Error Analysis of Cohesion Devices in High School Students' Recount Text Writing

Abstract

This study investigates errors in the use of grammatical cohesion devices in students’ recount writing at MA Ma’arif An-Nur. Grammatical cohesion is essential for creating coherent and meaningful texts; however, many EFL learners experience difficulties in using cohesive devices appropriately. This study aims to identify the types and patterns of errors in the use of grammatical cohesion devices.A qualitative descriptive design with an error analysis approach was employed. The data were collected from recount texts written by twenty tenth-grade students selected through purposive sampling. The analysis focused on four types of grammatical cohesion devices: reference, substitution, ellipsis, and conjunction.The findings indicate that reference and conjunction were the most frequently used cohesion devices and accounted for the majority of errors. Common errors included incorrect pronoun references and inappropriate use of conjunctions. In contrast, substitution and ellipsis were used less frequently, suggesting limited student mastery of these devices. The errors were influenced by students’ limited grammatical knowledge, first-language interference, and insufficient writing practice.In conclusion, students still face difficulties in applying grammatical cohesion devices accurately in recount writing. Therefore, more focused instruction and extensive writing practice are needed to improve students’ ability to produce coherent and cohesive texts.