AN ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND-GRADE STUDENTS’ ABILITY TO

APPLY SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT IN DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

AT SMA N 7 PADANG

Diska Lathifah1), Welya Roza1)

English Department of FKIP Universitas Bung Hatta
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

ABSTRACT

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

Keywords: Ability, Subject-Verb Agreement, Nominal Sentence, Verbal Sentence, Descriptive Text

INTRODUCTION that describes something in detail, such as a place,

person, thing or event [4]. Descriptive text consists of
English is the main language used in an introduction and description section. The
international communication. In Indonesia English is
introduction and description paragraphs serve as
the foreign language that has to be taught in all levels
of education[1]. Grammar is one of the language introduction points and character descriptions,
components that is very important in English learning. respectively. The language features of descriptive text
It is used in all language skills such as listening, are the use of simple present tense because it tells the
speaking, reading, and writing (Sri et. al., 2020) [2]. object description, and the use of the adjective to
In making sentences well and correct grammatically, clarify the noun.
the students need to pay attention to the subject-verb The researcher found several previous studies
agreement in every single sentence. Simanjuntak
(2022), argues that when there is subject-verb that related to this research. First, the study was done
agreement, the subject chooses the singular verb by Norhalimah (2016) showed that students have
instead of the plural verb [3]. problems using auxiliary verbs (have, has), to be
On August 2023 the researcher did the teaching (is/am/are) and they are still confused about using
practice at SMAN 7 Padang and taught descriptive verbs for singular subjects and plural subjects and
text. Based on her observation at SMAN 7 Padang, also adjustments to be/verb in sentences (has a
she found that some students still had problems using friend), and adjustments to be/verb in sentences [5].
simple present tense in descriptive text. Second, a study on the subject-verb agreement
Amanda (2023), argues that there are several problem that has been found and explained by Suryo
types of text in learning English such as descriptive and Yustisia (2018) showed that the students are still
text, explanation text, recount text, narrative text, confused in using verbs after the subject. The students
report text, news item text, procedure text, and also still have not mastered the grammar rules well
exposition text. Descriptive text is a type of writing [6].
 For these reasons, The researcher decided to the test was reliable.
conduct research on subject-verb agreement in To collect the data, the researcher shared the
descriptive text. the researcher concluded that there test paper with the students. The researcher explained
are some problems faced by students in applying the instructions for the test that the students had to
subject-verb agreement in descriptive text. First, the follow. The researcher asked the students to do the
students are not able to use to be (is/am/are) in test in 90 minutes. The researcher collected the test
producing nominal sentences in simple present tense. paper. Then, the researcher gave a score for each
They are still hesitant in adjusting to be with the item. The researcher gave 1 for the correct answer and
correct subject. Second, some students often struggle 0 for the wrong answer. The researcher classified the
in adding -s or -es at the end of the verbs while students’ abilities based on the criteria for achieving
producing verbal sentence in simple present tense. the learning objectives of SMAN 7 Padang. SMAN 7
When the third person singular subject is present, an – used the Merdeka Curriculum and did not have a
es or –s ending is added. For example, some students minimum mastery level, so SMAN 7 had an
still chose “My mother is work in the supermarket” agreement that a score of 78 was the minimum score
instead of saying “My mother works in supermarket”. limit for students. If the students got a score below 78,
Third, to show negative and interrogative sentences, it they were considered to have low ability, and if the
is needed to add “does” for the third person singular students got a score of 78 or more, they were
and “do” for the other person. But in fact, the students considered to have high ability. The researcher
still have difficulty to follow the form. For examples calculated the percentage of the students who have
of mistakes made by students in using negative high and low ability. Finally, the researcher described
sentences of Simple Present Tense “I don’t like the result of the data analysis and draw a conclusion.
football” not “I doesn’t like”. Because of these
problems, the researcher conducted a study on the FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
second-grade students to apply subject-verb
agreement in descriptive text focusing on simple The result of the research showed that
present tense in the form of nominal sentences, verbal generally, the students had high ability to apply
sentences, use of V1, and adding -s and -es at the end subject-verb agreement in descriptive text. This is
of verbs at SMA N 7 Padang. This tense has been supported by the fact that 20 (57%) students had high
studied by the students in the class. ability and 15 (43%) had low ability to apply subject-
verb agreement in descriptive text. In detail, 24 (69%)
METHODOLOGY students had high and 11 (31%) had low ability to
apply subject-verb agreement in nominal sentences in
This research used descriptive research design descriptive text, 15 (43%) students had high ability
and quantitative method. The researcher chose to use and 20 (57%) had low ability to apply subject-verb
quantitative data because the researcher wanted to agreement in verbal sentences in descriptive text.
know the students' ability to apply the subject-verb Those are presented on the table below:
agreement. This study is designed to collect and
analyze data appropriate to this research to get The Number of
information about the students’ ability to apply N Students
Aspects Ability
subject-verb agreement of descriptive text. The o
Number Percentage
population of this study was the second-grade
students at SMAN 7 Padang where the researcher The
Students'
took class 11 F9 as suggested by the teaching teacher. 20 57% High
Ability to
The total number of the class 11 F9 was 35 students. Apply
The instrument that the researcher used is a Subject-
1
completion test. The test consisted of 30 items. To Verb
validate the test, researchers use content validity. The Agreement
researcher constructed the test based on the in 15 43% Low
curriculum, syllabus, and teaching materials that had Descriptive
Text
been given to students. The researcher used split half
technique to find out the reliability of the test. And the
reliability index of the test was 0.85 which means that
 The descriptive text, as evidenced by the high number
Students' of correct answers. It is not in line with the
Ability to 24 69% High research findings of previous studies connected by
Apply Seprizanna (2016) [8], she found that students'
Subject-
Verb ability to apply subject-verb agreement in nominal
2 sentences was categorized into low level.
Agreement
in Nominal 3. The Second-Grade Students’ Ability to Apply
Sentences 11 31% Low Subject-Verb Agreement in Verbal Sentences in
in Descriptive Text
Descriptive Another finding of this study was that
Text
students had low ability to apply subject-verb
The
Students' agreement in descriptive text. Specifically, 20 out
Ability to of 35, or 57% students fell in applying subject-
15 43% High verb agreement in verbal sentences in descriptive
Apply
Subject- text. This indicates that applying subject-verb
Verb agreement in verbal sentences in descriptive text is
3
Agreement quite challenging for students, as evidenced by the
in Verbal
high number of incorrect answers. It is in line with
Sentences
20 57% Low the research findings of previous studies connected
in
Descriptive by Seprizanna (2016), she found that students'
Text ability to apply subject-verb agreement in verbal
sentences was categorized into low level [8].
1. The Second-Grade Students’ Ability to Apply
Subject-Verb Agreement in Descriptive Text CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This study found the students had high Based on the findings, it can be concluded
ability to apply subject-verb agreement in that the second-grade students’ ability to apply
descriptive text. Specifically, 20 out of 35, or 57%, subject-verb agreement in descriptive text at SMA N
were able to apply subject-verb agreement in 7 Padang was high. The researcher proposed several
descriptive text. It is not in line with previous suggestions related to the study. For the teacher,
studies connected by Suryo and Yustisia (2018), although in general, the students’ ability was high to
they found that the students' ability to use subject- apply subject-verb agreement, but in some cases,
verb agreement was categorized as poor or low students still have problems in understanding verbal
ability [6]. This meant that there were still many sentences. And the students still have low ability that
students who did not understand in how to apply can still be developed. So, teachers should provide
subject-verb agreement in descriptive text. more explanations and provide many examples of
Seprizanna (2016), also found that students have verbal sentences so those students can practice more
problems in using subject-verb agreement about subject-verb agreement, especially in simple
focusing on simple present tense [8]. They got present tense. For students, although the students had
difficulties in making nominal sentences of simple high ability to apply subject-verb agreement in
present tense and verbal sentences of simple nominal sentences, students should also pay more
present tense. attention to the teacher and try to understand how to
2. The Second-Grade Students’ Ability to Apply apply subject-verb agreement in verbal sentences by
Subject-Verb Agreement in Nominal Sentences in doing some exercises given by the teacher. For further
Descriptive Text research, the researcher hopes that the next researcher
Another finding of this study was that will do research about the errors made by the students
students had high ability to apply subject-verb in applying subject-verb agreement in descriptive text.
agreement in nominal sentences in descriptive text.
Specifically, 24 out of 35, or 69% students, were BIBLIOGRAPHY
able to apply subject-verb agreement in nominal
sentences in descriptive text. This indicates that the [1] V. S. Julianti and W. Roza, “An Error
students have mastered the application of subject- Analysis of the Second Grade Students' in
verb agreement in nominal sentences in Writing Descriptive Text at SMPN 3 Guguak,
 50 Kota," 2022.

