AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT ON THE TENTH-GRADE STUDENT AT SMA KRISTEN 3 KALABAHI IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35194/jj.v14i2.6619Keywords:
writing difficulties, descriptive text, vocabulary, grammar, writing skillAbstract
Writing is one of the essential skills in English, especially in mastering descriptive texts, yet it remains a major challenge for many foreign language learners. This study aimed to investigate the specific difficulties and contributing factors faced by tenth-grade students at SMA Kristen 3 Kalabahi in writing descriptive texts during the academic year 2025/2026. Employing a qualitative descriptive research design, the study collected primary data through writing tests and structured interviews involving ten students and one English teacher. The findings revealed that students experienced significant hurdles across five core writing components: content, organization, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. Among these, grammar errors—particularly concerning subject-verb agreement, simple present tense usage, and copular verb omissions—alongside severe vocabulary limitations, were the most dominant obstacles. Furthermore, structural disorganization and mechanical errors like spelling, capitalization, and punctuation negatively impacted text quality. The analysis also categorized the underlying causes into linguistic factors, such as limited vocabulary and mother-tongue interference, and non-linguistic elements, including low self-confidence, anxiety, and a lack of writing practice. The outcomes suggest that pedagogical interventions should focus on intensive writing drills, structured grammar reinforcement, and anxiety-reducing classroom environments to enhance student writing competence.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Margarita Sailana, Thomas J. Tanglaa, Adolfina M. S. Moybeka
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