Students’ Difficulties in Learning Tenses at Sdit Andalusia

Abstract

This study aims to describe the difficulties faced by students at SDIT Andalusia in learning English tenses and how they overcome these challenges. English, introduced from the early grades through the Merdeka Curriculum, is an essential subject that provides a foundation for global communication and academic success. However, many students still struggle to master tense usage, making it an important issue to explore. This research employed a qualitative descriptive approach, using purposive sampling to select six students for in-depth interviews. Data were collected through interviews focusing on students’ learning difficulties and the strategies they used to overcome them. The analysis followed three stages: data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing with verification. The findings revealed that students faced major challenges in subject–verb agreement in the simple present (adding –s/–es), distinguishing regular and irregular verbs in the past tense, and using to be and will correctly in future constructions. Conversely, most students mastered negatives (do/does not, did not + V1) and articles (a/an). To address these difficulties, students applied various strategies such as memorizing verbs, reviewing notes, independent practice, and using technological aids like YouTube. These results highlight students’ struggles yet demonstrate their adaptability and resourcefulness in learning tenses.