EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education

Volume 1 | Number 1 | June | 2021

p-ISSN: 2623-2131
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan

THE STUDENTS’ ABILITY TO IDENTIFY NOMINAL AND VERBAL

SENTENCES IN ENGLISH OF GRADE VIII

Hari Indah Utari

Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, FKIP, Universitas Alwashliyah, Medan
Email: prodienglisheducation@gmail.com

Iskandar Zulkarnain
Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, FKIP, Universitas Alwashliyah, Medan
Email: nurhayati8107@gmail.com

Meida Rabia Sihite

Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, FKIP, Universitas Alwashliyah, Medan
Email: meidarabia55@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted by using descriptive qualitative design. The objective of this study was to find out the
students’ ability in identifying nominal and verbal sentences. The subject of the research was of grade VIII at
SMP Teladan Sei Rampah academic year 2018-2019. The total number the subject was 20 students. To obtain
data, a grammar test was administered to the students. After the data had been analyzed, it was found that the
students were able to identify nominal and verbal sentences in English. Thus, it was concluded that the students’
of grade VIII at SMP Teladan Sei Rampah academic year 2018-2019 were able to identify nominal and verbal
sentences in English.

Keywords: nominal sentence, verbal sentence, types of sentences, syntactic sentences

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan desain kualitatif deskriptif. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk
mengetahui kemampuan siswa dalam mengidentifikasi kalimat nominal dan verbal. Subjek penelitian ini adalah
siswa kelas VIII SMP Teladan Sei Rampah tahun ajaran 2018-2019. Jumlah subjek penelitian sebanyak 20
siswa. Untuk memperoleh data, dilakukan uji tata bahasa kepada siswa. Setelah data dianalisis, ditemukan
bahwa siswa mampu mengidentifikasi kalimat nominal dan verbal dalam Bahasa Inggris. Dengan demikian,
disimpulkan bahwa siswa kelas VIII SMP Teladan Sei Rampah tahun ajaran 2018-2019 mampu mengidentifikasi
kalimat nominal dan verbal dalam bahasa Inggris.

Kata kunci: kalimat nominal, kalimat verbal, jenis-jenis kalimat, kalimat sintaktik

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EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education
Volume 1 | Number 1 | June | 2021
p-ISSN: 2623-2131
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan

A. Introduction in the sentence “He is not a teacher” (“is” is

the predicate) and “I will not go to Jakarta”
Hornby (1975: 24) says that the (“go” is the predicate). Object is someone or
common problems of English is the structure something that incurred by the effect of
that have to be come over by all students and subject. Object contains any noun or pronoun.
this difficulty is similar in all parts of the For example as in “Mother is cooking rice”
world. The problem can be solved by studying (“rice” is the object).
parts of speech of English. Parts of speech or In English, sentence can divided into
so called also as word classes are the basic two types based on the predicate. They are
thing in every language. English is easier if the nominal and verbal sentence. Nominal
students know them. They can easily identify sentence is a sentence which the predicate
the noun, adjective, adverb, etc. in sentences. consist of adjective, noun, numeral or the other
But there is found a fact that word (predicate which is noun). Nominal and
Indonesian’s learners tend to make some errors verbal sentence especially use the linking verb
in using the parts of speech. They sometimes “to be” (is, am, are, was, were) as the predicate
make error in identifying the word, whether it or auxiliary verb (can, may, must, shall, will,
is verb, noun, adjective or adverb and thus etc.) and must be added with “be” in front of
causes the error in identifying the nominal and the auxiliary. Verbal sentence is difference. In
verbal sentences. As we know, nominal and verbal sentence, the predicate consists of
verbal sentences are the lesson in junior high verbs.
school, but some of the students in junior high According to Quirk & Greenbaum
school do not know about of them, although (1990: 231), sentences may be divided into
they know the kinds of tenses of those four major syntactic types.
sentences. 1. Declaratives are sentences in which a
When it was conducted a teacher subject is present and precedes the verb.
training in this school, the students were asked 2. Interrogatives are typically associated with
about nominal and verbal sentences. It was a discourse function of questions that are
found out later that the students’ ability to used to seek information.
identify nominal and verbal sentence was low 3. Imperatives are sentences that normally
and they also faced some difficulties have no grammatical subject and whose
identifying nominal and verbal sentences. verb has the base form. Imperatives are
Thus, finally it was concluded to sentences that normally have no
conduct a study with the aim to find out the grammatical subject and whose verb has the
students’ ability in identifying nominal and base form.
verbal sentences in English and to find out the 4. Exclamatives are sentences which have an
difficulties faced by the students to identify initial phrase introduced by what, how.
nominal and verbal sentences. The study was They primarily express exclamations that
conducted to the students of grade VIII at SMP show the extent to which the speaker is
Teladan Sei Rampah academic year 2018- impressed by something.
2019. Nominal sentence means a sentence
In a complete sentence, generally there where the predicate consists of noun, adjective,
will be the subject, the predicate, and the numeral or other words which is not a verb and
object as the components to form sentence. must follow grammatical rule. According to
Subject is a group of word in sentence which Cysoo (2000: 2), nominal sentences can be
may be made of noun, pronoun, nominal group divided in to three.
gerund group, infinitive, infinitive group, 1. Nominal sentences in adjective as in “I am
clause, and introductory “it” and “there”. One busy.”
who does the action is a subject. For example 2. Nominal sentence in noun as in “I am a
as in the sentence “He is not a teacher” (“He” teacher.”
is the subject). Predicate is a group of word in 3. Nominal sentence in adverb of place as in
a sentence that explains about the subject deed. “He is in the office now.”
It consists of verb, adverb, or adjective. In
verbal sentences, the linking verb “to be” has
the role as the predicate (verb). For example as
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EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education
Volume 1 | Number 1 | June | 2021
p-ISSN: 2623-2131
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan

