English Education &

Applied Linguistics
Journal

ANALYSIS OF MOOD STRUCTURE IN EFL STUDENTS’

NARRATIVE TEXTS
(A Qualitative Study at One of Senior High Schools in
Garut)

Yovianti Utari1 & Yustika Nur Fajriah2

Institut Pendidikan Indonesia Abstract.

Garut This study aimed at finding the types of moods found
Email: in students’ narrative texts. This study employed a
[email protected] qualitative research design in which using document
analysis as a technique to obtain the data. The data
used in this study were in the form of texts written by
Article History the students. There were six students categorized as
Submitted 23 February 2023 high achiachieversddle achiever and low achiever to
Revised 6 March 2023 become the sample of this study. The data were then
Published 27 March 2023 analyzed using a data analysis sheet consisting of the
categorizations of the data based on the mood types.
The findings showed that the dominant mood type of
the students’ narrative text was the declarative. The
characteristic of declarative mood when the position of
the subject was before the finite (Haliday &
Matthiessen, 2004 ).

Keywords: Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL), Mood

structure, Narrative text

English Education and Applied Linguistic (EEAL) Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 1

INTRODUCTION
This study aims at analyzing Mood structure in students’ narrative texts. The discussion
of Mood is traceable to the exploration of the context within Systemic Functional
Linguistic (SFL) theory. SFL is a widespread approach to analyzing language concerning
its functional meaning. It focuses on the function of language in different contexts. It
offers applied orientations to linguistics study (Chan & Unsworth, 2011)(Christi &
Unsworth, 2000). Choice of words is meaning in the principle of Functional grammar.
This principle focuses on the functions that words perform and the meaning
determined by the choice of these words (Ye, 2002).
In this study, there is an introduction of systematists' view on language and
grammar constituents of Mood analysis that describe interpersonal metafunction of
language. Mood and Residue are the two main elements of the analysis. The Mood
element comprises subject and finite sub-elements whereas predicator, Complement
and Adjunct are sub-elements of Residue. Subject (the nominal group) determines
the Mood of the entire clause (Ye, 2002). Finite expresses tense and the view of the
speaker or writer (Butt et al., 2003). The part of the verb that shows event is called
Predicator.
The researcher chose this topic is because the result if the students writing
should be paid attention by the teacher. Using a mood block as the tools of the analysis
would see the variant of the students writing skills. After that, as teacher we will know
how to use teaching method to adjust their writing so they can improve. But if there is
something wrong, we can fix it.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL)
Halliday & Mattiessan (2004), states that Systemic functional linguistics (SFL) is a theory
of language that focuses on the idea of language functions rather than only on form. In
the similar Chan and Unsworth (2011)Systemic Functional Linguistic is concerned to
describe meaning potential. The linguistic options or choices that are available to
construct meaning in a particular context. This theory does not only refer to the theory
of language but also a methodology for analyzing the texts based on the context they
are used.
Systemic Functional Linguistic also views that all languages have to manage three
major functions or also known as metafunctions (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2004; Eggins,
2004; Thompson, 2014), are ideational metafunction (concerned with clauses as
representation), interpersonal metafunction (concerned with the interaction between
the speaker(s) and addressee), textual metafunction (concerned with the creation of
text).
According to Eggins (2004), interpersonal metafunction is defined as a meaning
strand emerging in a text which is the realization of the speaker’s expression of his
relationship with the readers or speakers and the expression of his attitude toward the
subject matter. It means the interpersonal metafunction deals with the speaker’s social
relationship which is embedded in a text. It is realized within tenor through the mood
pattern of grammar. It also reflects the fundamental types of speech role: giving and
demanding in which the commodity being exchanged can be goods & services or
information (Halliday & Mathiessen, 2004).

English Education and Applied Linguistic (EEAL) Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 2

Mood
The mood is part of Systemic Functional Grammar. Mood is indicated by the
interpersonal meanings of the text. The central aspect of the grammar of exchange is
MOOD (Haliday & Matthiessen, 2004).
There are three main elements to the MOOD constituent: (S. Eggins, 2004):
1. An explanation of polarity: either YES (positive polarity) or NO (negative
polarity)
2. a nominal-type element, which we will call the SUBJECT
3. a verbal-type element, which we will call, FINITE
But since the polarity element can also be elapsed without endangering the
argument, appear to be only two components essential to the MOOD a Subject and a
Finite.
In the interpersonal meaning analysis, the mood element consists of the subject
and is finite. The subject and finite are important because, through the subject and
finite from the clause, it can be determined if the clause is a declarative clause, an
interrogative clause, or an imperative clause.
Narrative text

According to Joyce & Feez (2013) in Arigusman (2018) Narrative text is a story about
one or a group of characters (can be a person or animal) overcoming a problem, it also
shows how people react to experiences, exploring social and cultural values and
entertain the readers and listeners.
The structure of narratives includes orientation, complication, evaluation,
resolution, and coda. Orientation: Introduce the character, place, and time,
Complication: Develop a conflict, Resolution: End of the conflict, Coda: (if any) shows
the change that happens to the characters and the moral value of the story.

