An analysis of students' error in using gerund and infinitive: a case study at English Education Department Year 2006

Writing is an activity which is inseparable in educational environment. It is not a simple process because it is not only conveying our idea, expression, thought and feeling to others, but also it needs to master grammatical rules. Some of them are gerund and infinitive. Gerund is the ing-form of the verb used as a noun, while infinitive is to + simple form of a verb. Regarding this, the writer wants to lay out the purposes of this research. The purposes of this research are to know the percentage of students’ error in using gerund and infinitive, to know the causes of students’ errors, to find out the effects of students’ error and to discover advice students need to cope with their error in using gerund and infinitive. This research is primarily conducted to analyze students’ error in using gerund and infinitive at English Education Department UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung. In this research the researcher uses the descriptive method. To gain the data the researcher uses an instrument called test. The students of eight semester at English Education Department UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung still get difficulties in using gerund and infinitive. There are some causes making them difficult in using gerund and infinitive. They are: students lack of reading text books especially concerning with gerund and infinitive, most of the students barely do exercise regarding the implementation of gerund and infinitive, students only memorize few certain verbs followed by gerund and infinitive, teachers are less attractive in teaching gerund and infinitive, the allocation of time is lack than enough. In this research the researcher also writes the effects of doing error. The effects are: incorrectly-formed utterance, various degrees of harassments such as the difficulty to perceive utterance and potential risk of discouraging students. Things should be conducted to overcome students’ difficulties in using gerund and infinitive are: 1). Students must read text books concerning with gerund and infinitive intensively. 2). Students should frequently do exercise regarding the application of gerund and infinitive. 3). Students should memorize many certain verbs followed by gerund and infinitive. 4). Teachers must be more attractive and innovative in delivering material regarding gerund and infinitive. 5). The allocation of the time should be added.