Analysis of EFL students’ difficulty in the TOEFL Structure and Written Expression Section

TOEFL is one of the standardized tests which have been applied by many universities and institutions all around the world to test students’ English language proficiency. It also becomes one of the graduation standard requirements in the universities for the students, even in State Islamic University of Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh (UIN Ar-Raniry). However, many students faced the difficulty in responding the TOEFL especially in section two which is about Structure and Written Expression. In order to identify the students’ difficulty, the researcher conducted a reseacrh entitled : An analysis of EFL students’ difficulty in the TOEFL structure and written expression section. This research is underlied with two research questions: What are the most difficult elements faced by the EFL students and what are the factors influencing the difficulty in responding to the Structure and Written Expression section of the TOEFL? The research was conducted among EFL students of English Education Department of UIN Ar-Raniry. The population were 90 students academic year 2012 and the sample were 18 students taken by using ramdom sampling technique. The researcher used two tecniques of data collection. First technique was test which involved 18 students and the second technique was interview which only conducted for four students who were mostly error in the test session. The researcher found that the students faced the difficulties in some elements of grammar in the structure and written expression : reduced verb, the use of verb, parralelism, subject verb agreement, and relative clause. Moreover, the factors influencing the difficulties came from four factors : lack of grammar skill, lack of vocabulary mastery, easily distracted and less practice.