Nominal sentence can be in simple 3. Interrogative Sentences

present tense. Generally, nominal sentences in to be (was, were) + subject + non verb +
simple present tense are used to state a complement
situation that happens in present or habitual Interrogative sentence in nominal sentence is
action and to state the general truth, but in this established by putting to be (was, were) in the
sentence does not use adverb of time. Nominal beginning of sentence.
sentence can be in positive, negative, and Simple future tense is the time that
interrogative form. shows or uses to state the activity or action that
1. Positive sentence pattern will happen in the future or to make
subject + to be (is, am, are) + non verb appointment to someone. The form can be
Notes: positive, negative, and interrogative form.
 non verb or other word which is not a verb 1. Positive sentences
can be noun, adjective, or adverb; subject + shall/will + be + non verb +
 to be (is, am, are) should be suitable with complement
subject of sentence; Notes:
 “is” belongs to subject he, she, it;  non verb or other word which is not a verb
 “are” belongs to subject we, you, they; can be noun, adjective, or adverb;
 “am” belongs to subject I;  after “will/shall” should be added with
 when “to be” are after auxiliary verb (can, “be”;
may, must, will, shall, etc.), the “to be” (is,  “will” is used for all of subject, but “shall”
am, are) will be converted into “be” which only be used for subject I and we;
is used for all of subject.  “be” comes from “to be” (is, am, are).
2. Negative sentence pattern 2. Negative sentences
subject + to be (is, am, are) + not + non verb subject + shall/will + not + be + non verb +
Negative sentence in nominal just adds the complement
“not” after “to be” (is, am, are). Negative sentence in nominal just adds the
3. Interrogative sentence pattern “not” after “shall/will” and before “be”.
to be (is, am, are) + subject + non verb + ? 3. Interrogative sentence
Interrogative sentence in nominal sentence is shall/will + subject + be + non verb +
established by putting “to be” (is, am, are) in complement + ?
the beginning of sentence. Notes:
Simple past is used to show a state or  interrogative sentence in nominal sentence
action in the past or something that happened is established by putting “shall/will” in the
in the time before the present. The form can be beginning of the sentence;
in positive, negative, and interrogative.  in nominal sentence, “be” is put before
1. Positive sentence pattern subject, not like in verbal sentence, after
subject + to be (was, were) + non verb + subject is “infinitive”
complement Nominal sentence also can be found
Notes: with auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary verb is the verb
 non verb or other word which isn’t a verb which helps another verb to establish or build a
can be noun, adjective or verb; complete sentence. Auxiliary verb can be
 “is” and “am” should be changed with called by helping verb, special verb, pre-verb,
“was” and “are” should be changed with special finite or syntactical operators. These
“were”; verbs are such as can, could, may, might, must,
 “was” is for subject I, she, he, it and “were” shall, will, would, should, to be (is, am, are,
is for subject we, they, you. was, were), do (do, does, did), have (have, has,
2. Negative Sentences had), need, dare ad used to, sometimes used as
subject + to be (was, were) + not + non verb + auxiliary verb. In nominal sentence “to be” (is,
complement am, are) will be “be”. The pattern of nominal
Negative sentence in nominal just adds the sentence with auxiliary verb will be subject +
“not” after to be (was, were). auxiliary verb + be + non verb + complement.

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EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education
Volume 1 | Number 1 | June | 2021
p-ISSN: 2623-2131
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan

