A STUDY ON THE RECOGNITION OF ENGLISH PERSONAL PRONOUNS BY THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS OF MUALLIMIN MUHAMMADIYAH BOARDING SCHOOL

This study aimed to investigate the recognition of English personal pronouns by second-year students of Muallimin Muhammadiyah Boarding School and to identify the types of personal pronouns that are most difficult for the students. This research employed a quantitative descriptive design. The population of the study consisted of 270 second-year students, from which 75 students were selected as the sample using simple random sampling. The data were collected through a multiple-choice test consisting of 20 items covering subject pronouns, object pronouns, possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns, and demonstrative pronouns. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. The findings revealed that the students’ overall ability in recognizing English personal pronouns was categorized as fair, with a mean score of 74.26%. The students showed good to very good mastery of subject pronouns, object pronouns, possessive adjectives, and possessive pronouns. However, demonstrative pronouns were identified as the most difficult type, showing the lowest level of mastery. These results indicate that although English personal pronouns have been taught, students still experience difficulties, particularly in more complex forms and contextual usage. This study is expected to provide useful insights for English teachers in designing more effective grammar teaching strategies, especially in teaching personal pronouns, and to contribute to the improvement of students’ writing competence in English. Keywords: personal pronouns, pronoun recognition, writing, EFL students