IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SIMPLE PAST TENSE

MASTERY USING GRAMMAR TRANSLATION

METHOD AT SMA NEGERI 4 PEMATANG SIANTAR

BY:
DANIEL JANSEN SEMBIRING 16120472
RENTA SILALAHI 16120466
RIRIS SIAHAAN 16120458

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND

EDUCATION OF NOMMENSEN HKBP UNIVERSITY
MEDAN 2019

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 TABLE OF CONTENT
TABLE OF CONTENT.............................................................................................
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION...............................................................................
1. Background of The Research.........................................................................
2. Identification of Research..............................................................................
3. Research Objective.........................................................................................
4. Problem Significance of The Research..........................................................
5. Problem Limitation of Research....................................................................
6. Key Terms......................................................................................................
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE....................................................
2.1 Defenition of Simple Past Tense...................................................................
2.2 The Form of Simple Past Tense....................................................................
2.3 The Use of Simple Tense...............................................................................
2.4 Grammar Translation Method.......................................................................
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY......................................................
3.1 Reseasrch Design............................................................................................
3.2 Research Procedure.........................................................................................
3.3 Research Attendance.......................................................................................
3.4 Setting and Subject of The Study...................................................................
3.5 Data Collection Method.................................................................................

References..................................................................................................................

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 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Research
English is one of international language in the world, English is widely used
not only in the country of which native language is English but also in other
country .Many people learn English because that language has an important role
for communication in certain fields such as in Education, Business , Medical and
many others. This role makes English become the fourth language who most
widely used in the world. In Indonesia English becomes foreign language and has
been taught as compulsory subject at school from Elementary School until Senior
High School and also In university. That’s proved that English is very important
language .
In learning English there are four skills (Listening, speaking, writing, and
reading) Using a language is not as simply as we thought because the skill must
be taught integratedly without ignoring the language component :
1.vocabulary,pronunciation, phonology, and grammar (a set of rules that must be
followed) . Actually grammar is used to mean the structure of a language. It is an
essential part of the use of language process, both in spoken and written language.
in teaching English the skill of writing is not only use to test how well students
acquire a second or foreign language ,but also to express ideas into readable text.
The ability to express ideas in English writing with reasonable coherence and
accuracy is a major objective. And the Teacher should not teach the language skill
and language component separately.
The most difficult material in Teaching English is teaching grammar. Most
students assume that learning tenses is very difficult. Simple Past Tenses is one of
them. Simple Past Tenses is used to describe an action in past time. This thought
makes the students not really enthusiastic in learning tenses. That is why the
teacher should choose appropriate method and technique in teaching-learning
tenses. Method is a content plan of the teaching materials of the whole language
or where a teacher can design teaching activities as a whole by selecting the right
method inserted there in. In order to teach English effectively, the role of teaching

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method is badly needed. An appropriate Method can help Teacher to Teach
student easily understand the material that should be conveyed in classroom and
make them comfortable in learning, the problem have faced by student make
researchers interesting to solve that problem by doing action research about
“IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SIMPLE TENSES MASTERY USING
GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHOD AT SMAN 4 PEMATANG
SIANTAR.”
1.2 Identification of Problem
1. Does using Grammar Translation Method Improve students’ Mastery in
Simple Past Tense?
2. How does Grammar Translation Method Improve students’ Mastery in
Simple Past Tense?
1.3 Research Objective
The objectives of this research is to improve students Mastery Simple Past
form in correct Grammatical Rules.
1.4 Significances of The Research
The significance of this study might be following :
1. The Students
This research is expected to give significance for the students that are to make
learning process more enjoyable so that it will be improve their ability in using
the simple past tense.
2. The English Teacher
This research is expected to give the alternative solution in teaching simple
past tense through Grammar Translation Method.

