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THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN USING ENGLISH TENSES

(A Descriptive Research at the First Semester of Muhammadiyah University of Makassar)

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Muhammadiyah University of Makassar in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan

By : DWI MUSDALIFAH 105 355 785 14

MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF MAKASSAR

FACULTY OF TEACHER AND TRAINING EDUCATION

ENGLISH EDUCATION

MOTTO

For indeed, with hardship will be ease. Indeed, with

hardship will be ease…(Q.S Al-Insyirah:5-6).

I dedicated this thesis to

My beloved parents and my families

My friends who always supported me

ABSTRACT

DWI, MUSDALIFAH. 2019. The University Students’ Ability in Using English Tenses (A Descriptive Research at the First Semester Muhammadiyah Universityof Makassar). A thesis English Education Department The Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Muhammadiyah University of Makassar.Guided by Sulfasyah and Awalia Azis. This research aimed to find out the students‟ ability in using English tenses that focused on four tenses, such as simple present tense, present continuoustense, present perfect tense and present perfect continuous tense. The researcher used descriptive method and giving a test to the students. The kind of test was the Multiple Choice Test that consists of 40 questions. The population of this research was the students in the first semester Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, and the researcher took the sample in the class 1C thatconsist of 26 students by purposive sampling. The result of this research showed that students‟score in the first semester Muhammadiyah University of Makassar in the class 1C. The data finding showed t and mean score. It saw there were sixteen students got good classificationhe total score of the students‟ in using English tenses either in percentage score (61.53%), and no one student got very poor classification. In the data finding also showedthe students‟ mean score (62.88). Regarding to the score that the students‟ ability in using English tenses was in the middle.

Key word: Ability, English Tenses, Kind of Tenses

ABSTRAK

DWI, MUSDALIFAH. 2019. Kemampuan Mahasiswa dalam Menggunakan English Tenses (Penelitian Deskriptif di Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassarpada Semester Pertama). Skripsi Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar. Dibimbing oleh Sulfasyah dan Awalia Azis. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kemampuan mahasiswa dalam menggunakan english tenses yang berfokus pada empat tenses, yaitu simplepresent tense, present continuous tense, present perfect tense dan present perfect continuous tense. Peneliti mengguakan metode deskriptif dan memberikan sebuah tes kepada mahasiswa. Jenis tes yang diberikan adalah pilihan ganda yang terdiri dari 40 pertanyaan. Populasi pada penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa di semester pertamaUniversitas Muhammadiyah Makassar dan peneiliti mengambil sampel dikelas IC yang berjumlah 26 mahasiswa dengan menggunakan tehnik purposive sampling. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan skor mahasiswa pada semester pertama di Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar dikelas 1C. Data penemuanmenunjukkan skor total mahasiswa dalam menggunakan english tenses baik itu dalam skor persentase dan skor rata rata. Hal itu terlihat dari jumlah mahasiswa yaitu enam belas mahasiswa yang mendapatkan klasifikasi baik (61.53%) dan tidak ada mahasiswa yang berada pada klasifikasi sangat rendah. Data penemuan juga menunjukkan skor rata rata mahasiswa yaitu (62.88). Berdasarkan skortersebut bahwa kemampuan mahasiswa dalam menggunakan english tenses berada pada tingkat pertengahan.

Kata kunci : Kemampuan, Tenses, Jenis-Jenis Tenses

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In the name of Allah Subhanahu Wata‟ala The Most Beneficent and The Most Merciful. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin, the writer would like to express to the Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata‟ala, who has been giving the blessings, mercies and good health all the time of research and writing of this thesis. Shalawat and Salam are always delivered to the greatest prophet Muhammad Sholallahu „alaihi wa sallam, who has bring us from the darkness to the lightness by introducing Islam and teaching the great source of knowledge “the holy Qur‟an” .Immeasurable appreciation and sincere gratitude are extended to the people who have contributed in all the time of the research and writing of this thesis, especially for the writer‟s parents Fadhil Musa and Wiwit Kusmiati , the writer would like to express her genuine gratitude to:

