English Focus

Vol. 4, No. 2, 2021

p-ISSN: 2614-638X ; e-ISSN: 2614-6355
Website: http://englishfocus.upstegal.ac.id/efj/
DOI: 10.24905/efj.v4i2.100

A Study of Students’ Errors on Paragraph Writing

Dhenok Krismonica1); Bambang Harmanto2); Diyah Atiek Mustikawati3); Ana

Maghfiroh4)
1, 2, 3, 4
English Department, Teacher Training and Education Faculty, Universitas
Muhammadiyah Ponorogo
*) Corresponding author: krismonica27@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Writing is one of the most important skills for foreign language students to master. Writing skill
is essential since it is needed frequently in business and higher education. However, writing is
one of the skills that is considered difficult by most students where they often make errors and
mistakes. In the field of language learning, error analysis plays an important role. By knowing at
least common mistakes, the students can learn and they will not make the same mistakes again in
the future. This study concerns an analysis of students’ errors in paragraph writing. This study
employed an observation research method to analyze the data from students’ tasks in paragraph
writing. The data were collected, identified, and analyzed. The findings indicated that the most
errors that made by the students were in spelling and tenses. In addition, students’ errors were
also found in verb arrangement.

Keywords: error analysis, writing skill, paragraph writing

INTRODUCTION
English is an international language used to communicate among the people of
entire the world (Wahyuni et al., 2017). It is widely used in many fields such as industries,
science, arts, tourism, politics, and economics. Then to understand the meaning of all of
that, someone should learn the English language (Zawahreh, 2012).
In English language learning, writing is one of the most important skills for foreign
language students to master. Writing is an important language skill because it means
learning, discover, develop, and improve language skills (Astuti et al., 2020). Writing is
important because it is commonly used in the workplace and higher education. Ramelan
(1992) states that writing plays a very important role in modern society. If people do not
understand how to express themselves in writing, they have difficulty interacting well
with professors, employers, colleagues, or just about anything else. It is an important
medium of communication. It is also regarded as an indicator of students' success in
learning English as well as their future professional jobs. Writing is a way to express

Copyright @ 2021 Universitas Pancasakti Tegal

Dhenok Krismonica: A Study of Students’ Errors on Paragraph Writing...

personal meanings through composing. Individuals create their own opinions on a specific
subject.
In writing, learners produce phrases in a particular order and in specific ways
connected. However, when trying to produce sentences or to write English paragraphs,
learners encounter many problems. For many English students, written production is one
of the most difficult tasks (Harris and Cunningham, 1994). Rachmawati et al. (2017) states
that writing skills are complicated and difficult to teach because not only grammatical and
rhetorical elements but also conceptual and judgment elements are required in writing
mastery. Some components must be understood in writing, they are content, organization,
vocabulary, language use, and mechanics. Writing is difficult since the writer does know
what the writer wants to write or the writer has no ideas.
In the terms of foreign language students, writing helps students learn. First, the
grammatical constructs, idioms, and terminology taught to students are strengthened by
writing. Second, they still have an opportunity to be creative in the words as students
write, to go beyond what they have already learned to express, to take chances. Third,
while they write, they are motivated to get interested in the new vocabulary; they attempt
to express concepts, as well as the constant use of the eyes, hand, and brain, is a unique
technique to increase learning. They also learn something new to write or a new means of
presenting their thoughts as students struggle with what to bring down next or how to put
it down on paper. They feel a real need for the right term and the right sentence to be
found.
However, there are many problems faced by students in writing. The majority of
English students feel that mastering writing is the hardest skill to master (Harsyaf et al.,
2009). Students' lack of enthusiasm and concentration in writing, and also the capability
to express themselves using proper language, vocabulary, and punctuation are two
indications of writing failure (Febriana et al., 2018). Another indication of students'
writing problems is the difficulty in constructing English phrases into readable and
acceptable compositions using accurate grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation. Richards
& Renandya (2002) also argued that when composing writing, content, organization, and
language are needed. Due to their limited language proficiency or limited linguistic skills,
writing has been considered the most problematic challenge for EFL learners (Weigle,
2002).

