YUNIARTI Pengarang Agus Triyogo, M.Pd. Dosen Pembimbing 1 Maria Ramasari, M.Pd. Dosen Pembimbing 2 Agus Triyogo, M.Pd. Ketua Penguji Ayu Oktaviani, S.Pd., M.A., M.Pd. Penguji 1 Yulfi, M.Pd. Penguji 2 YUNIARTI Contributor

The aimed of this research was to find out students’ difficulties and the factors of speaking English. The subjects of this research were the eight grade students at SMP Negeri 3 Lubuklinggau. This research was a quantitative descriptive research and the population of the eighth grade students in Lubuklinggau is 263 students. The researcher used cluster random sampling technique in taking the research sample with a total of 32 students in class VIII.5 as the sample. To collect data, the researcher used questionnaires and interviews to find out the students' difficulties in speaking English and the factors causing it. The results showed that students had difficulty in speaking English which was caused by several factors, as follow (1) inhibition, they were afraid of making mistakes and afraid of being criticized or simply shy. (2) nothing to say, they have no idea to express themselves when they want to speak English, (3) low or uneven participation, the students are not participation in the class, (4) mother tongue use, it is easier for students to use their mother tongue than English. Based on the four factors of difficulty faced by students in speaking English, the most dominant factors are inhibition and mother tongue use which makes it difficult for them to master speaking skill. Keywords: Analysis, Difficulty, Speaking English.