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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Backround of Study In this globalization era, where the technology and science have developed in some countries, the increasing quality of human resources is needed. People have to prepare themselves facing the global change and competing with the people in other countries. One of the most important things for preparing in that situation is mastering the international language, English, whether it is in written form or in spoken form. Language is used as a mean of communication. When we use a language, we can express our ideas, thoughts, and feeling about the knowledge, technology, culture, art and many things in the world that surround us. As an international language, English is spoken by most people all over the world. It is getting more important. Therefore, the Indonesian government has decided that English must be though at schools. English is the first foreign language in Indonesian schools. Having studied English, the students expect to acquire some abilities and those are: the ability to listen to English sounds, the ability to read and to understand English book, the ability to speak English, and the ability to write English. We can call those

abilities Language Skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Besides the four language skills they should have a capability in language components. One of the components is grammar. Penny Ur said, Grammar may be roughly defined as the way a language manipulates and combines words (or bits of words) in order to form longer units of meaning.1 According to Scott Thom bury Grammar is partly the study of what forms (or structures) are possible in a language. Traditionally, grammar has been concerned almost exclusively with analysis at the level of the sentence.2 Based on two statements above, it can be concluded that grammar is a description of the rules that govern how a languages sentences are formed. The grammar component such as syntax, morphology and so on should be acquired by any ones who learns language. Therefore, they can use the language clearly, accurately and effectively. Grammar is also needed even in the communication, because it can avoid misunderstanding. By mastering grammar, it is hoped that we can share the information and be more confident to express the idea when we communicate with other people. Grammar is an important element to be learned in learning a language because it is used to understand the language. As Penny Ur said that There is no doubt that the knowledge implicit or explicit- of grammatical rules is essential for mastery of the language: you cannot use words unless you know how they should be put together.3 Students who learn a foreign language encounter a number of problems, especially with the grammar of the language which can be complicated and which can appear confusing by mastering grammar, they will understand the rules and know how the sentence are constructed.

1 Penny Ur, Grammar Practice activities; a practical guide for teachers, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004), p.4 2 Scott Thornbury, How to Teach Grammar, (Malaysia: Longman, 1999), p.1 3 Penny Ur, Grammar Practice activities; A practical guide for teachers, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988), p.4

There are many aspects discussed in English grammar. One of them is modal auxiliaries. Modal Auxiliaries generally express a speakers attitude or moods. For example, modal can express that a speaker feels something necessary, advisable, permissible, possible, or probable; and in addition, they can convey the strength of these attitudes.4 Modal: can, could, be able to, may, might, shall, ought to, had better, be supposed to, be to, should, will, be going to, would, used to, must, have to, have got to and used to. Helping verb or modal auxiliaries express a wide range of meanings such as, ability, permission, possibility, necessity e.t.c. Most of modals have more than one meaning. The modals are complex, heavily, used group of words. They should be studied and observed carefully. Some of them change the meaning in the negative, so that their true negative must be expressed with other auxiliaries. According to Betty Schramfer Azar, the types of Modal Auxiliaries can be divided into two types. First, modal auxiliaries can, could, had, better, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, and would. Second, similar expressions: be able to, be going to, be supposed to, be to, have to, have got to, and used, to. 5 Modal and semi modal can be grouped into three major categories according to their main meanings (excluding used to, which relates to past time), those are: a. Permission/possibility/ability: can, could, may, might b. Obligation/necessity: must, should,(had) better, have (got) to, need to, ought to be supposed to c. Volition/prediction: will, would, shall, be going to Each modal auxiliaries verb has at least two meanings. One usage of all modal verbs is to talk about the possibility or probability of a situation or event. Some of these verbs are used to say that a situation is certain, for example others that it is probable or possible; others that it is impossible. a. Certainty: shall, shant, will, wont, must, cant, couldnt, would, wouldnt b. Probability: should, shouldnt, ought to, oughtnt to, may (no)
4 Betty Schramper Azar, Understanding and Using English Grammar 2nd edition, (New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents. 1989), p.68 5 Betty Schramper Azar,....p.68

