AN ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS' DIFFICULTIES IN CHANGING AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCE INTO INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE IN SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE AT SMP NEGERI 3 KOTA SOLOK

Abstract The purpose of this research was to describe the difficulties faced by the second year students of SMP Negeri 3 Kota Solok to change affirmative sentence into interrogative sentence in simple present tense. The research design was descriptive method. The population of this research was the second year students of SMP Negeri 3 Kota Solok. The population was 155 students; they were separated into six classes. The researcher used cluster random sampling technique to get the representative sample. The total number of sample was 38 students. The instrument was grammar test in the form changing of sentence. The result of the data analysis showed that students had difficulties to change affirmative sentence into interrogative sentence in simple present tense. It was proved that 11 students (28.9%) had difficulties to change affirmative sentences into yes-no question in verbal sentence, 22 students (57.9%) had difficulties to change affirmative sentences into information question in verbal sentence, 4 students (10.5%) had difficulties to change affirmative sentence into yes-no question in nominal sentence and 10 students (26.3%) had difficulties to change affirmative sentence into information question in nominal sentence. Finally, the students are expected to study hard and practice more of grammar exercises. Besides, the researcher also gives suggestion to the teachers to considerate strategies of studying English better. Furthermore, the researcher suggests to the other researcher to find out other aspects in changing of sentence, such as students’ ability in changing of sentence in simple present tense. Key words: difficulties, changing of sentence, grammar.