Analyzing Students’ Problems in Understanding and Constructing English Conditional Sentences

This research is an investigation of the students' problems in understanding and constructing English conditional sentences. The research was based on the descriptive qualitative research design. There were 31 third grade students of SMA Negeri 1 Banda Aceh as participants. The researcher used tests and interviews as data collection techniques. All students were given tests containing questions about conditional sentences. After the test results were examined, 7 of them were chosen based on the results of their tests as the interviewees for the interviews section. The results of the interview were analyzed by using coding and described by the researcher as research findings. As a result the study reveals that students' problems in understanding and constructing conditional sentences were found in the use of tenses, the forms’ understanding of sentences and the meaning contained in conditional sentences. Another main finding of the study is that there were two strategies used by students in constructing conditional sentences, namely identifying the tenses used in sentences and matching the tenses needed to make it easier for them to construct the sentence required. These findings suggest that in understanding and constructing English conditional sentences, students have to master all aspects needed in conditional sentences and teachers should be aware of the weaknesses and needs of their students.