METHODOLOGY
This study employs a qualitative research design in which using document analysis as a
technique to obtain the data. The data used in this study are in the form of texts
written by students. The data in this study is focussing on the analysis of the mood
structure found in the students’ texts as one of the three aspects of mood.
A sample is an observed object that consists of the biggest and the wides object,
it is called population. Participant in this study is six students at one of senior high
schools in Garut who has learned narrative text.
This study was conducted in one of senior high schools in Garut. There were some
reasons for choosing the research site. First, the researcher got access to conduct
research in that school. Second, the level of senior high school were choosen to be
examine whether they have reached the purpose of writing one genre of text as set by
the curriculum.
The students are requested to write narrative text. The students are given the
task of witing a narrative text. Then the result of the text is analyze every clause using
document analysis.
The data collection involved the
following procedures:
1. Reading the text
2. Parsing the text into clauses

English Education and Applied Linguistic (EEAL) Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 3

 3. Classifying the clauses based on the categories of narrative text rubric
assessment
4. Identifying the clause, each clause that has been identified is further
analyzed about mood structure, which includes subject and finite (Eggins,
2004) (Yusuf & Novita, 2020)
5. Concluding the type of mood that contain in students narrative text.
6. Concluding.

FINDING AND DISCUSSION

The text analysis was used to anwer the research question. There were six narrative
texts were purposely selected to be analyzed in this study. These texts produced by
eleventh class students. These texts were divided into three levels of achievement:
high, middle, and low achiever.

The Result of Mood Type in High Achiever Students’ Narrative Texts

Student 1
There were 26 clauses found in this text. This text consisted of one type of mood. The
type of mood found in this text was declarative mood. The characterwastic of
declarative mood when the position of the subject was before the finite (Haliday &
Matthiessen, 2004 ). The result of mood type found in this students’ narrative text was
for example:
a girl called
There Lived
cinderella
Subject Finite Predicator Complement
MOOD Residue

It was also found some clauses did not have subject or (elliptical clause) in this text
because of limited of knowledge about structures. It can be seen in the following
example
Cindrella (was) very sad and cried

Subject (Finite) Complement

Mood Residue

The following table highlighted information of mood types in students’ narrative text.
Percentag
MOOD Type Total
e
Non-
24 92,3%
Declarative elliptical
Elliptical 2 7,6%
Imperative 0 0
Interogative 0 0
Total 26 100%
- Student 2

English Education and Applied Linguistic (EEAL) Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 4

There were 22 clauses found in this text. This text consisted of one type of mood. The
type of mood found in this text was declarative mood.

An elderly
Came to his house
granfather

Subject Finite Predicator Complement

Mood Residue
It was also found some clauses did not have mood (elliptical clause) in this text. It
can be seen in the following example
him away by
flushing the
And (she) drove old
grandfather
Predi Compleme
(Subject) Finite
cator nt
Mood Residue

The following table highlighted information of mood types in students’ narrative

text.
Mood Type Total Percentage
Non-
20 90%
Declarative elliptical
Elliptical 2 10%
Imperative 0 0
Interogative 0 0
Total 22 100%
The Result of Mood Type in Middle Achiever Students’ Narrative Texts
Student 3
There are 19 clauses found in this text. This text conswasted of two types of mood in
the text. The types of mood are declarative mood and introgative mood.

The example of declarative found in the text.

Suddenly, They Saw A large bear getting closer toward them

Adjunct :
Subject Finite Predicator Complement
comment

English Education and Applied Linguistic (EEAL) Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 5

 Mood Residue

Interrogative mood was expressed by question. The clause which was included into
interrogative mood was when the position of the subject is after the finite (Halliday &
Matthiessen, 2004).
The example of interogative found in the text.
The into your
What Did whisper
bear ears?