Verbal sentence is the sentence that the 3. Interrogative sentence pattern

predicate consists of verb. If the sentence did + subject + verb (V1) + complement + ?
begins with “to”, it means infinitive or non- Notes:
finite verb. Auxiliary verb is the verbs which  “did” is put in the beginning of sentence;
help another verb to establish or build a  the verb uses to infinitive (V1).
complete sentence and can be interpreted as Simple future is the time that is showing
the verb placed in front of subject for or using to state the activity or action that will
formatting tense, kinds of voice and mood. happen in the future.
In simple present, verbal sentence is 1. Positive sentence pattern
used to mention the command and request (just subject + shall/will + infinitive (V1) +
for second person), to mention habitual action, complement
and to mention general truth. It also can be Notes:
positive, negative, and interrogative.  “shall” is for subject I, we and “will” is for
1. Positive sentence pattern subject you, they, he, she, it;.
subject + infinitive (V1) + -s/-es + complement  generally, “will” is used for all of subject.
2. Negative sentence pattern 2. Negative sentence pattern
subject + do/does + not + infinitive (V1) + subject + shall/will + not + infinitive (V1) +
complement complement
Notes: Notes:
 negative verbal sentence in this tense must  negative in verbal sentence in this tense
be added with “do/does + not” before only add “not” after “shall/will”;
infinitive (V1);  “shall + not” can be abbreviated as “
 “do” is for subject I, you, we, they; “shan’t” and “will + not” can be
 “does” is for subject he, she, it; abbreviated as “wont”.
 in negative verbal sentence, we don’t add 3. Interrogative sentence pattern
the -s/-es after the verb. shall/will + subject + infinitive (V1) +
3. Interrogative sentence complement
do/does + subject + infinitive (V1) + Notes:
complement + ?  interrogative sentence in verbal sentence is
Notes: established by putting “shall/will” in the
Interrogative verbal sentence in this tense, beginning of sentence;
“do/does” is put in the beginning of sentence.  in verbal sentence, after subject is infinitive
Simple past is used to show a state or (V1).
action in the past or something that happened
in the time before the present. This tense also B. Research Method
has three forms.
1. Positive sentence pattern This study was conducted by using a
subject + past verb (V2) + complement descriptive qualitative method. Since the
Notes: number of population and sample of this study
In simple past, we use the past form of the verb was the same, it was applied the total sampling
(V2) and there are two kinds of verb. to take the sample which consisted of 20
 Regular verb is verb which the change is students. A written grammar test was
added “-d/-ed to the verb. administered to the students. The test consisted
 Irregular verb is the verb which the change of 20 items. The students were asked to
isn’t regular. identify nominal and verbal sentences.
2. Negative sentence pattern
subject + did + not + verb (V1) + complement Table 1. The Population and Sample
Notes:
 must add auxiliary verb “did” (past form of No. Class Population Sample
do/does) and then added by “not”; 1 VIII 20 20
 “did” can be used for all subject; Total 20 20
 The verb must be in infinitive verb (V1).

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EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education
Volume 1 | Number 1 | June | 2021
p-ISSN: 2623-2131
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan

Validity and reliability of the test were To collect the data, the following steps
also conducted for the instrument of the study. were employed.
Validity is a measurement tool (for example, a 1. Gave the instruction to the students.
test in education) is considered to be the 2. Gave grammar test to the students.
degree of probability to which the tool 3. Requested to submit the test to the
measures what it claims to measure in this researcher.
case, the validity is an equivalent to a percent 4. Gave score to the students’ answers.
of how accurately the claim corresponds to After collecting the data from the test,
reality. Reliability is a way of assessing the the data were analyzed by following
quality of the measurement procedure used to procedures.
collect data. In order for the results from a 1. Identifying nominal and verbal sentences
study to be considered valid, the measurement made by students.
procedure must first be reliable the situations 2. Calculating the percentages of students’
where they are appropriate. Biserial Point identifying nominal and verbal sentences to
Correlation formula was applied as the determine the results made by students by
validation formula to calculate the validity of using descriptive analysis technique with
the test and Kuder Richardson 20 formula was the following formula:
employed to obtain the reliability of the test. S = X 100
Notes :
Biserial Point Correlation formula
S = The score
= √ F = The number of correct answer
N = The Number of test item
Notes: 3. Determining the students’ ability in
= coefficient correlation of point grammar test based on KKM in the school.
= the average score for the count to The criteria of ability can be seen in the
the items in the correct answer table 2.
= the average score of the total score
= standard deviation of the total Table 2. Criteria of Students’ Ability
score
P = the proportion of students
answered correct on that point in Percentage Criteria Description
the test 90% - 100% A Able
q =1–p 80% - 89% B Able
70% - 79% C Able
Kuder Richardson 20 formula 60% - 69% D Unable
)
r= ( ) ...........59% E Unable
Notes:
K = the number of test items C. Result and Discussion
M = mean of the score
S = standard deviation of the score After collecting the data, the researcher
Gronhlund (1998: 93) states that analyzed them by using the percentage of each
reliability coefficients for classroom test student’s score. It was used to determine
typically range between 0.60 – 0.80. The whether the students were able or unable to
category of reliability is as follow. identify nominal and verbal sentences. The
0.00 – 0.20 = the reliability is very low formula used was shown below.
0.21 – 0.40 = the reliability is low
0.40 – 0.60 = the reliability is significant Percentage = X 100 %
0.61 – 0.80 = the reliability is high Notes:
0.81 – 1.00 = the reliability is very high CQ = Correct Answer
NQ = Number of Test

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EXCELLENCE Journal of English and English Education
Volume 1 | Number 1 | June | 2021
p-ISSN: 2623-2131
English Education Study Program, FKIP UNIVA Medan

Based on the calculation of the Cobuild, Collin. (1995). Today’s English

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Gronhlund. (1998). Measurement and
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Macmillan Publishing.
Based on the findings, the conclusion Hamalik, Oemar. (1989). Media Pendidikan.
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