An Analysis of Eighth-Grade Students’ Recount Text Writing Ability

Abstract

English has developed into a global language that plays a vital role in education, communication, and access to information. Among the four English language skills, writing is considered a complex skill that requires students to organize ideas, apply appropriate grammar, and convey meaning coherently. This study aimed to analyze eighth-grade students’ ability in writing recount texts at the junior high school level. The research employed a descriptive qualitative approach, which allowed the researcher to examine students’ writing performance in depth using multiple sources of data. The participants of this study consisted of 21 eighth-grade students. Data were collected through students’ written recount texts and analyzed based on four key writing aspects: content, organization, grammar, and mechanics. The findings revealed that students’ overall ability in writing recount texts was still relatively low, with common difficulties found in organizing ideas, using correct grammatical structures, and applying appropriate writing mechanics. These results indicate that students have not yet developed sufficient mastery of recount text writing conventions. This study contributes to the field of English language education by providing insights into students’ writing abilities and highlighting areas that require instructional improvement. The findings are expected to assist teachers in designing more effective writing instruction and support students in developing better writing skills, particularly in recount text composition.