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Some problems in writing have been investigated in previous research such as the
study by I Gede et al. (2013) who found the cause of students got difficulties in writing
are limited vocabulary, low ability in mastering grammar and spelling, difficulties to
construct paragraph and generating ideas. However, the difficulty in writing can be solved
by guiding the students to write that aims to support writing during the different stages of
the writing process.
Furthermore, learners should not only learn how to write, but they should also know
their weak points to write a successful piece of English writing, so error analysis is needed.
In the field of language learning, the study of errors takes on great importance, as error
analysis is the study of the language acquisition process (Dulay et al., 1982; Ellis, 2002).
It is often believed that information about the strategies used by learners to acquire
language is contained, so mistakes can be used to measure learners' language performance.
As mentioned above, error analysis plays an important role in language learning.
Through error analysis, common writing errors made by students can be identified and to
find out how far students understand the rules of English in writing sentences, so this study
aimed to investigate what errors are often made by students, especially in paragraph
writing. By knowing at least common mistakes, the students will not make the same
mistakes again in the future. The results of this study can be a reference for teachers to
improve the writing skills of students.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Teaching Writing For EFL Students
To teach English writing effectively, there are several steps to take. At the very
least, there are five steps to teaching writing (Harmer, 2004). Demonstrating is the first
step in this case. Teachers provide students with examples of a text type that will be
learned at this grade. The text details, such as its goal, social functions, and linguistic
qualities, are discussed. They are explained the differences between different text types.
Motivating and stimulating is the second step. The teachers are about to provoke
and motivate them to develop ideas in basic and simple methods. Teachers should prepare
what they will do before entering the classroom to inspire the students' ideas. Support is
the third step in teaching English writing. The children require a great deal of support from
the teachers. As a result, teachers should be ready whenever students request help in the

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classroom. Students must have questions to ask during the writing process. They will
inquire about grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and any other aspects of writing. The
fourth step is to react. The teachers make suggestions for the students' work in this step.
It has to do with how teachers correct their students' writing. Instead of marking students'
work with a correction symbol, the teachers will make comments or suggestions.
The final step is to evaluate. Every task or activity must include it. Teachers evaluate
their work as though it were the finished product. When it comes to grading, the teachers
will each receive a score. On the students' work, they generally write correction symbols.
It can also be used for academic purposes. They can learn the grammatical errors and
inappropriate words they made and how to revise them after they receive their scripts,
which are already filled with correction symbols. From the statements above, it can be
concluded that five steps to teach writing for EFL (English Foreign Learning) students
based on Harmer are demonstrating, motivating and provoking, supporting, responding,
and evaluating.

Common Errors on Students’ Writing

Nunan (2003) argues that writing is the thinking method for creating ideas,
thinking on how to express effective writing, and simply organizing the ideas into
statements and paragraphs. It is important for expressing one's emotions, thoughts, beliefs,
and viewpoints. People can exchange thoughts, emotions, persuade and encourage others
by writing. For personal amusement or some other reason, people can write. In related to
individual pleasure, internal and external problems of some students have also occurred
in writing based on some experts as follows:
1. The Internal Writing Problems
a. Grammatical Problems
Grammar is a crucial and required ability for students to master (Gunn and McCallum,
2005:41). Students with subject-verb agreements, pronoun references, and connectors
have grammatical problems, according to Kharma (1987).
b. The problem of Word Choice
For students, writing in a second language with the correct words in the correct places is
a problem. The effort to impress the reader leads to a diction problem.
c. Cognitive Problems

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1) Problems with Punctuation

The fact that punctuation was never normal to the level of spelling, according to Byrne
(1988), makes it troublesome.
2) Problems of Capitalization
Capital letters are helpful for sentence initials, the beginnings of major sentences, themes,
and titles. The problems are due to the difficulty of classifying nouns as proper and general
nouns (Gowere, 1995).
3) Problem with Spelling
The English spelling system, which has been unreliable, is complicated for learners due
to the presence of other languages, variant pronunciations, and other historical factors
(Gowere, 1995)
4) Material Problem
As a second or foreign language, learners of English often experience difficulties
exploring concepts and dreaming to connect with others.
5) Organization Problem
Learners struggle to structure a paragraph, create a topic for a paragraph, organize the
entire discourse and a topic inside a discourse, identify a topic, and support concepts or
generalizations and particular specifics.

2. The External Problems in Writing

a. Lack of Writing Stages Understanding
Byrne (1988) classifies the complexity of writing into psychological, linguistic, and
cognitive problems. It means that writing does not come easily, but rather it becomes a
complex skill, learned by continuous effort and much practice.
b. Lack of Motivation for Learners
Writing activities may be simply created when students' needs and desires are recognized
when they are given numerous opportunities to write, and when they are motivated to
participate. It means that if writing activities inspire them and keep them motivated,
learners would be encouraged to compose.
c. Insufficient Time
Learners needed time to collect, organize, and write drafts, as well as read and rewrite
proof. According to Guantum et al. (2000), writing which is an important element of

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language learning is a reflective activity, which takes enough time to think about specific
topics.
d. Lack of Practice
According to Davies (1998), writing is essentially a creative process, and skilled writers
must master the ability to effectively communicate their ideas to an invisible audience.
Therefore, if successful learning is to take place, learners must take responsibility for their
learning. In addition, a writer needs to write a lot to become a good writer.
e. Feedback from Teachers
According to Byrne (1988), if teachers are truly readers rather than judges, they should
focus on what students have already achieved rather than what they have tried. This may
enable student writers to comprehend and incorporate feedback into their revisions.

