total of Errors on Linguistic

Example of misordering error in Category
student number 18: I and my brother

Misformation

Misordering
have dinner. In English; My brother

Linguistic

Omission
Category
∑

Addition
and I have dinner. The students did not
make many errors in misordering.

Chart 2. Interval Range in Types of Verb 23 18 2 5 48

Errors 36
Pronoun 18 10 8 0
72 42
Preposition 21 14 5 2

Article 15 8 6 0 29
42

23
Singular/ 24
9 11 4 0
Plural
7 29
Conjunction 12 7 6 4

Word Order 0 0 0 20 20

Negation 5 12 7 0 24

Total 103 80 38 31 252

This table shows the total of errors

This chart presents the interval range in made by first year students in the
types of errors. The data showed that spoken English, based on linguistic
there was significant interval between category. The analyses focused on the
the types of errors. The interval range present simple which refers the topic of
in omission and addition was 23. The speaking test. The error analysis
interval range in addition and showed the highest number of errors is
misformation is 42. The interval range verb within 48 errors. Student number
in addition and misordering is 7 and the 18: I studying at 8.00 o’clock. He used
interval range in misordering and verb-ing instead of verb-1 in present
omission is 72. simple. Student number 11: My
campus start__ at 8.00 o’clock. This
error is categorized as omission in third
singular subject, where the student
omits s in verb-1. The correct is my
campus starts at 8.00 o’clock. The next
error of linguistic category is
preposition within 42 errors. Student
number 12: My campus starts at 8.00
o’clock and finishes __ 1.00 o’clock.
She omits the preposition at which
should be used before the hour. Student

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number 24: I go to campus by public singular and plural forms. The case in
transportation but sometimes with daily activity should be in plural form
motorcycle. My campus start at 8.00 so it should be my daily activities. The
o’clock, aa.. on campus my classmate example of negation is made by student
and I tell a lot. This student uses with number 12: Before I go to bed I no
my friend motorcycle as dengan forget to pray. This student omits the
sepeda motor instead of by. The next, auxiliary do which is use in negative
he makes error in using on campus. form. The correct is I do not forget to
The correct is at campus. The pronoun pray. Student number 24: Some of us
category made 36 errors in spoken telling the story, aaa... to not get
English. Examples as in student boring. This student means to inform
number 18: I take bath and __dresses that to avoid getting bored; they must
at. This student omits subject I which is tell the story. The correct is the story
put before the verb. Student number 5: doesn’t make boring. The last error of
I want to tell__ my daily activities. linguistic category is word order. The
This student also omits object you error of word order was made the
which is put after the verb tell. While student number 25. Usually I get up at
student number 19: I usually have 5.00 o’clock in the morning. There is
porridge and tea for me breakfast. This error in word order in which the
error is categorized as misformation student put usually before the subject.
which the student uses me (object) The correct I usually get up at 5.00
instead of my as the possession which o’clock. So, usually is put after subject.
is used before the noun. Then, it is
followed by article and conjunction Chart 3. Percentage of Errors based on
which make 29 errors for each Linguistic Category
category. The error in article was made Word Negation
Order 10%
by student number 6. I wash a dishes.
8% Verb
There was error by adding article a. 19%
The correct is I wash dishes. The error Conjunct
ion Pronoun
in conjunction made by the student 11%
14%
number 5: I go to campus by
motorcycle and my campus starts at Singular/
8.00 o’clock and at 2.00 o’clock. There Plural Prepositi
10% Article on
was ungrammatical conjunction and. 11% 17%
The conjunction and is used to connect This chart presents the percentage of
two similar word class; i.e. noun + errors based on linguistic category on
noun. The next errors of linguistic spoken English. The score showed that
category are singular/plural and verb was categorized as the highest
negation which make 24 errors for each errors that the students make on spoken
category. Student number 14: I want to English. The verbs presented 19% of
tell you about my daily activity. This errors. The next error of linguistic
student does not differentiate the category on spoken English was

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preposition. The preposition presented of errors. The conjunction and article

17% of errors which was lower than categories presented 29 or 11% of
verb. Then pronouns category errors on spoken English. The
presented 14% of errors which was singular/plural and negation presented
higher than conjunction and article. 24 or 10% of errors for each category
Thus, the conjunction and article on spoken English. The lowest error of
categories presented 11% of errors on linguistic category was word order
spoken English. The singular/plural which presented 20 or 8% of errors on
and negation presented 10% of errors spoken English. This finding showed
for each category on spoken English. that the students still make errors on
The score showed the slightly linguistic category on spoken English.
difference with conjunction and article. There was a phenomenon in this
The lowest error of linguistic category finding that the students tend to use
was word order which presented 8% verb-ing instead of using verb-1 in the
errors on spoken English. This finding spoken English. They dispose to add
showed that the students still make and omit any linguistic category
errors on linguistic category on spoken unconsciously when they speak.
English.

4. CONCLUSION REFERENCES
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conclusion of the study. Based on
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I found that the highest grammatical Language and Teaching,
errors on spoken English was omission addision Wesley: Longman.
which presented 103 or 40,87% errors.
Celce-Murcia, M, (ed). (1995).
Then; the addition presented 80 or
Teaching English as a Second or
31,74% errors. While, the Foreign Language, Third
misformation presented 38 or 15%. The Edition. Rowley, MA: Newbury
misorderning error categorized as the House.
lowest score with 31 or 12,30% of
errors. The errors on linguistic category Creswell, W. J. (2014). Research
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Approaches.Fourth Edition.
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pronouns category presented 36 or 14% Press. New York

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