AN ANALYSIS ON STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF ENGLISH IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS GRADE XII MIPA (SCIENCE PROGRAM) SMAN 4 PRAYA ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This study is a qualitative and quantitative descriptive (mixed method) research used to obtain the information related to the research problems. It aims to analyze whether the grade XII MIPA (Science Program) students understand English idiomatic expressions. Moreover, this study intends to analyze the differences between students’ understanding of transparent, semi-transparent and opaque idioms and the students’ English learning backgrounds influence on the understanding of English idiomatic expressions. The subject of this study was the third grade students SMAN 4 Praya, especially at XII MIPA (Science Program). The data were collected by giving two instruments; English idiomatic expressions test and English learning background questionnaire. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the third grade MIPA (Science Program) students at SMAN 4 Praya achieved poor scores in understanding English idiomatic expressions after the test given. It can be seen from the M (mean score) of the test. The M (mean score) was 23.83 with the percentage of correct answers 23.6%. Furthermore, there were differences between three categories of English idiomatic expressions. The percentage of transparent, semi-transparent, and opaque was 5.8%, 7%, and 10.8%. There was 3.8% different understanding percentage from opaque to semi-transparent idioms and 5.8% to the transparent idioms, meanwhile between transparent and semi-transparent was 1.2%. The result also illustrated that among the three backgrounds; residence/environment, leisure time, contact with native speaker, students mostly involved in English circumstances 90% through their leisure time, 76.7% contact with native speaker, and 0% residence in English speaking country. As the conclusion English learning background personally influenced their understanding of English idiomatic expressions.

Keywords: Analysis, understanding, idioms, English learning background