1. Dr. H. Abd. Rahman Rahim, SE., M.M. as the Rector of Muhammadiyah University of Makassar.
2. Erwin Akib, S.Pd.,M.Pd., Ph.D. as the Dean of Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) for the guidance and support the writer.
3. Ummi Khaerati Syam, S.Pd.,M.Pd., the Head of English Education Department for the guidance and suggestion during the research.
4. The most profound thanks to Sulfasyah, M.A, Ph.D and Awalia Aziz S.Pd., M.Pd. , as the first and the second consultant for their guidance, supports and suggestions during the research and writing of this thesis. In another hand,

many thanks to all of the lecturers of English Education Department and all of the staffs for their help, support, and guidance during research‟s time in studying at Muhammadiyah University of Makassar.

5. St. Maryam Hamid, S.Pd.,M.Pd as the English Lecturer , thanks for support and suggestions during the research.
6. The writer‟s beloved family, my brother and all members of family which is the writer cannot mentioned one by one thanks for the praying and motivations.
7. Special thank to my bestie ever Irmasyuriani Datsir for the friendship, togetherness, supports, advices, and times that spend with me for more than just four years in Muhammadiyah University of Makassar,
8. Many thanks to Radiah Nahdatul Wardah and Hajrah who always beside me, to support everything during this thesis then to all my friends which is the writer can not mention one by one. Finally, by reciting Alhamdulillahi Robbil‟Alamin, the writer has been finishing this work or research according to the target of time and also target of the research, nothing left or forgotten to do.

BillahifiisabilillHaq, Fastabiqul Khairot

Makassar, Januari 2019 The Writer

Dwi Musdalifah

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE ............................................................................................................... i

LEMBAR PENGESAHAN ............................................................................. ii

APPROVAL SHEET ....................................................................................... iii

CONSELLING SHEET .................................................................................. iv

SURAT PERNYATAAN ................................................................................. vi

SURAT PERJANJIAN .................................................................................... vii

MOTTO AND DEDICATION ........................................................................ viii

ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................... ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................... xi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................. xiii

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................... xvi

LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................... xviii

LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................. xix

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ................................................................... 1 A. Background of the Research .................................................................. 1 B. Research Question .................................................................................. 3 C. Objective of the Reseacrh ...................................................................... 3 D. Significance of the Research .................................................................. 4 E. Scope of the Research ............................................................................ 4