METHOD
The method used in this research was case study. The case study is defined by
Young (1985: 247) as "a detailed study of a social unit, whether that unit is a person, a
group, a social institution, a district, or a community." In simple terms, the case study
method is a type of qualitative analysis in which an individual, a circumstance, or an
institution is closely studied, and efforts are made to examine each aspect of the concerned
unit in minute detail before making generalizations and inferences from case data. Then,
the researchers used an analysis method in analyzing students’ errors especially in
paragraph writing. The data for this research are students' errors in paragraph writing and
the source of the data is the third semester students' assignment in the paragraph writing
course. The material used for this research were the paragraph writing assignment from
the third semester of English Department students at Universitas Muhammadiyah
Ponorogo. The researchers, then, collaborated with the writing lecturer and asked the
students to write a paragraph where it used to analyze the students’ errors in paragraph
writing. After collecting and analyzing the data, then conclusions were drawn based on
the data analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

RESULTS
After collecting students’ tasks in paragraph writing, the next step was analyzing

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students’ errors particularly in writing. The error analysis in paragraph writing were
shown in the following.
1. Spelling
According to the writer's findings, the student had some problems in spelling words.
Spelling is the skill of correctly writing words. Spelling errors can occur due to a lack
of understanding or the effect of their native language.

Table 1. The Identification of Error on Spelling

No. Examples Error Explanation Correction
1 like going outside to Favourite Favourite replaced by like going outside to
breathe while listening favorite breathe while
to your favourite song listening to your
favorite song
2 Many new stadiums Though Though replaced by ...make architecture
are being built with old through excited to looking for
style make architecture inspiration through
excited to looking for history and historical
inspiration though building
history and historical
building
3 Dinning out with Dinning Dinning replaced by Dining out with
friends is enjoyable dining friends is enjoyable
4 One of my bad habbit Habbit Habbit does not appear One of my bad habit
is in decision making in dictionary, it is is in decision making
replaced by habit
5 I'am still so easy I’am I’am not in dictionary I am still so easy
and replaced by I’m or
I am
6 to chill and have a Coffee Coffe replaced by to chill and have a
coffe coffee coffe

It is possible that the students' problem with incorrect spelling came from their
unwillingness to read the dictionary and a lack of knowledge of the word's correct
spelling before writing. If they can not spell a word, they try to guess it rather than
looking it up in the dictionary.

2. Tenses
One of the most important aspects of written products was the use of tenses. It was
a rule most writers follow when writing. As a result, they must agree to it and make use
of it. The writer discovered that almost every student has problems with grammar,

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especially in the tenses, after analyzing the students' written predictions.

Table 2. The Identification of Error on Tenses

No. Examples Error Explanation Correction
1 My clothes are stylish Update Update replaced by My clothes are
because I buy them from updates because the stylish because I
a fashion online shop subject is single (fashion buy them from a
that always update their online shop), so it is must fashion online shop
stuff be add “s” that always updates
their stuff
2 so that every students Students Students replaced by so that every
should have their student, because singular student should have
extrinsic and intrinsic quantifiers (every) must their extrinsic and
motivation to support be matched with a intrinsic motivation
them in learning singular countable noun to support them in
or an uncountable noun learning
(student)
3 Both types of motivation Will Help replaced by help. Both types of
will helps students to helps Because the verb helps motivation will help
develop their good study after the modal verb will students to develop
habits and achieve the does not appear to be in their good study
learning goals the correct form habits and achieve
the learning goals
4 Their expressions that I Under- Understood replaced by Their expressions
don't know are too dark stood understand because it that I don't know
or they don't understood appears that the verb are too dark or they
yet understood is don't understand yet
incorrectly used with the
helping verb do
5 I often overthink about Makes Makes replaced by I often overthink
trivial things that makes make because the about trivial things
me dizzy. subject (I) is singular, that make me dizzy.
do not need “s/es” in
verb
6 My joke can't be My joke My joke it’s work My joke can't be
accepted by all my it's work replace with my joke accepted by all my
friends, but sometimes works friends, but
my joke it's work sometimes my joke
it's work
7 It is give me a lot of It is give It is give me replaced by It gives me a lot of
memories me it gives me because this memories
is present tense. The
verb is adding with s/es

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The sample above shows that the students had problems using tenses in their written
work. The use of incorrect tenses may happen because the student lacks a thorough
understanding of the tenses and how to use them effectively in each context of the phrase.
As a result, students should understand how to apply the tenses in their written work before
they begin writing.