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1.5 Limitation of The Research
This Research focuses on the implementation of using Grammar Translation
Method to improve student’s ability in using the simple past tense. This action
research will conduct at eleventh grade students of XI –IPA1 of SMA NEGERI 4
P.SIANTAR
1.6 The Definition of Key Terms

To avoid misunderstanding and misinterpreting of any terms used in this class

action research, the researcher defines the key words as follow:

1. grammar–translation method is a method of teaching foreign languages

derived from the classical (sometimes called traditional) method of teaching
Greek and Latin. In grammar–translation classes, students learn grammatical
rules and then apply those rules by translating sentences between the target
language and the native language. Advanced students may be required to
translate whole texts word-for-word.
2. Action research is the process through which teachers collaborate in
evaluating their practice jointly; raise awareness of their personal theory;
articulate a shared conception of values; try out new strategies to render the
values expressed in their practice more consistent with the educational values
they espouse; record their work in a form which is readily available to and
understandable by other teachers; and thus develop a shared theory of
teaching by researching practice." - John Elliott
3. The Past Simple tense, also called the Simple Past, is used for past actions
that happened either at a specific time, which can either be given by a time
phrase (yesterday, last year, etc.)

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 CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW

In this chapter, the researchers discuss some theories related Simple past
tense. This chapter contains the definition of simple past tense and Grammar
Translation Method.
2.1 Definition of Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense consists of three words: simple, past, and tenses. the
writer would like to describe them one by one according to Oxford Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary. simple is (1) not complicated ;easy to understand and
do,(2)used to describe the present or past tense of a verb that is formed without
using an auxiliary verb.
Simple past indicates that an activity or situation began and ended at a
particular time in the past (Azar Scrampfer, Betty:2006) tense is any of the form
of verb used to show the time of the action or state expressed by the verb
:present/past/future tense. There are several definition of simple past tense based
on grammarians’ statement. According to Marcella Frank, the simple past tense
refer to event that was completed before the statement is made. while according to
Elaine kirn, use the simple past tense to talk about completed past events and
activities.
The simple past tense is often found with time adverbials indicating a definite
past time; e.g: yesterday, last week, two years ago, last month ect. From several
definition above the writer summarize that simple past tense is a tense used to
express an action or event that happened in the past time and have completed
before the statement made

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2.2 The form of Simple Past tense
A. Statements with past tense verb
Table 2.2.A
Example Notes
Affirmative 1.she cooked delicious cake all regular verbs take –ed or –d
yesterday ending in the past tense. this form
2.the baby cried all the night is used for all subjects, both
last week singular and plural.
negative 1.he didn’t go to school last For negative past tense verb. use
Friday did not before the simple form of
2.we didn’t celebrate our the main verb.
birthday last year

B. Yes or No Question and short answer

Table 2.2.B
simple past tense yes/no question includes did(n’t) before the subject, note that the
main verb in the question is in the simple form there is no final – ed ending in the
question form.
Possible answer
examples Affirmative Negative
Affirmative question 1Did your Yes,she did No,she didn’t
sister cook
last night?
2Did they cut Yes,they did No,they Did
the tree
yesterday ?
Negative question 1Didn’t you Yes, I did No, I didn’t
play the piano
in our campus
last week?
2Didn’t your
sister create a Yes,my sister No,my sister didn’t
beautiful song did
last month ?

All the explanation above are regular form the following explanation are irregular form.

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C. Affirmative
The verb other than be
S+VERB 2+C
Example
- They sent a letter to their friend
- We bought a beautiful dress
- Children stole mangoes in our farm
The verb be
- I was hungry yesterday
- They were late to school last month
- You were angry to her last week
D. Negative
The verb other than be
S+ Did Not+V1+C
Example
- You did not go to Bali last week.
- She did not bring the dictionary yesterday.
- We did not paint that landscape last week.
The verb be
S+WAS/WERE+NOT+C
Example :
- They were hungry
- She was diligent
- He was patient

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E. Interrogative
1. To make interrogative affirmative form of other than be ,we use the following
formula
Did+S+V1..?
 Did the monkey eat bananas ?
 Did they create new song?
 Did her mother visit her hometown ?
2. To make interrogative Negative form of other than be ,we use the following
formula
Did not+S+V1.?
 Did not the monkey eat bananas ?
 Did not they create new song ?
 Did not her mother visit her hometown ?
 To make interrogative affirmative statement of verb be ,we use the
formula below
Was/were+S+…
 Were you a smart student?
 Was she a beautiful girl ?
 Were they in the market yesterday ?
English verbs are divided into two classes :regular and irregular verbs. most
verbs in English are regular verbs, It is usually formed by adding – ed or –d, while
the irregular verbs have their own pattern .the following chart list are the rules of
regular and irregular verbs.

