THE NINETH YEAR STUDENTSDIFFICULTIES IN USING DEGREE OF COMPARISON AT SMP BINA KARYA PALEMBANG

1. Background English is an international language. It is spoken by millions of people in five continents.As an international language,English plays an important role in worldwide communication,sciense and technology.In Indonesia,English is taught as a compulsory subject from the first year of junior high school up to university level According to saleh (1997:2) English has been chosen as the first foreign language to be taught as a compulsory subject from the first year of junior high school up to the first year college.The national education act number 2 of 1989 of the republic of indonesia even states that,English may be taught at primary school beginning from the fourth grade.As a matter of fact,the language is regarded very useful in Indonesia Learning English means learning the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and the language aspects,such as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc. Listening concerned with understanding spoken language; speaking refers to expressing oneself orally, reading is the interaction between a writer and a reader through printed language, writing is concerned with expressing oneself by using written language .Grammar refers to the rules of forming words and making sentences; vocabulary is a total number of words in a language and pronunciation is the in which a word is spoken.

Grammar is important for indonesian students to master because grammar is a valuable tool for expressing ones ideas in correct sentences of utterance. Indonesian students often find it difficult to learn English grammar because English has its own grammatical system which is quiet different from that of indonesian. One grammatical item which may be difficult for indonesian students to learn is degrees of comparison. Degree of comparison are form of adjectives or adverbs, which compare persons or things which possess more less of certain quality. For example: Positive : Sopy is five years old,Reni is seven years old,yanti is ten years old.

Comparative : Sopy is younger than Reni;Reni is older than Sopy Superlative : Yanti is the oldest of them. Some student would write: Edy is tall than Edo,and Benny is the clever student in the class.They should write Edy is taller than Edo,and Benny is the cleverst student in the class Based on the descripction above,the writer would like to conduct a reseach entitledThe nineth year students difficulties in using degree of comparison at SMP Bina karya Palembang.The writer would try to find out the studensdifficulties and the causes of the difficulties in using degree of comparison at SMP Bina Karya Palembang.The writer chooses to conduct this reseach at SMP Bina Karya Palembang because SMP Bina Karya Palembang is near the writers house.

2. Problems of the study The problems of the study are formulated into the following question:(1) what are the students difficulties in using degree of comparison in adjective at SMP Bina Karya Palembang and (2) what are the causes of the difficulties? 2.1 Limitation of the problems The topic disscussed in this study is limited to the following disscussion.The students difficulties in usingdegree of comparison in adjective at SMP Bina Karya Palembang? 3. Objectives of the study Based on the problem above,the objectives of the study are: (1)to find out the students Difficulties in using degree of comparison in adjectives and (2) to find out the causes of the students difficulties in using degree of comparison in adjectives at SMP Bina Karya Palembang 4. Significance of the study Based on the problems above the writer tries to the give the significance of writng this thesis,the significance are: 4.1 To the writer; For the prospective teacher,this thesis makes the writer able to master and develop the way of teaching degree of comparison.

4.2 To the teacher and students : It is hoped that this study gives benefits to the students,teacher and other person in teaching,in other words,the finding of the study is expected to give the contribution to the teaching of English degree of comparison at SMP level,especially Bina Karya Palembang. 4.3 To the readers or other researchs: This thesis is expected to be used as a source of information for further researchs. 5. Literature review This part disscussed (1) the concept of degree of comparison,(2) the concept of using degree of comparison in adjective, (3) the concept of students possible difficulties in using degree of comparison in adjective at SMP Bina Karya Palembang, (4) The concept of possible causes of the difficulties and (5) Previous related studies. 5.1 The concept degree of comparison Degree of comparison refers to the process of comparing or presenting one thing or person as familiar or like other and comparing two or more item to establish similarities,in which there is modification of an adjective or an adverb to denote diffirent level of quantity of relation and quality (Alexander 1989)