3. Punctuation
The practice or system of putting various marks in written tests to facilitate
interpretation is known as punctuation. There are also several punctuation problems, such
as incorrect placement of the period and comma.

Table 3. The Identification of Error on Punctuation

No. Examples Error Correction
1 Before doing online classes it Error in Before doing online classes it
would be nice to maintain a good placing the would be nice to maintain a good
mood, if we are in a bad mood, correct mood. If we are in a bad mood,
then online classes will feel punctuation then online classes will feel
boring, maintaining the mood can boring. Maintaining the mood can
also be done by doing things that also be done by doing things that
can please yourself, such as can please yourself, such as
listening to music or others listening to music or others
2 How come? so far we have been Error in How come? So far, we have been
busy with tasks that we do almost placing the busy with tasks that we do almost
every day, of course with that we correct every day. Of course, with that,
feel tired, bored and lose our punctuation we feel tired, bored and lose our
enthusiasm for doing assignments enthusiasm for doing assignments
3 For example, we become aware Error in For example, we become aware
that to be a successful person we placing the that to be a successful person, we
must have the intentions and correct must have the intentions and goals
goals for our future, and to make punctuation for our future, and to make it
it happen we have to study hard happen, we have to study hard

4. Word Choice
Vocabulary is a list of words used in books or the entire amount of words that make
up a language (Crowther, 1995). Vocabulary is the core of language and without adequate
vocabulary one will have difficulties understanding others or express our ideas (Agassy
et al., 2020). Some students have problems with vocabulary. They struggle with finding
the right words to use in their sentences because not all words can be used in every

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sentence. They also have a problem due to the lack of vocabulary.

Table 4. The Identification of Error on Word Choice

No. Examples Error Explanation Correction
1 there are many people There are There are many people Many people who
who can't study many who can't replaced by can't study because
because of economic people many people can’t study. of economic
problems who can't Usually sentences that problems
start with there or it can
usually be shortened
2 we must have the The ‘The’ replaced by ‘good’ We must have good
intentions and goals to make the sentence intentions and goals
for our future more appropriate for our future
3 there are many things There are There are many things that Many things that
that make me worry many make replaced by many make me worry
things that things make
make

DISCUSSION
Based on the aforementioned findings, the researchers discovered that students
frequently made four types of errors: spelling, tenses, word choice, and punctuation.
According to the findings, the most common errors made by students are in spelling and
tenses. When it comes to spelling, students rarely use dictionaries. One of the examples
was 1) favourite 2) habbit 3) I'am 4) coffe. The examples demonstrate that the words in
concern are wrong. The student must write 1) favorite 2) habit 3) I'm 4) coffee, but the
student spelled it incorrectly. It is clear from the example that students did not write
correctly or do not know how to spell words correctly.
Then, in the tenses, students commonly made mistakes in grammatical
organization, particularly when it came to verb arrangement. The adjustment of a verb
(verb) and the subject of a phrase in terms of number, namely singular or plural, is known
as verb agreement. One example of errors in tenses was 1) every students 2) will helps 3) It
is give. The examples demonstrate that the words in concern are wrong. The student must
have written 1) every student 2) will help 3) It gives. Students made a mistake in
adjusting the arrangement of the verb agreement with the subject in the sentence they
created, as shown by the sample.
The result of this study especially tenses or grammar was by the study of Kharma (1987)

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that states that students with subject-verb agreements, pronoun references, and connectors
have grammatical problems. Where students made a mistake when they do verb
arrangement in their task. Then, for spelling, Gowere (1995) stated the English spelling
system, which has been unreliable, is complicated for learners due to the presence of other
languages, variant pronunciations and other were so many letters that need to be
memorized. Students also prefer to guess rather than open and consult their dictionary.

CONCLUSION
Writing is an important way for expressing one's feelings, thoughts, ideas, and
points of view. People can use writing to express their thoughts, feelings, persuade, and
encourage others. If writing in a second language with the correct words in the correct
places is a challenge for students, not be surprised if they make errors in their writing.
The reseachers find the errors made by the students on spelling, tenses, punctuation,
and word choice. Then, the most error which has been made by the students is on spelling
and tenses. In addition, students’ errors were also found in verb arrangement when the
students arrange the sentences.
Furthermore, it is hoped that the future research will discuss strategies for teaching
students error analysis so that they will be more aware of the errors they have made in
writing and will teach students to reflect on and evaluate their writing results.

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