APPENDICIES

• CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE - A. Understanding the Literature Review - B. Presenting the Literature Review - 1. The Concept Ability - 2. The Concept of Tenses in English Language - a. Definition of Tenses....................................................................... - b. The Kind of Tenses - 1. Simple Present Tense - 2. Present Continuous Tense - 3. Present Perfect Tense - 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense
  • C. Conceptual Framework
• CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY - A. Research Design - B. Research Variables and Indicators - C. Population and Sample........................................................................... - D. Research Instrument - E. Data Collection....................................................................................... - F. Technique of Data Analysis
• CHAPTER IV: FINDING AND DISCUSSION
  • A. Finding - 1. Analysis the Students‟ Score in Simple Present Tense - 2. Analysis the Students‟ Score in Present Continuous Tense - 3. Analysis the Students‟ Score in Present Perfect.............................. - 4. Analysis the Students‟ Score in Present Perfect Continuous - 5. Analysis the Students‟ Score in English Tenses
  • B. Discussion - 1. The Students‟ Ability in Using Simple Present Tense..................... - 2. The Students‟ Ability in Using Present Continuous Tense - 3. The Students‟ Ability in Using Present Perfect Tense..................... - 4. The Students‟ Ability in Using Present Perfect Continuous Tense - 5. Students‟ Ability in Using English Tenses
• CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION - A. Conclusion - B. Suggestion
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Table 2.1 Infinitive added by s LIST OF TABLES
• Table 2.2 Infinitive ended by ch, sh, s , and x added by es
• Table 2.3 Infinitive ended by o added es
• Table 2.4 Infinitive vocal e added s
  • added es Table 2.5 infinitive ended y preceded by consonant changed into i and
• Table 2.6 Infinitive ended by y preceded a vocal added by s
• Table 2.7 Pattern of affirmative sentences in simple present tense
• Table 2.8 Pattern of negative sentences in present tense
• Table 2.9 Pattern of Interrogative sentences in simple present tense
• Table 2.10 Pattern of affirmative sentences in present continuous tense
• Table 2.11 Pattern of negative sentences in present continuous tense
• Table 2.12 Pattern of interrogative sentences in present continuous tense
• Table 2.13 Pattern of affirmative verbal sentences in present perfect
• Table 2.14 Pattern of affirmative nominal sentences in present perfect
• Table 2.15 Pattern of negative verbal sentences in present perfect
• Table 2.16 Pattern of negative nominal sentences in present perfect
• Table 2.17 Pattern of interrogative verbal sentences in present perfect
• Table 2.18 Pattern of interrogative nominal sentences in present perfect
• Table 2.19 Pattern of affirmative sentences in present perfect continuous........
• Table 2.20 Pattern of negative sentences in present perfect continuous
• Table 2.21 Pattern of interrogative sentences in present perfect continuous
• Table 3.1 The Students‟ score classification
• Table 3.2 Classification score in percentage
• Table 4.1 The students‟ score in simple present tense
• Table 4.2 The students‟ score in present continuous tense
• Table 4.3 The students‟ score in present perfect tense.......................................
• Table 4.4 The students‟ score in present perfect continuous tense
• Table 4.5 The students‟ total score in English tenses
• Table 4.6 The mean score of each tenses
• FIGURE 2.1 Conceptual frame work LIST OF FIGURES
• FIGURE 4.1 The students‟ score in simple present tense
• FIGURE 4.2 The students‟ score in present continuous tense
• FIGURE 4.3 The students‟ score in present perfect tense
• FIGURE 4.4 The students‟ score in present perfect continuous tense
• FIGURE 4.5 The students‟ total score in English tenses

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX A : THE SAMPLE OF THE STUDY; STUDENTS

CLASS IC MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY

OF MAKASSAR

APPENDIX B : THE MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST

APPENDIX C : KEY ANSWER OF THE MULTIPLE

CHOICE TEST

APPENDIX D : THE STUDENTS‟ TOTAL SCORE IN

MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST

APPENDIX E :STUDENTS‟ SCORE PERCENTAGE IN

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

APPENDIX F : STUDENTS‟ SCORE PERCENTAGE IN

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE

APPENDIX G : STUDENTS‟ SCORE PERCENTAGE IN

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

APPENDIX H : STUDENTS‟ SCORE PERCENTAGE IN

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

APPENDIX I : STUDENTS‟ TOTAL SCORE IN ENGLISH

TENSES

APPENDIX J : STUDENT‟S PAPER

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Research In this globalization era, the ability in using English tenses is much needed. Considering that English become a tool for international communication in transportation, commerce, banking, tourism, technology, diplomacy, and scientific research. English has been taught to students in Indonesia since elementary level up to university level. As cited by Mulyaningsih (2013:16), Indonesia addopts a genre-based curriculum in 2004 for teaching of English in Indonesia school. In learning English, understanding grammar is important. Grammar which is an essential part of language and without understanding grammar, the students will get difficulty to speak in a correct pattern. In mastering of grammar, the language plays an important role in communication, unfortunately many people are still not aware of this role of grammar. According to Swan (2005;15) that grammar is the rules that show on how words are combined, arranged or changed to show certain kinds of meaning. In other hand, Brown (1980:264) states, in learning a language we must consistently be introduced to the students, particularly the beginners. In mastering English grammar, the students will know to transfer and receive a message either in writing or speaking language without misunderstanding. The knowledge of grammar must be learned as properly because without the proper knowledge the students will find many problems