c. Theoretical or habitual possibility: can d. Conditional Certainty or Possibility: would, wouldnt, could, couldnt, might, mightnt Notice that they are used only with the simple form of the verb and they have more than one meaning. Therefore, the student still have difficulties to decide the meaning of modals. The writer wants to try applying the suitable technique in teaching modal auxiliaries related to the students need. In this case, the technique which is used is meaningful drills. Hopefully, they will be easier to understand the material through this technique, and finally they get more understanding about modal auxiliaries. For the need of the research, the writer chooses the second grade of MA Ummul Qura Pondok Cabe as the place of study, because according to the writer experiences during teaching and learning activity, the students still find difficulties in learning that material. Based on the background above, the writer is interested in discussing this case under the title Reinforcing Modal Auxiliaries (May, can, must and will) through Meaningful Drill A Classroom Action Research at Second Grade of MA Ummul Qura Pondok Cabe. B. Limitation of Study It is essential to limit the problem in order to avoid misunderstanding in interpreting the problem. The writer limits the problem in this writing only in the student difficulties in learning some modal auxiliaries; they are may, can, must and will which are explained in the second grade of senior high school. C. Formulation of Study To make the study is easier to understand, the writer would like to formulate the problem as follows: Can meaningful drills reinforcing students ability in modal auxiliaries (may, can, must and will)? D. Objective of the Study

According to the statement above, the writer conclude that the objective of this research is to reinforce students ability in learning modal auxiliaries (may, can, must and will) and also to find out the students avarage reinforcement after using meaningful drills in teaching modal auxiliaries (may, can, must and will). E. Significance of the Study The writer expects that this paper will be useful for English teachers, students, the institution of MA Ummul Qura pondok cabe, and everybody who pays attention to learn English may take advantage from this study and exclusively to the writer. The first, for the English teacher it is can to enrich her technique in teaching English subject, especially in modal auxiliaries (may, can, must and will). The second, for students it can help them in learning modal auxiliaries (may, can, must and will) easier and get more understanding about it. The next is for the institution of MA Ummul Qura Pondok Cabe, it can be beneficial regarding to improve their educational quality. And the last is for the writer. It can enlarge his knowledge in teaching English and also becomes a basic consideration and information to do further research in the future. In addition, it is also to fulfill one of the requirements of English department of the school of education discipline of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta F. Organization of the Study This writing consists of five chapters which will be discusses as follows: The first chapter explains about Introduction. It consists of six parts, they are: Background of the Study, Limitation of the Problem, Formulation of the Problem, Objective of The Study, Significance of the Study, and Organization of the Study. The second chapter defines about Theoretical Framework. It is divided into three parts. Part A discusses about the General Concept of modal auxiliaries which is focussed on the Definition modal auxiliaries, the Kinds and Use of modal auxiliaries and the sentence pattern of modal auxiliaries. Part B discusses about

Meaningful Drills which is focussed on the Definition of Meaningful Drills, Characteristic of Meaningful Drills and the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Meaningful Drills. And the last part discusses about teaching modal auxiliaries by Using Meaningful Drills. The third chapter talks about Research Methodology. It contains of: the Method of Research, the Subject of the Study, the Writers Role on the Study, the Time and Place of the Study, the Research Design, the Classroom Action Research (CAR) Procedures which have four items they, (Planning Phase, Acting Phase, Observing Phase, and the last is Reflecting Phase). The next is the Technique of Collecting Data, the Technique of Data Analysis, the Validity of Data, the Trustwothiness of Study and the Criteria of the Action Research. The fourth chapter explains about Result and Discussion. It has four parts, first is Before Implementing the Action which has three items they are: the Result of the Preview, the Result of the Observation, the Result of Pre Test. Second is the Implemantation of Classroom Action Research (CAR) which has two cycles and each cycle has four same items, they are: Planning, Acting, Observing and Reflecting. Third is the Discussion of the Data after CAR which has two items they are: the Result of Post Interview and the Result of Post Test. The last is the Interpretation of the Results. And the fifth chapter consists of two parts, they are: Conclusion and Suggestion from the writer based on the study which had been done. Besides, Bibiliography and Appendix are also include at the end of this study.