An Error Analysis on Wh-Question Formation Based on Literal Comprehension

Question has big role in teaching-learning activity and can be used to develop concept, build background, clarify reasoning processes, and lead students to think in higher level. Error may occur in the use of English by both native and non-native speaker specifically in constructing WH-question. Therefore, the aims of this study are to identify the most common errors and to find out the sources of errors in the form of WH-question made by the second semester of English department students of UIN Ar-Raniry. The subject of study was students’ assigment sheets which are analyzed by referring to Betty S. Azar classification and Richard theory on sources of errors. The findings showed that the total number of errors is 172 errors where 66 errors of Auxilaries was found as the most common errors. Regarding the sources of errors, Richard suggests three sources of errors in students’ WHquestion. The major source of error was Intralingual Error in which its number 127 errors. Developmental Error and Interference Error emerged in 43 and 2 errors. Furthermore, the findings suggested that the lecturers apply appropriate techniques and strategies in teaching grammar especially WH-question in order to reduce the possible errors.