Bahasa Inggris modern mempercayakan sepenuhnya pada tatanan kata (word order) untuk menunjukkan hubungan antar kata. Kalimat Latin Puella amat agricolam dan Agricolam amat puella memiliki makna literal yang sama: The girl loves the farmer. Meskipun subyek dan obyek dibalik, akhiran khusus (-a dan -am) membuat makna dari kalimat itu tidak dapat salah. Tetapi jika kata Bahasa Inggris dibalik, begitu juga makna Bahasa Inggrisnya berubah: The girl loves the farmer; The farmer loves the girl. Tatanan kata adalah tatanan atau urutan kata dalam kalimat atau kelompok kata yang lebih kecil. Tatanan kata sangat penting bagi makna dalam Bahasa Inggris. Ia adalah satu dari piranti gramatikal yang sangat penting dalam Bahasa Inggris.

Kita tahu bahwa tatanan sebagian besar adverbia dalam bahasa Inggris adalah sangat fleksibel, dan posisinya sering diubah. Belajar Bahasa Inggris kita lanjutkan dengan memperhatikan ketentuan umum berikut ini:

1. Posisi normal bagi sebagian besar adverbia adalah di akhir kalimat. Kata keterangan cara akan hadir duluan, diikuti oleh kata keterangan tempat, dan terakhir kata keterangan waktu.
2. Verba dan obyek tidak pernah dipisahkan oleh adverbia.
3. Kata keterangan waktu sering hadir di awal kalimat.
4. Dengan verba aksi, tempatnya kata keterangan mengikuti verba.

INCORRECT     He spoke at the meeting knowledgeably this morning.

    CORRECT     He spoke knowledgeably at the meeting this morning. (Rule 4)

INCORRECT    The family came in 1975 to the United States by boat.

    CORRECT    The family came to the United States by boat in 1975. (Rule 1)

INCORRECT     I read quickly the letter from my parents.

    CORRECT     I read the letter from my parents quickly. (Rule 2)

INCORRECT     The student spent in the library six hours yesterday.

    CORRECT     The student spent six hours in the library yesterday. (Rule 2)

INCORRECT     Do you want to go tonight to the movies?

    CORRECT     Do you want to go to the movies tonight? (Rule 1)

INCORRECT     The Arab speaks very well English.

    CORRECT     The Arab speaks English very well. (Rule 2)

INCORRECT     She does completely her assignments every night.

    CORRECT     She does her assignments completely every night. (Rule 2)

INCORRECT     My husband prefers to eat at home his lunch at noon.

    CORRECT     My husband prefers to eat his lunch at home at noon. (Rule 2)

Catatan tambahan pada tatanan kata dalam bahasa Inggris:

(1) Dalam klausa nomina yang diperkenalkan oleh kata tanya, gunakan tatanan kata pernyataan. 

     Contoh: I'm not sure what he bought at the store.

(2) Tempatkan kata keterangan frekuensi di depan verba utama dari kalimat kecuali verba "be."

     Contoh: The chairman is always on time.  (is = verba be)

     Contoh: The children never quarrel with each other.  (quarrel = verba utama)

     Contoh: We have often visited them.  (visited = verba utama)

(3) Ketika sebuah kalimat mulai dengan kata atau frasa negatif atau mendekati negatif, gunakan tatanan kata pertanyaan. Penjelasan lengkapnya sebagai berikut:

Pembalikan Tatanan Kata setelah

Elemen Kata Keterangan Tertentu 

Tatanan subyek dan obyek dibalik setelah elemen kata keterangan berikut:

a) Ekspresi negatif kata keterangan dengan no, not, never, neither

        In no (or in neither) case can an exception be made.

        Never have I seen such a stupid person.

        Never do the children quarrel with each other.

        Not until he loses all his money will he stop gambling.

Pembalikan tatanan kata yang sama terjadi setelah kata sambung negatif--neither, nor, not only--but also, no  sooner--than

        I cannot attend the meeting tonight, and neither can my wife.

        Not only is she very beautiful , but she is also very intelligent.

        No sooner had he begun his vacation then he became ill.

b) Ekspresi mendekati negatif kata keterangan--scarcely, seldom, rarely, barely, hardly

        Scarcely had he entered the room when he was approached by a bearded stranger.

        Seldom (or rarely) has anyone succeeded in this kind of business.

c) Ekspresi kata keterangan dengan only

        Only after an operation will he be able to walk again.

        Only at the zoo can you see monkeys.

        In only one instance has he ever failed me.

d) Ekspresi kata keterangan dengan so

       So greatly did he admire the beautiful actress that he asked her to marry him.

       Everyone wildly applauded the violinist, so thrilling was his performance.

Tatanan kata juga dibalik setelah kata sambung so--I caught a cold, and so did my wife.

INCORRECT     I forgot sometimes my phone number.

    CORRECT     I sometimes forgot my phone number.

INCORRECT     We just have finished eating.

    CORRECT     We have just finished eating.

INCORRECT     The highways usually are crowded on the weekend.

    CORRECT     The highways are usually crowded on the weekend.

INCORRECT     Rarely I have been to court.

    CORRECT     Rarely have I been to court.

INCORRECT     Almost never he irons his own clothes.

    CORRECT     Almost never does he iron his own clothes.

INCORRECT     Hardly ever they attend church.

    CORRECT     Hardly ever do they attend church.

INCORRECT     Not only he broke two glasses, but also he left the table dirty.

    CORRECT     Not only did he break two glasses, but also he left the table dirty. 

INCORRECT     Nowhere in this city you will find high fashion.

    CORRECT     Nowhere in this city will you find high fashion.

INCORRECT     Do you know why is he so angry?

    CORRECT     Do you know why he is so angry?

INCORRECT     It is unclear how did he escape.

    CORRECT     It is unclear how he escaped.

INCORRECT     He doesn't know when will he be here again.

    CORRECT     He doesn't know when he will be here again.

INCORRECT     Please show me how does this machine work.

    CORRECT     Please show me how this machine works.

INCORRECT     I'm never quite sure whom can I trust.

    CORRECT     I'm never quite sure whom I can trust.

INCORRECT     I need to know what time is it.

    CORRECT     I need to know what time it is.

INCORRECT     Can you tell me where is his house?

    CORRECT     Can you tell me where his house is?

INCORRECT     I wonder why did he tell a lie.

    CORRECT     I wonder why he told a lie.   

Sampailah sudah di penghujung pokok bahasan Verba dan Obyek Tak Pernah Dipisahkan Adverbia. Setelah membaca, tentunya, para pembelajar Bahasa Inggris semakin tercerahkan. Semoga. Amin.

Belajar Bahasa Inggris yang komplet dan mencerahkan. Ulasan grammar Bahasa Inggris yang lengkap, mendalam, dan lugas. Artikel Bahasa Inggris yang enak dibaca dan perlu. Tetap semangat! Keep moving on! 

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