Errors in Written English Essays Among

Malay Students in Rural Area: A Case Study

on the Factors and Solution
Aqilah Humaira Binti Mokhtar 1315394

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Problem Statement

According to the statistic from the internet,

writing ranked the second hardest language
skill.
This difficulties lead to errors in written
English essays especially among Malay
students in rural area.
Due to slow development in their area, English
somehow were neglected as students tend to
focus on Malay language in which all other
subject were taught in that language

1.2 Research Objective

To examine the factors of errors in written

English essays among Malay students in rural
area.
To identify ways to overcome the errors in
written English essays among Malay students
in rural area.

1.3 Research Question

What are the errors in written English essays

among Malay students in rural area?
How to overcome the errors in written English
essays among Malay students in rural area?

1.4 Significance

Students

Students can improve their writing skills when

they know the factors that led them to make
errors in writing skills.

Teachers

Future teachers can identify and practice the

solution that had been found in order to prevent
students from commit the same errors in written
English essays.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

Ulijn and Strother (1995, p.153) state that writing is

generally considered to be one of the active or productive
skills of language usage.

According to Sawalmeh (2013), writing skill is needed for

taking notes, describing objects or devices and writing
essays, answering written questions, writing their
compositions, writing experimental reports, etc.

According to Kavaliauskiene (2009), transfer of errors may

occur because the learners lack the necessary information
in the second language or the attentional capacity to
activate the appropriate second language routine.

Cont..

Mitchell and Myles (as cited in Keshavarz,

2003) claims that errors, if studied, could
reveal a developing system of the student's
L2 language and this system is dynamic and
open to changes and resetting of parameters.

Recent study conducted by Sarfraz (2011) to

examine the errors made by 50
undergraduate Pakistani students in written
essays, he found that the overwhelming
majority of errors the students made resulted
from learners' interlanguage process and
some errors resulted from mother tongue

3.0 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Respondents of the study
Form 2 students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan
Kampung Nyior
8 students, 4 Males and 4 Females from 2 Unggul
3.2 Research Instrument
Data was collected using written essays (quantitative
study)
3.3 Research procedure
Part I- Demography
Part II- English Usage
Part III- Written Essays on Teachers Day Celebration

4.0 DATA ANALYSIS

4.1 Finding for Research Question 1

What are the common errors in written English

essays among Malay students in rural area?
Type of
Subject/Verb Agreement
Articles

Frequency of
Error

Percentage %

15

10.35

6.21

Preposition

18

12.41

Inconsistent Tense

48

33.11

Spelling

31

21.37

Plural/Singular Form

24

16.55

Total

145

100

Error Classification

Error Identification

Error Correction

Inconsistent Tense

The teachers and

students are clapped
their hands

The teachers and

students clapped
their hands

They are dance

gracefully

They are dancing

gracefully

Error Classification

Error Identification

Error Correction

Spelling

After that, first

competition is correl
speaking.

After that, first

competition is choral
speaking.

Every year, we will

celebrat Teachers
Day
Error Identification

Every year, we will

celebrate Teachers
Day
Error Correction

All teacher and

student were very
happy

All teachers and

students were very
happy

Error Classification
Plural/Singular form

A students also dance A student also dance

Tarian Ulik Mayang.
Tarian Ulik Mayang.

Most common errors are from the inconsistent

tense, spelling and plural/singular form.

A possible reason for the failure to construct

plural noun forms probably because in Malay,
there is no plural marker for a noun. (Saadiah,
Kaladevi, 2009)

4.2 Finding for Research Question 2

How to overcome the errors in written English

essays among Malay students in rural area?

1 = Strongly Disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Neutral 4 = Agree

5 = Strongly Agree
N
o

Statement

1 2 3 4 5

1.

In a week, without any instruction from my

English teacher, I would read English material
once, twice or more.

1
4
2
1

2.

In a week, without any instruction from my

English teacher, I would write in English once,
twice or more.

2
1 1 3 1

N
o

3
.

Statement

I would prefer to use English in social

media.

1 2 3 4 5

3 2

1 2

There are some English words that I

4 prefer to use rather than using the
. Malay version.

1
1 3 3

I prefer to use English language

5 settings for each of my technology
. gadget.

1
1 3 3

Limitation
5.0 LIMITATION AND SUGGESTION

5.1 Limitation

New program introduced by MOE which to focus

on speaking and listening for the fist semester
which is from January to Jun.

5.2 Suggestion

Conduct the research at the school that did not

involved with the programmes.