An Analysis of Students’ Difficulties in Writing English Narrative Text at SMA Negeri 2 Pematangsiantar

Abstract

This study examines the difficulties encountered by grade XII students of SMA Negeri 2 Pematangsiantar in writing English narrative texts and identifies the factors contributing to these difficulties. Using a descriptive qualitative research design, the study involved 36 students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through a narrative writing task and a questionnaire distributed via Google Form. Students were required to write an English narrative text of approximately 200–250 words, which was analyzed in terms of grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, text organization, and idea development, while the questionnaire was used to explore students’ perceptions of their writing problems and coping strategies. The findings reveal that students experienced significant difficulties in grammatical accuracy, vocabulary mastery, sentence construction, and organizing ideas according to the generic structure of narrative texts. In addition to linguistic challenges, psychological factors such as low motivation, lack of self-confidence, and fear of making mistakes were found to negatively affect students’ writing performance. The study concludes that students’ difficulties in writing narrative texts result from the interaction of linguistic limitations and affective factors, highlighting the need for more effective, creative, and student-centered approaches to improve students’ narrative writing skills.