Table 2.1 (Spelling of regular affirmative past tense form)

Most regular verbs : work→worked

help→helped
star→started
rain→rained
stayed→stayed
gallop→galloped
Verb ending in –e hope →hoped
Add –d decide →decided

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 Many verbs have irregular past tense forms. These verbs do not take an –
ed ending in the past form
Table 2.2
Examples
Simple Past Simple Past Notes
tense tense
Form Form Form Form
cost cost let let The simple and the
cut cut put past forms of the verbs
hit hit put are the same.
hurt hurt quit quit
bend bent send With some verbs, the
build built sent simple form ends in –d
lend lent spend and the past form ends
spent in –t
dream dreamt lose
lost
have had make made Some verbs have other
hear heard consonant changes or
add a consonant in the
past tense
begin began grow Many verbs have
bleed bled grew vowel changes in the
come came know past tense
knew
ride rode

be leave left Many verbs have

was/were lie lay consonant and vowel
bring pay paid changes in the past
brought tense.
buy
bought

So, the writer abridges that the form of simple past tense in irregular verbs
has no fixed pattern to follow; therefore, we need to memorize them.

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2.3 The Use of the Simple Past Tense
According to Wishon and Burks ,1980: there are some uses of simple past
tense, they are:
a. It is used to report a state or activity which can be ascribed to a definite past
time. A past adverbial is either expressed or else understood from the context
in which the past tense is used.
Example:
• The airplane arrived at noon
• She finished her university studies at the age of twenty
• I had a busy day yesterday; I wrote many letters
• I received some visitors and cleaned my desk
b. It is used for activities that were occurred over period of time in the past, but
are now finished, or that were occurred at intervals in the past, but don’t
occurred now.
Example:
• Last week, I worked until midnight every night
• Before the war, I worked for an insurance company
• I lived there for five years before 1950
c. It is used to describe customary or habitual action in the past. The past tense
of the verb use combines with to to form an auxiliary.
Example:
• I used to be a boy scout
• I used to get up at 05.30 every morning
d. The past form of do as an auxiliary is used with simple form of the verb to
express emphasis
Example:
• I did study for the examination
• No matter what lisa said, she did finish the work

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 While according to Marcella Frank,1972 :the past tense indicates definite
time terminating in the past, whether a time word is given or not. It is the required
tense in statements about persons who are now dead (Shakespeare lived in
England), unless the statement has some relevance to the present (Shakespeare is
the greatest playwright ever produced in England).
The past tense may refer to:
a. One event completed in the past: I saw him last night They left two hours ago
The word ago requires the use of the past tense, even if the time indicated
comes almost up to the present – They left one minute ago.
b. Repeated events completed in the past and no longer happening: Last year it
rained frequently in this area. (custom) When I was young, I went swimming
every day.
c. Duration of an event completed in the past: He lived in New York for thirty
years and then he decided to return to France. In Columbus’ day, people
believed that the earth was flat.
The past form used as a subjunctive in if or as if clauses, and in that clauses
after the verb wish, represents present time:
- If he studied harder now, he would get better grades.
- She wishes she were rich instead of beautiful.
From the several explanations above, the writer resumes that the simple past
tense is a form that indicates activities or events before now or in the past and at
one particular time in the past.
These events began and ended in the past and the time signal usually use
yesterday, two days ago, last week, etc. In addition, the writer may conclude that
the simple past tense can use in subjunctive, habitual action in the past, and to
express emphasis in doing something.