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to build up the sentences and express their ideas for communication activities. The statement is supported by Ur (2980) that says a learner who knows grammar is one who has mastered and can apply the rules to express him or herself in what would be considered acceptable language forms. Learning grammar is a great way for students to get acquisition in English. There is one of the aspects discussed in grammar, it‟s tenses. Tenses are something to express activity that need time relation. Tenses are the basic of grammatical study in English. Therefore, tenses are considered as one of difficult material when the students learn grammar. Many Indonesian students are still find some difficulties in learning tenses because the students have able to change the verb form to reflect the time of an event. Tense is a verb form in showing time action. Thereby in using tenses, the students have to take note of the time. Hankel (2004) in English as in other language, the tense marks the time connects an action and event to particular time. As the part of difficult material in grammar, in learning tenses the students make many errors and mistakes but making errors and mistakes are normal and unavoidable. As the state by Norrish (1983) it‟s natural for students as human being to make error even many native speakers produce many mistakes in speaking and they would be unaware of the way they speak unless they heard recording of themselves. Based on the explanation above, the English students must be able in using tenses because tenses are on of important aspects in grammar that make students capable even in writing and speaking. Furthemore, there are many

tenses in English, but the researcher decides to take the study about four tenses, namely simple present tense, present continuous tense, present perfect tense, and present perfect continuous tense in the study of The University Students‟ Ability in Using English Tenses. B. Research Questions In learning Englis, students must have the ability in using English tenses. Tenses are the form of verb that indicate by using the time of action. Associating with the background of the reseacrh above, the researcher makes the research questions about :

1. How is the students‟ ability in using simple present tense?
2. How is the students‟ ability in using present continuous tense?
3. How is the students‟ ability in using present perfect tense?
4. How is the students‟ ability in using present perfect continuous tense? C. Objectives of the Research The objects of the research are given below:
5. To analyze the students‟ ability in using simple present tense.
6. To analyze the students‟ ability in using present continuous tense.
7. To analyze the students‟ ability in using present perfect tense.
8. To analyze the students‟ ability in using present perfect continuous tense.

D. Significances of the Research This research is about the university students‟ ability in using English tenses. The researcher hopefully can giving advantageous by this research especially to :

1. The students This research is expected to help the students to give more knowledge for the students particularly in english tenses, hereby the students can more practice in using tenses and realizing that tenses is needed to learn.
2. The lecturer This research is expected to help the lecturer to know the students‟ ability in using english tenses, therefore the lecturer can takes some strategy to develop the students‟ ability.
3. The researcher This reseacrh is expected to give contribution to the other researcher as a reference for the furthest studies in a similar topic. E. Scope of the Research Tenses are always related with the adverbial time. The time divided into the past, present, and future. In this study, the researcher takes tenses in present time because the researcher wants to focus with the students‟ ability in using English tenses particularly in present. Thus, the researcher is only focus on four tenses and take it as the object of the study, namely Simple Present Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Present Perfect Tense and Present Perfect Continuous Tense.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURECHAPTER II

A. Understanding the Literature Review

There are some similar studies that find by researcher about the students‟ ability in using English tenses. The previous research is conducted by Ulfa, (2011) in the research about Developing Students’ Ability In Using Present Continuous Tense Through Contextual Teaching and Learning in A classroom Research in the Seventh Grade of SMP Al Mubarak Pondok Aren. The result of this research showed using contextual teaching and learning in teaching grammar can be applied to develop students‟ grammar ability. The implementation helps students to use grammatical patterns effectively, and also the students were motivated and interest in learning English grammar. The second is conducted by Cahyanti (2011) in the research An Error Analysis on Students Learning in Present Perfect Tense (A case Study at the First Year Students of Madrasah Aliyah Soebono Mantofani Jombang- Ciputat) that shows the result from overall responded that 48% students did errors in the form of have/has, 38% students did errors in the form of regular verb, 55% students did errors in the of irregular verb and 58.75% students did errors in the usage of present perfect tense. The third is conducted by Lusmini (2014) in the research of Analysis on Students Errors in Using Present Perfect Continuous Tense A Case Study at First Grade Students of SMAN 63 Jakarta that finding shows the total frequencies of all errors made in using Present Perfect Continuous Tense are 5