5.2 The concept of using degree of comparison in adjective. According to Aronson (1984:85), there are three degree of comparison of adjectives;(a) Positive degree (b) Comparative degree and (c) Superlative degree (a) Positive degree Positive degree is used when one compares two people or things,and they have the sameness in certain quality For example: Your house as big as my house He is as old as I (b) Comparative degree Comparative degree is used to indicate that a person or thing has greater degree of quality of another For example : Your house is much better than his house He is older than you (c) Superlative degree Superlative degree is used to indicate that a person or things has the highest degree of quality of the other For example: Youre the house is the best of all The girl is the cleverest of her friends

The way in which most adjective form their comparative and superlatives are as follows (Azar 1984:35) a. For adjectives of one syllable,add erto the adjectives to form comparative and est to the adjectives to form superlatives Positive Fast Loud Low Old Cheap Comparative Faster than Louder than Lower than Older than Cheaper than Superlative The fastest The loudest The lowest The oldest The cheapest Meaning Cepat Nyaring Rendah Tua Murah

b. When the positive end in -e only -r and st are added Positive Wide Wise Nice Brave Complete Comparative Wider than Wiser than Nicer than Braver than Completer than Superlative The widest The wisest The nisest The bravest The completest Meaning Lebar Bijaksana Baik Berani Lengkap

c. When the positive end inyand there is a consonant before the y is changed into Ibefore ending -er and -est Positive Easy Friendly Angry Hungry Comparative Easier than Friendlier than Angrier than Hungrier than Superlative The easiest The friendliest The angriest The hungriest 6 Meaning Mudah Bersahabat Marah Lapar

Happy

Happier than

The happiest

Bahagia

d. When the positive are words of one syllable and end in a single consonant, and there is a short vowel before the consonant, this consonant is double before adding --er and -est Positive Hot Fat Thin Big Wet Comparative Hotter than Fatter than Thinner than Bigger than Wetter than Superlative The hottest The fattesst The thinnest The biggest The wettest Meaning Panas Gemuk Kurus Besar Basah

e. For two syllable adjectives ending in -ble and -pleadd only -r Positive Noble Able Gentle Simple Comparative Nobler than Abler than Gentler than Simpler than Superlative The noblest The ablest The gentlest The simplest Meaning Mulia Sanggup Ramah tamah Sederhana

f. For two syllable adjectives ending in-ous,-ish,-ful,-ed and -less,place -moreand -most before the adjectives Positive Famous Nervous Charming Modest Splendid Comparative More famous More nervous More charming More modest More splendid Superlative Most famous Most nervous Most charming Most modest Most splendid Meaning Termahsyur Gugup Menarik Rendah hati Hebat

g. For adjectives of three or more syllables placeMoreandMostbefore the adjectives Positive Difficult Dilligent Comparative More difficult More Dilligent Superlative Most difficult Most dilligent 7 Meaning Sulit Rajin

Careful Careless Different

More careful More careless More different

Most careful Most careless Most different

Hati-hati Ceroboh Berbede

(h). some adjectives have irregular comparatives and superlatives Positive A few Old Far Bad,ill,evil Much Comparative Less than Older than, elder than Farther than, Further than Worse than More than Superlative The least The oldest,the eldest The farthest, The furthest The worst The most Meaning sedikit Tua Jauh, jauh, lanjut Buruk Banyak

The comparatives degree of adjectives can be used to least for mthree different porpuses Hornby, 1975:223-225, Swan, 1980:144-147. Thomson and martinet, 1980:16-17 According to Hornby (1975:223-225) the use comparatives degree of adjectives they are : To compare two things For example: Sopy is younger than Reni Your accent is worse than mine According to Swan (1980:144-147)the use comparatives degree of adjectives they are: To say that two changes happen together For example: The bigger the house is,the better it will be

The older I get, the happier I am According to Thomson and martinet (1980:16-17) the use comparatives degree of adjectives they are: Two express an idea of continuing change For example:

