Abstract:
This research is categorized as qualitative research. The aims of this thesis
are to categorized the students’ ability in mastering simple past tense and to explain
the causes of students’ difficulties in mastering simple past tense. This research was
focused on analysis of students’ ability in mastering simple past tense at the eighth
grade of SMP N 19 Purworejo in the academic year of 2016/2017.
The instrument of the research used are test and questionnaire. The
technique of collecting data are 1) preparing the instrument. The test consists of 20
multiple choice and 20 questionnaire, 2) giving test to the students, 3) giving
questionnaire to the students, 4) collecting the students’ answer and questionnaire.
In analyzing the data, the researcher applies descriptive method. The
researcher goes through the following steps 1) Coding the data ( change the name
of the students become code “S”, 2) Correcting the data, 3) Counting the total
questions that answered by the students, 4) Analyzing the data
The result of this research shows there are 9 students ( 28.1% ) is categorized
excellent, 14 students ( 43.8% ) categorized in good category, 4 students ( 12.5 % )
is categorized in sufficient category, 5 students (15.6%) categorized in fairly
sufficient category, and there is no student including in low category. The
researcher conclude that the students’ ability in mastering simple past tense is good
with the average score 77, the highest score is 100 and the lowest score is 40. The
result of questionnaire is 87% students learn tenses in English lesson. It means that
the students’ face no difficulties in mastering simple past tense.
