HSC Indonesian Extension (NSW) common mistakes
HSC Indonesian Extension (NSW) · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Writing the listening/reading response in English or in a mix of English and Indonesian when the question is set in Indonesian and expects an Indonesian answer.
Under time pressure and when a text is only partly understood, candidates default to English to get the idea down, or they switch mid-sentence because they lack the Indonesian metalanguage for analysis (for example 'the tone suggests', 'the writer implies').
What to do instead
Build a bank of analytical sentence frames in Indonesian (penulis menyiratkan, nada teks ini, hal ini menunjukkan bahwa) and practise writing every practice answer in Indonesian even when incomplete. Draft in Indonesian from the first word rather than translating from an English plan.
Summarising or retelling the content of a text instead of answering the set question about how meaning is made or what the text reveals.
Candidates equate comprehension with understanding and reproduce the gist because it feels safe; they have not practised distinguishing 'what does it say' from 'how and why does it say it' or 'what does this reveal about the issue'.
What to do instead
Before writing, underline the question's command word and rewrite the question in your own words in one line at the top of the answer. Then ensure every sentence answers that line, not the text's plot. Practise converting summary sentences into analytical ones using 'this shows that...'.
Ignoring or misreading textual signposts such as connectors and modality (namun, justru, seharusnya, mungkin, konon) that carry the writer's stance.
Candidates read for vocabulary they recognise and skip small function words, so they miss contrast, concession, hedging and emphasis, and they attribute a firm opinion to a writer who was actually tentative.
What to do instead
Do targeted signpost drills: take a short authentic text, circle every connector and modal, and state in one Indonesian sentence what each does to the writer's position. Learn connectors in contrast pairs (namun/sebaliknya, justru/malah, meskipun/walaupun) rather than as isolated vocabulary.
Producing text in the wrong register or text type, for example writing a formal essay when the task asks for a letter to a friend, or using colloquial language in a formal article.
Candidates focus on content and grammar and treat text type as decoration; they have not internalised the conventions (salutations, opening and closing formulas, level of formality, use of aku/anda/kami) of each required text type.
What to do instead
Keep a one-page convention sheet per text type (surat resmi, surat pribadi, artikel, pidato, ulasan) listing salutations, structure and register markers. Before writing, spend two minutes planning the skeleton of the required text type, then draft inside that skeleton.
Writing extended Indonesian text with English word order and literal translation, producing grammatically Indonesian-looking sentences that are structurally English.
Candidates compose in English mentally and translate clause by clause, so they misplace modifiers, overuse adalah and adalah-based copulas, drop the meN- prefix, and misuse yang as a universal relative marker.
What to do instead
Practise sentence-combining and reformulation tasks in Indonesian only, and keep an error log of your own recurring calques. Learn high-frequency patterns as chunks (yang paling, merupakan, disebabkan oleh, cenderung untuk) and check each sentence for verb morphology before moving on.
Treating the in-depth study as a broad topic description (for example a general essay on Indonesian youth culture) rather than a focused investigation with a research question and argument.
Candidates confuse accumulating information with investigating, and the syllabus topic is broad, so they gather facts and present them without a question, a line of argument or a conclusion that answers anything.
What to do instead
Write a single research question and a one-sentence thesis before any research, and test every source and note against it. Structure the final product as question, evidence, analysis, conclusion, and delete any material that does not serve the question.
Relying on translated English-language sources or generic web summaries instead of Indonesian-language primary and secondary sources.
English sources are easier to find and read, so candidates use them and then paraphrase in English-influenced Indonesian, losing the linguistic and cultural specificity the task rewards.
What to do instead
Set a source rule: at least the core sources must be in Indonesian (news sites, interviews, government or organisational publications, academic articles). Read Indonesian sources from the start of the project so your notes, quotations and vocabulary are already in the target language.
Presenting sources and quotations without evaluating them, so a personal blog, an official statistic and a newspaper opinion piece are cited as if equally authoritative.
Candidates treat referencing as a formatting requirement rather than an analytical act, and they lack the vocabulary to comment on reliability, bias and perspective in Indonesian.
What to do instead
For each key source, write two Indonesian sentences: what it claims and how reliable or limited it is, using frames such as sumber ini kredibel karena, namun data ini perlu dipertanyakan karena, sudut pandang penulis cenderung. Include this evaluation in the final product rather than a bare bibliography.
Using the personal investigation as an excuse for unsupported personal opinion, asserting views about the issue with no evidence from the research.
The word 'personal' invites candidates to write from intuition, and they have not been taught to connect claims to evidence drawn from their sources or fieldwork.
What to do instead
Adopt an evidence-per-claim rule: every substantive assertion in the product must be followed by a source, example or data point. Draft in a two-column format (claim / evidence) before writing prose, and convert each pair into a paragraph.
Running out of time or words because the response is not planned, leaving the conclusion unfinished or the analysis shallow in the final section.
Candidates start writing immediately, spend disproportionate time on the opening, and discover the analytical core too late; in the examination they also misjudge the weighting of marks across tasks.
What to do instead
Allocate time by marks before starting and write a three-line plan (question, key points, conclusion) for every extended response. Practise under timed conditions so you know your realistic output, and reserve the last few minutes to write the concluding sentence that answers the question directly.