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2.4 Grammar Translation Method
Method is a content plan of the teaching materials of the whole language or
where a teacher can design teaching activities as a whole by selecting the right
methode inserted there in. As Anthony said in (Richards and Rodgers, 2006)
“method is an overall plan for the orderly presentation of language material, no
part of which contradicts, and all of which is based upon, the selected approach.
An approach is axiomatic, a method is procedural.” Choosing an appropriate
Method is very important in teaching- learning process because the central of
teaching-learning process. (Kumaravadivelu, 2008:83)“Method is central to any
languages teaching enterprise”.Grammar translation method that is also called
classical method is a method of teaching English that uses translation of the
implementation. The main characteristic of this method is that this method focuses
on learning the rule of the grammar (sentence structure) and the implementation
of it in translating passage from one language to another language. In another
word, a teacher who teaches English by using GTM will teach the grammar.
Furthermore, the teacher uses grammar to teach the students by translating one
language to another language. This kind of method is assumed that it can make the
students bored in the classroom, because a teacher who uses GTM in teaching
English will present the language structure in front of the classroom. Furthermore,
the students just listen and take a note from the explanation of the teacher. It
means that GTM can create the domination of the teacher in the classroom. In
other words, the class activity will more focus on the rule of the language
structure than practice the rule itself. In addition, GTM cannot develop the
students’ communicative competence, because they cannot use the rule of the
language structure flexibly to communicate. Consequently, some teachers leave
this method and move into another method that can develop the communicative
competence of the students. However, Grammar Translation method still has the
advantage for language teaching and learning, especially in term of accuracy.
Learning English accurately is very important, especially for reading, because it
can help the students to understand the construct of sentence in a text. This
condition can help the students to understand a text through the identification of

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sentence, such as part of speech, noun determiner, tenses, etc. This condition can
help the students to comprehend a text easily, because learning English means
learning to read.
This idea is supported by Zainudin (2011:64), he said that reading is also a
goal for learning language. It means that learning language is not only for
communicating, but also for reading. By mastering the grammar through
Grammar Translation Method, the students can read and understand a text easily
by identifying the structure of sentence in a text.
According to Celce Murcia (1979:3) there are eight characteristics of this
method that the writer will mention as follows :
(1) Classes are taught in the mother tongue, with little active use of the target
language,
(2) much vocabulary is taught in the form of lists of isolated words,
(3) long elaborate explanations of the intricacies of grammar are given,
(4) grammar provides the rules for putting words together, and instruction often
focuses on the form and inflection of words,
(5) reading of difficult classical texts is begun early,
(6) little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are treated as exercises in
grammatical analysis,
(7) often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from
the target language into the mother tongue,
(8) little or no attention is given to pronunciation, and (9) the focus is on
accuracy, and not fluency.
This method is expected to make the students easier to understand the
material. As (Afiah, 2014) stated in her journal that “the strengths of grammar
translation method, they are: for teacher teaching-learning process is faster
because students always give good responses.”

2.4.1 The Techniques of The Grammar Translation Method

There are some useful techniques associated with the Grammar-
Translation Method. Below is an expanded description of some of these
techniques.

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a. Translation of a Literary Passage
Students translate a reading passage from the target language into their native
language. The reading passage then provides the focus for several classes:
vocabulary and grammatical structures in the passage are studied in subsequent
lessons. The passage may be excerpted from some work from the target language
literature, or a teacher may write a passage carefully designed to include particular
grammar rules and vocabulary. The translation may be written or spoken or both.
Students should not translate idioms and the like literally, but rather in a way that
shows that they understand their meaning.

b. Reading Comprehension
Question Students answer questions in the target language based on their
understanding of the reading passage. Often the questions are sequenced so that
the first group of questions asks for information contained within the reading
passage. In order to answer the second group of questions, students will have to
make inferences based on their understanding of the passage. This means they will
have to answer questions about the passage even though the answers are not
contained in the passage itself. The third group of questions requires students to
relate the passage to their own experience.
c. Antonyms/Synonyms
Students are given one set of words and are asked to find antonyms in the
reading passage. A similar exercise could be done by asking students to find
synonyms for a particular set of words. Or students might be asked to define a set
of words based on their understanding of them as they occur in the reading
passage. Other exercises that ask students to work with the vocabulary of the
passage are also possible (Allen 1983).
d. Fill-in-the-blanks
Students are given a series of sentences with words missing. They fill in the
blanks with new vocabulary items or with items of a particular grammar type,
such as prepositions or verbs with different tenses.