She is getting fatter and fatter The weather is getting colder and colder The superlatives degree of adjectives is used to compare one group with the highest degree of quality to the other group.for example: - Your are the biggest of all our friends - Her farther is the wisest man of the people here 5.3 Students possible difficulties in using degree of comparison in adjective The student possible difficulties in using degree of comparison are as follows 1. The students may have difficulties in using the correct forms of comparative and superlative For example: Incorrect form Correct form

- The lab is more far from the bus - The lab is farther from the bus stop stop the library - Eddy typed the slowliest of them 5.4 Possible causes of the difficulties than the library - Eddy typed the most slowly of them

The studentshave difficulties in using the correct forms because perhaps (a) the students might not know when to use er more,-est or most,(b) the students not memorize the irregular comparative and superlative forms. 5.5 Other previous related studies This study entitled the nineth year students difficulties in using degree of comparison at SMP Bina Karya Palembang.Another thesis had been reviewed was the thesis belong to Maimunah(2003).Her thesis was entitledthe second year students difficulties in using degree of comparisonin sentences at SMP Yayasan Pembina Palembang.her main problem was what are the students difficulties in using degree of comparison in sentences at Yayasan pembina Palembang? Based on the result of her study that the mean score was 7.9.based on the difficulty indices.The study had difficulties in using degree of comparison because of students did not attend English courses(90%),the students felt that the teacher did not explain the degree of comparison clearly (55%). The second thesis is entitled the difficulties in learning degree of comparison encuontered by the third year students of SMP Bina Karya Palembang.written by Hasbillah in 1998.the objective of study was to find out the students difficulties in learning degree of compariso.the result of the study showed that the students had difficulties in using the correct forms of degrees of comparison. There are simillarities and one difference between those previous thesis and the writers present study.The simillarities are that all the three studies discuss degree

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of comparison and use descriptive method.The difference is on the population.the population of Maimunahs study was the second year students of SMP Yayasan Pembina Palembang in 2003.the population of Hasbillahs study was the third year students of SMU Karya Sakti Palembang in 1998.The population of the writers present study is the nineth year students at SMP Bina Karya Palembang.

6. Research Procedures This part presents (1) method of research,(2) operational definition,(3) population and sample,(4) tehniques for collecting the data and (5) tehniques for analyzing the data. 6.1 Method of research In doing this study, the discriptive method will be used to describe the studentsdifficulties in using degree of comparison.Discriptive method is a kind of method that involves the collection of data for the purpose of describing existing condition(Hornby,1975:688).Best and Khan (1997:166)states that The discriptive method describes and interprets what it is.it is concerned with the condition or relationship that exist,opinion that are held,process that are developing.It is primarly concerned with the present,although it often consider past evenst and influence as they related current conditions. They next steps the writer will take are as follows 1. Surveying the literature relating to the problems and defining them

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2. Collecting data/giving test and analyzing the data 3. The drawing conclusion and proposing suggestions 4. Writing the research report as a thesis

6.2 Operational definiton The avoid misunderstanding some terms used in the title of the study were operationally defined: Difficulties and degree of comparison.According to Hornby (1975:116),that is difficulty is quality of being difficult,some thing hard to do or understanding degree of comparison refers to the forms of adjectives or adverb which are used to show comparison between two things/action or more. 6.3 Population and Sample 6.3.1 Population Population is all the subject of investigation (Arikunto:1989,102).The population of this study was all of the nineth year students of SMP Bina Karya Palembang with a total number of 50 students. Table 1 The population of the study No 1 2 Class IX.1 IX.2 Total Number of students 25 25 50

Source SMP Bina Karya Palembang, 2006/2007 12

6.3.2

Sample Sample is a group of subject on which information is obtained.it is selected in

such a way that is represents,the larger group of population from which it is obtained(Fraenkel and Waller,1993:340) the number of population in this study is 50 students. Table 2 The sample of the study No 1. 2. Class Number of students 25 25 50