WH/ Adjunct:
Finite Subject Predicator
complement circumtantial

Residue... Mood ...Residue

It was also found some clauses did not have subject or finite (elliptical clause) in this
text. It can be seen in the following example
and slowly (it) left the place

Adjunct: Adjunct:
Subject Finite Predicator
comment comment

Mood Residue

The following table highlighted information of mood types in students’ narrative text.
Table 4.3 Table the result of mood type
MOOD Type Total Percentage

Non-
16 88,8%
Declarative elliptical

Elliptical 2 6%

Imperative 0 0

Interogative 1 5,2%

Total 19 100%

Student 4
In this text found 13 clauses, The type of mood found in this text was declarative mood
only.
The example of declarative found in the text.
Her
stepmother Did Cinderell
like
and step not a
swaster

English Education and Applied Linguistic (EEAL) Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 6

 Predic Comple
Subject Finite
ator ment

Mood Residue

The following table highlight information of mood types in students’ narrative text.
Table 4.4 Table the result of mood type
MOOD Type Total Percentage
Non-
13 100%
Declarative elliptical
Elliptical 0 0
Imperative 0 0
Interogative 0 0
Total 13 100%
The Result of Mood Type in Low Achiever Students’ Narrative Texts
Student 5
In this text found 22 clauses, The type of mood found in this text was declarative mood
only.

to go back his own

One day Malin want
to village
Subject Finite Predicator Compliment Adjunct
Adjuct : circ
Mood Residue : circ

It was also found some clauses did not have mood (elliptical clause) in this text. It can
be seen in the following example
Because (He) Was along time

Adjunct:
Subject Finite complement
conjunctive

Mood Residue

The following table highlight information of mood types in students’ narrative text.
4.5 Table the result of mood type
MOOD Type Total Percentage

Non-
21 95,4%
Declarative elliptical

Elliptical 1 4.6%

Imperative 0 0

Interogative 0 0

English Education and Applied Linguistic (EEAL) Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 7

 Total 22 100%

Student 6
There were 22 clauses. The type of mood found in this text was declarative mood only.
King named
Once upon a time There Was
Prabu Baka
Adjunct:circ Subject Finite Complement
Mood Residue

It was also found some clauses did not have subject or finite (elliptical clause) in
this text. It can be seen in the following example
to take as
and (He) Meat
hwas wife
(subject) Finite Predicator Complement
Mood Residue

The following table highlighted information of mood types in students’ narrative

text.
Table 4.6 Table the result of mood type

Percentag
MOOD Type Total
e

Non-
21 95,4%
Declarative elliptical
Elliptical 1 4.6%
Imperative 0 0

Interogative 0 0

Total 22 100%

The six tables above showed that the declarative mood was most frequently used
and dominated all the samples. Five samples which totally employed the declarative
mood, they are student 1, student 2, student 4, student 5, and student 6.
In term of the use of the interrogative mood, the six tables above showed that
only student 3 which employed the interrogative mood. The imperative mood could not
be found in the other samples. In regard to the use of the imperative mood. The six
tables showed that all sample cannot be found the imperative mood. However, some of
the produced clauses did not have mood because of the absence of subject or finite or
both caused by limited knowledge about structures.

Whereas the result of the data that had been analyzed were shown in the table as
follow:
Student Achiever
No Mood Type
High Middle Low

English Education and Applied Linguistic (EEAL) Journal Vol. 6 No. 1 8

 Non-
44 42 42
Declarative elliptical
1
Mood
Elliptical 4 2 2

2 Interrogative - 1 -

3 Imperative - - -

Total 48 45 44

Based on the data above, the findings of the analysis on the mood type of students’
narrative text, were declarative mood and interrogative mood. The dominant mood
type among the students’ narrative texts was declarative mood.

CONCLUSIONS
This study concerned the type of mood structure found in students’ narrative texts. This
study was conducted in one of high schools. Based on the finding, it can be concluded
that there are two types of mood found in students’ narrative texts. They are
declarative and interrogative mood. The clauses were dominated by declarative mood,
it reveals the relationship between the author and the readers.
Some problems found in the students’ narrative writing. They are: limited
knowledge about structures, error use of modal word order errors and inappropriate
verb use, wrong choice of process type, lack of vocabulary mastery. This study would
give to the teacher the overview of how we can use or adjust teaching method
especially for writing seen from the result of mood block in this study.

REFERENCES
Arigusman, A. (2018). An Analysis of Student’s Narrative Text Writing: An SFL Approach.
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Butt, R. F., Feez, S., Spinks, S., & CYallop. (2003). Using FunctionalGrammar:An
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Chan, E., & Unsworth, L. (2011). Image – language interaction in online reading
environments : challenges for students ’ reading comprehension. 181–202.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-011-0023-y
Eggins, S. (2004). An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics (2nd ed.). Printer
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Halliday, M. A. K., & Mattiessan, C. (2004). An Introduction to Functional Grammar,
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Joyce, H., & Feez, S. (2013). USING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS TO IMPROVE READING.
Ye, R. (2002). The Interpersonal Metafunction Analysis of Barack Obama’s. English
Language Teaching, 146(www.ccsenet.org/elt).
Yusuf, N. F., & Novita, E. O. (2020). EFL Teachers’ Perceived Language Proficiency and
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