Exploring Coherence In Efl Students’ Writing: A Theme–Rheme And Semantic Discourse Analysis Of Senior High School Texts

Intan Amelia; I Ketut Suardana; Komang Astiari; Ni Nyoman Ayu Tri Hidayanti

doi:10.59672/widyadari.v27i2.7267

Authors

Intan Amelia English Linguistics Program, Bali Dwipa University, Denpasar, Bali – Indonesia
I Ketut Suardana English Linguistics Program, Bali Dwipa University, Denpasar, Bali – Indonesia
Komang Astiari English Linguistics Program, Bali Dwipa University, Denpasar, Bali – Indonesia
Ni Nyoman Ayu Tri Hidayanti English Linguistics Program, Bali Dwipa University, Denpasar, Bali – Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59672/widyadari.v27i2.7267

Keywords:

Student, Semantic Relation, Topical Theme, Conjunction

Abstract

SMA PGRI I Denpasar Bali has deep focus on English application in the school which English becomes special concern given to the students. This research would like to explore the students’ competence in English semantic discourse by investigating the students’ competence in applying Theme-Rheme to connect one clause to other clauses. This research uses qualitative method, Grounded Theory, namely to develop theory of linguistic to reveal the students’ competence in writing skill. The data were taken from twenty tenth grade of SMA PGRI I Denpasar Students in April 2025. Five of the twenty students were chosen as the data randomly. The five students’ work are labelled as Quote, namely; Quite I, Quote, II, Quote III, Quote IV, and Quote V. The clauses in each quote were observed and identified to find out the semantic relation by identifying Theme-Rheme Functions. The theory of Systemic Functional Linguistics, Theme-Rheme is used to examine the students’ competence in English writing which involves Topical Theme and Textual Theme. The result of this research indicates that incompetence of understanding Theme-Rheme in clauses makes the clauses not have semantic relation. Therefore, the students’ work is not categorized as a text. The phenomenon brings positive contribution in English teaching and Semiology which the English teacher must improve the students’ motivation to learn English. In addition, the teacher is expected to teach English reading in different genres. The result of this research adds applied linguistic references which can be used for the following applied linguistics researches.

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