IX. 1 IX. 2 Total Source SMP Bina Karya Palembang, 2006/2007 6.4 Techniques for collecting the data

In this study,the writer collected the data by using 2 instruments,a test and aquestionaire.According to Arikunto(1991) the test is a group of question or exercises of other ways used to measure skills,knowledge,intellegence,ability or talents of an individual a group.the test was used to find out the students in using of degree of comparison. A questionaire is a set of question used to get information from respondents in terms of their respons to things they know.the questionaire was used to find out the possible causes of the studentsdifficulties in using degree of comparison

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6.4.1 Validity of the test Validity is the degree to which a test measure what it is supposed to measure or can be used succesfully for the purposes for it is intended (Richard er al,1985:304).The validity of the test was checked through the content validity which is based or the degree to which test measure the particular or behaviour it sets out to measure(Richard,et al,1985:61)in order to make the test have a high degree of content validity,the writer devised the test items in accordance with the table of the test specifications. 6.4.2 Reliability of the test Reliability refers to the degree to which a test which consistence results(Richards,et al,1985:146).the reliability of the test was evaluated through the internal consistency reliability.it is a measure of the degree to which the items or part of the test are homogenous or consistenct with each other (Richard,et al,1985:146),In this study the internal consistency reliability was estimated by a Kuder-Richardson reliability coefficient.it is a statistical formula used as one estimate of the reliability of a test which is based on the number of items in the test.the maen score and its standard deviation.the following Kuder-richardson 21 (KR 21) formula (fraenkel and wallen,1993:149) KR 21=
K K 1

M(K M ) 1 = 2 K ( SD )

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KR 21 = K-R Reliability coefficient K M SD = = = Number of items in the test Mean of the sets of test scores Standard deviation of the set of test scores SD = In which X N = = The students total scores The number of the students

X (1 / N )( X )
2

N 1

6.5 Techniques for analyzing the data To the find out the students difficulties,the writter conculated the difficulty index of each other items,the formula of the difficulty index is as follows (Heaton,1988:78) FV = FV R N = = =
R N

Index of difficulty Number of correct answer Number of the students taking the test

To analyze the data obtain from the questioaire,the writer used the presentage analysis P=
R x 100% N

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In which P R N = = = The percentage of responses The number of responses The total number of the students.

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REFERENCES Alexander,L.G.1989. Longman English Grammar. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Longman. Inc. Aronson, Trudy.1984. English Grammar Digest .Englewood Cliffs,New Jersey: Longman,Inc. Azar, bety schampfer. 1984. Understanding in using English Grammar, Second Edition. Englewood Cliffs,New jersey: Practice hall,Inc. Arikunto,Suharsimi.1989. Dasar-Dasar evaluasi pendidikan. Jakarta: P.T. Aksara Arikunto, Suharsimi.1991. Prosedure penelitian, Jakarta: P.T. Rineka cipta. Best,John W and James V,Kahn.1979.Reseach in education.Boston:Aliyn and bacon. Fraenkel,Jack R.and Norman E. Wallen.1993. How to desingand evaluate reseach in education.New york. McGraw Hill.Inc. Hasbillah, 1998. The difficulties in learning degree of comparison encuontered by the third year students of SMP Karya Sakti Palembang. Unpublished Undergraduate thesis, Palembang: Faculty of teacher training and educating, PGRI University. Hornby, A.S.1975.Oxpord advanced leaners dictionary of current english. London: Oxpord University press. Hornby, A.S.1975. Guide the pattern and usage in english. 2 edition. London oxford University Press. Heaton,J.B. 1988. Writing english language test.New york.Ny:Longman. Maimunah,2003. the second year students difficulties in using degree of comparison in sentences at SMP Yayasan Pembina Palembang.Unpublished undergraduared thesis Palembang:faculty of teacher training and education,PGRI University. Richards, Jack, Johnplatt and Heldi weber.1985. Longman dictionary of Appleid linguistics.Harlows,Essex: Longman group limited.

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Swan,Michael.1980.Practical English Usage. London:Oxpord University Press. Thomson,A.J.and A.V. Martinet. 1980. A Practical English Grammar. London: Oxpord University Pess.

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