[2] R. W. Sri, P. Atni, and Marzuki, “A Study on

the Ability of the First Year Students of Sman
12 Pekanbaru in Using Present Perfect Tense,”
pp. 1–9, 2020.

[3] L. W. Simanjuntak, “An Analysis of Subject

Verb Agreement Errors on Students’ Narrative
Writing at the Eleventh Grade SMA
SingosariDelitua,” Universitas HKBP
NOMMESEN, 2022.

[4] A. A. Amanda, “an Analysis of the Tenth

Grade Students’ Ability in Writing Descriptive
Texts Using a Picture on Instagram At Man
Kota Solok,” vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 104–116,
2023.

[5] Norhalimah, “The Subject-Verb Agreement

Problems in Writing at the Eight Graders of
MTs An-Nur Palangka Raya," 2016.

[6] A. K. Suryo and K. K. Yustisia, “The

Students’ Ability in Using Subject-Verb
Agreement in Grade XI IPS 1 of SMA Ar-
Rahmah Malang,” EnJourMe (English J.
Merdeka) Cult. Lang. Teach. English, vol. 2,
no. 2, pp. 105–111, 2018, doi:
10.26905/enjourme.v2i2.2149.

[7] A. K. Suryo and K. K. Yustisia, “The

Students’ Ability in Using Subject-Verb
Agreement in Grade XI IPS 1 of SMA Ar-
Rahmah Malang,” EnJourMe (English J.
Merdeka) Cult. Lang. Teach. English, vol. 2,
no. 2, 2018, doi:
10.26905/enjourme.v2i2.2149.

[8] Seprizanna, “An Analysis of Students’ Ability

In Using Subject-Verb Agreement of SMP
Islamiyah Kotaagung,” Institut Agama Islam
Negeri Raden Intan Lampung, 2016. [Online].
Available:
http://www.nber.org/papers/w16019