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e. Memorization
Students are given lists of target language vocabulary words and their native
language equivalents and are asked to memorize them. Students are also required
to memorize grammatical rules and grammatical paradigms such as verb
conjugations.

From those lists of techniques which is used in Grammar Translation Method,

the Researcher briefs that this method only focus on the development of reading
and writing skills in the context of translation, while very little attention was
placed on any productive aspects of the language. (Diane Larsen Freeman,2000.
Technique and Principles, New York: Oxford University Press, p. 1920)

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 CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research method is a significant element in the research activity. In this chapter,
some aspects will be used to conduct the study. They include the research design,
research procedure, setting and subject of the study, data collection method and
data analysis.
3.1 Research Design
To conduct a useful research, a systematic way or a well-done plan must be
made in order to obtain the valid answers of the research questions. It means that
the appropriate research design has to be selected. In conducting this study,
classroom action research would be used. It was designed to describe a condition
objectively and information concerning the status of phenomena of the sample.
This study also attempts to describe the analysis of improving grade students of
XI –IPA1 of SMA NEGERI 4 P.SIANTAR using Classroom Action Research.
Carr and Kemmis (2005:7) state that action research is a form of self-
reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social (including educational)
situation in order to improve (a) the rationality and justice of these practices; (b)
their understanding of the practices, and the situations in which the practices are
carried out. It can be said that an action research is a “learning by doing” action a
group of people or person (researcher), identifies a problem, does something to
resolve it, sees how successful the efforts which has been made, and if the result is
not satisfying, that group or that person will try again the efforts in the next
action.
Applying the principle of an action research design, the researcher took
the model of an action research proposed by Kemmis and Mc.Taggart model Aqib
(2006: 23). The action research consists of four main steps, namely planning,
acting, observing, and reflecting in which the cycle is shown in the following
picture

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3.2 Research Procedure

Planning

 Finding an institution to do an action (XI –IPA1 of SMA NEGERI 4

P.SIANTAR).
 Asking permission to the headmaster and English teacher to carry out the
research there.
 Designing a well-prepared plan (lesson plan and test).

Acting

 First Activity (Pre-test)

Giving a pre-test to the students.
 Second Activity (Treatment 1)
Teaher Students
1. The researcher distributes the Students give their attention.
practice version of the test to each
student and instructs them to
answer the question in given time,
ensuring that all members
understand how each answer was
obtained the intension.
2.The researcher evaluates and Students check their answer and
corrects the students’ answer then attention to the teacher’s
displays a copy of the answer on the explanation.
data projector and get each student
to check their answer and resolve
any issues with their answer.
3.The researcher asks the students Students rank their self on the basis
about their understanding of the of their understanding.
topic from very good understanding
(A students) to poor understanding

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 (E students).
4.After that, the researcher give Students translating the given text
another material such as new
vocabulary by giving a simple text
then tell them to translate it.
5.The researcher give out the test Students answer the question.
based on the text that given before
6.The researcher evaluates and Students give their attention, change
corrects then displays a copy of the their test withtheir friend and rank
answer on the data projector and got their scores, and then collect their
each student change their test with test.
their friend to mark their answers.
After that the researcher ask the
student to collect their test.

