The use of matching game to improve students’ understanding on irregular verb of simple past tense (an experimental research at the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 01 Mlonggo Jepara in the academic year of 2010/2011)

The background of the study in this research is based on the phenomena that students in SMP N 01 Mlonggo Jepara usually get bored and unmotivated to learn grammar. So the writer teach grammar especially irregular verb of simple past tense using matching game containing interesting game, simple vocabulary, easy to understand and funny. The problem of this research can be stated as follow: How is the effectiveness of using matching game to improve students’ understanding on irregular verb of simple past tense? It purpose is: To find out the effectiveness of using matching game to improve students’ understanding on irregular verb of simple past tense. The method of the research is experimental study. The data is obtained by giving test to the experimental class (VIII A was taught using matching game), control class (VIII B was taught without matching game), and try out class (VIII C was taught with conventional method). The writer gave tryout test to analyze validity, reliability, difficulty level and the discriminating power of each item. Analysis data is from the beginning and the ending of control and experimental class that is taken from the pre test and post test value. It is the normality test and homogeneity test. It is used to prove the truth of hypothesis that has been planned. The result of the research: The average score of control group’s before treatment (64.70), after treatment was (70.30). Whereas the experimental group’s average before treatment was (63.90) and after treatment was (76.60). There is a difference score between students taught using matching game and taught using non-matching game. It is showed the mean of experimental class is higher than control class (76,60 > 70,30). On the other hand, the test of hypothesis using t-test formula shows the value of the t-test is higher than the value of the t-table. The value of t-test is 3, 686, while the value of t-table on = 5% is 1,99 (3,686>1,99). The hypothesis is accepted. Based on the result of this study, it is expected to be an information material for many teachers especially English teachers in teaching irregular verb of simple past tense. So, that can produce students who master English well