Inversions

Dalam Bahasa Inggris, suatu kalimat subjek dan kata kerjanya dapat dibalik untuk tujuan tertentu. Pembalikan tersebut disebut dengan Inversion, sepertinya dalam:

1. Kalimat Pertanyaan
2. Kalimat Negatif
3. Frasa Kata Depan yang menerangkan tempat
4. Kalimat Conditionals
5. Kalimat Elipsis

1. Pertanyaan

• He is a doctor. Is he a doctor? (inversion langsung)
• He ate an apple. Did he eat an apple? (inversion dengan do)

2. Negatif

• He is a doctor. Not only is he a doctor, (but) he is also a millionaire.
• He ate an apple. Not only did he eat an apple, (but) he also ate an orange.

3. Frasa kata depan yang menerangkan tempat (Diperlukan)

• On the table is a book. On the table (there) is a book.

Frasa kata depan dibutuhkan disini, karena tanpanya, kalimat ini tidak akan lengkap (…is a book…bukan kalimat lengkap dan tidak dapat dipahami sampai disitu). Jadi Inversion dibutuhkan.

• At the restaurant, the food was too spicy.

(pada kalimat di atas, inversion tidak dibutuhkan), sebab tanpa frasa kata depan pun, kalimat … the food was too spicy …sudah dapat dipahami dengan baik.

4. Kalimat Conditionals

• If you had listened to me, you wouldn’t have lost your job (=had you listened to me, you…)
• If I were you, I wouldn’t do that. (=were I you, …)

5. Kalimat Elipsis

• Henry will not go to the theater and so won’t her.
• You are so busy and so are they.

Catatan:

Bila suatu kalimat diawali dengan kata-kata/frasa berikut ini, maka susunan subjek dan kata kerjanya boleh dibalik.

• Never, hardly, scarcely, seldom, dll sejenis (ekspresi negatif).
• Few, such, so, little, great
• Only, not only

Contoh:

• I had never been asked to do the job. (= Never had I been asked to do the job)
• This letter must not be opened on any account. (= On any account must this letter not be opened)
• The coffee is so hot that I can’t drink it. (= So hot is the coffee that I can’t drink it)
• She is not only beautiful, but she is also intelligent. (= Not only is she beautiful, but she is also intelligent)