Monitoring
 Collecting and analyzing the result of the action. Its purpose was to know to
what extent the result of the action reached the objectives.
Reflection
 Finding out the progress from the first activity to the last activity.
3.3 Researcher Attendance
The researcher needs to conduct this class action research in order to
increases the studen mastery in simple tenses specially in simple past tense.
The researcher found the students’ difficulty in using the tenses correctly and
their fluency in. In this class action research, the researcher acts as a
practitioner and observer. In order to making success this activity, the
researcher also collaborates with the English teacher and the head master of
SMA NEGRI 4 P.SIANTAR.

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3.4 Setting and Subject of the Study
 Each person or participant in the study was considered as a subject (Brown,
1993: 48). The subjects of the study of this research were the student of XI –
IPA1 of SMA NEGERI 4 P.SIANTAR).The school in Jl. Pattimura No.1,
Pahlawan, Siantar Tim., Kota Pematang Siantar, Sumatera Utara 21136. The
Headmaster is Rudel Barmen Manurung
The school was chosen because the researcher was the teacher in that school
and the classroom.
3.5 Data Collection Method
Data collection method is manner, used by researcher in collecting the data.
In this research writer used interview, questionnaire, observation sheets, test
and documentation. The following are the explanation of each method that is
used in this class action research.
3.5.1 Test
Test is a series of questions, problems or physical responses design to
determine knowledge, intelligence, or ability (The American Heritage: 2003).
The tests use in this study was pre-test test and post-test. The pre-test was use
in the preliminary study to find out information dealing with the
students’ability. To obtain data about the students’ progress in learning
grammar after the strategy apply, the researcher conducted an evaluation by
administering a post-test to the students individually at the end of each cycle.
3.5.2 Documentation
American Heritage (2003) states that documentation is act or instance of the
supplying of documents or supporting references or records. The researcher
print in some information such as: attendance list of the students in the
classroom and the score list.the research also use hidden camera to gain
perfect documentation that already aggreed by the institution and headmaster
of SMA N 4 P.SIANTAR.

20
3.6 Data Analysis
Data analysis is an important aspect of the reflectivity of action research. The
reflecting steps use to analyzing whether the action success or failed. The
whole of action research is that analyzing the data, interpreting it, and
developing theories about what it means are constantly feedback into practice
Burn (1999:155). The researcher used descriptive analysis and score analysis
in analyze the action research data.
Data analysis is an important aspect of the reflectivity of action research. The
reflecting steps use to analyzing whether the action success or failed. The
whole of action research is that analyzing the data, interpreting it, and
developing theories about what it means are constantly feedback into practice
Burn (1999:155). The researcher used descriptive analysis and score analysis
in analyze the action research data.
The score analysis was used to analyze the students’grammar ability after
implementing the plan. The score analysis consists of preparing the
instrument of scoring, the tabulation of the data and the summarizing of the
data (Arikunto,1993: 205). The writer prepared the students’ score list.

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Individual Degree of Score = Sum of Score Earned x 100 Maximum Score
Subject Mean Score = Sum of Students’ Score x 100 Sum of Students
Percentage Gain Students = Gain Students x 100%Total of Students

The conclusion of the data is whether the research could improve the students’
ability in mastering tenses or not. It described that the research categories’ in
success if (1) the students’ post- test mean score on speaking ability is improved
not less than 75 and no students got the score under 75; and (2) 75% of the
students test in cycle I . if the that categories no reached so the researcher need to
do the next cycle.

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 REFERENCES

Azar, B. S. (1989). Understanding and Using English Simple Tenses.

USA: Prentice Hall Regent

Burns,A.(2010).Doing Action Research in English Language

Teaching.UK:Routledge

Donal Ary, L. C. (2010). Introduction to Research in Education. Canada:

Nelson Education.

Freeman, D. L., Anderson.M. (2011). Technique and Principles in

Language Teaching (3th ed.).New York: Oxford University

Hayatil ,N.& Devanti , Y.M. (2016). Improving Students’ Simple Past

Tenses Mastery by Using English Song at MA Nurut Taqwa
Cerme.Journal ofInternational Conference on Education,(1), 89-
95.

Jeremy. H. (1987). Teaching and Learning Simple Tenses . USA:

Longman.

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