Connecting the Dots: Simple Past Tense Proficiency and Narrative Fluency in Middle School Writing

This study investigates the correlation between students' mastery of basic past tenses and their ability to compose recount prose in eighth-grade students.Using convenience sampling, 29 students from SMP Muhammadiyah 10 Sidoarjo participated, undertaking a simple past tense mastery test and a recount text writing assessment.Analysis via Pearson Product Moment correlation revealed a significant positive relationship (r=0.848,p<0.05) between past tense mastery and recount text composition, with the former strongly aiding the latter.The findings underscore the integral role of past tense understanding in narrative construction, offering insights into language pedagogy and curriculum design.