Writing Tip: Contraction Word dalam Bahasa Inggris
Contraction Word
Ketika mempelajari bahasa Inggris, kita akan menjumpai yang namanya contraction word. Contraction word adalah bentuk singkat dari sebuah kata atau beberapa kata.
Penyingkatan dalam contraction word dilakukan dengan cara menghilangkan satu atau beberapa karakter dalam kata, kemudian menggantinya dengan karakter lain; dalam hal ini menggunakan apostrophe (‘).
Contraction word merupakan abbreviation (singkatan), namun tidak semua abbreviation adalah contraction word.
Contoh contraction word yang biasa kita jumpai antara lain: I’m, you’re, there’s, that’s, it’s, dan sebagainya.
Mengapa orang-orang menggunakan contraction word? Contraction word digunakan sebagai shortcut atau untuk mempersingkat ucapan. Ketika kita mengucapkan kata-kata dalam bahasa Inggris tanpa menggunakan contraction word, kita telah memberi penekanan pada kalimat kita.
Simak contoh berikut.
- Don’t feed the animal. (Jangan memberi makan binatang)
- Do not feed the animal. (Jangan memberi makan binatang)
Dua kalimat di atas memiliki pengertian yang sama. Hanya saja, di kalimat (2) ada penekanan khusus dalam pesan yang disampaikan dengan dihilangkannya contraction word.
Selain itu, penggunaan contraction word umumnya hanya diletakkan di awal atau di tengah sebuah kalimat. Kita tidak menempatkan contraction word di akhir kalimat, akan tetapi harus mengembalikannya pada bentuk asal; kecuali untuk contraction word yang yang berakhiran “not”.
Perhatikan contoh dalam dialog berikut.
A: Are you okay?
B: Yes, I am. (bukan “Yes, I’m.”)
A: Can you take me to school tomorrow?
B: I’m afraid I can’t. (bisa juga “I’m afraid I cannot”)
Pada dasarnya, contraction word sudah memiliki bentuk standar; sehingga kita tidak bisa membuat sendiri contraction word versi kita yang bisa diterima secara resmi dalam dunia literasi formal.
Untuk itu, kita harus benar-benar memahami mana saja yang termasuk contraction word berikut bentuk aslinya.
Contraction word bisa juga diterapkan dalam angka, contohnya sebagai berikut:
- ’45 = 1945
- ’80 = 1980
- ’05 = 2005
- ’18 = 2018
Daftar Contraction Words
Barikut ini adalah contraction words standard yang biasa digunakan dalam bahasa Inggris.
| Contraction | Meaning |
| ain’t | am not / is not / are not / has not / have not / did not |
| amn’t | am not |
| aren’t | are not |
| can’t | cannot |
| could’ve | could have |
| couldn’t | could not |
| daren’t | dare not / dared not |
| daresn’t | dare not |
| dasn’t | dare not |
| didn’t | did not |
| doesn’t | does not |
| don’t | do not / does not |
| e’er | ever |
| everyone’s | everyone is |
| gimme | give me |
| gonna | going to |
| gotta | got to |
| hadn’t | had not |
| hasn’t | has not |
| haven’t | have not |
| he’d | he had / he would |
| he’ll | he shall / he will |
| he’s | he has / he is |
| how’d | how did / how would |
| how’ll | how will |
| how’re | how are |
| how’s | how has / how is / how does |
| I’d | I had / I would |
| I’ll | I shall / I will |
| I’m | I am |
| I’m’a | I am going to |
| I’ve | I have |
| isn’t | is not |
| it’d | it would |
| it’ll | it shall / it will |
| it’s | it has / it is |
| let’s | let us |
| ma’am | madam |
| mayn’t | may not |
| may’ve | may have |
| mightn’t | might not |
| might’ve | might have |
| mustn’t | must not |
| must’ve | must have |
| needn’t | need not |
| ne’er | never |
| o’clock | of the clock |
| o’er | over |
| ol’ | old |
| oughtn’t | ought not |
| shan’t | shall not |
| she’d | she had / she would |
| she’ll | she shall / she will |
| she’s | she has / she is |
| should’ve | should have |
| shouldn’t | should not |
| somebody’s | somebody has / somebody is |
| someone’s | someone has / someone is |
| something’s | something has / something is |
| that’ll | that shall / that will |
| that’re | that are |
| that’s | that has / that is |
| that’d | that would / that had |
| there’d | there had / there would |
| there’re | there are |
| there’s | there has / there is |
| these’re | these are |
| they’d | they had / they would |
| they’ll | they shall / they will |
| they’re | they are |
| they’ve | they have |
| this’s | this has / this is |
| those’re | those are |
| ’tis | it is |
| ’twas | it was |
| wasn’t | was not |
| we’d | we had / we would |
| we’d’ve | we would have |
| we’ll | we will |
| we’re | we are |
| we’ve | we have |
| weren’t | were not |
| what’d | what did |
| what’ll | what shall / what will |
| what’re | what are |
| what’s | what has / what is / what does |
| what’ve | what have |
| when’s | when has / when is |
| where’d | where did |
| where’re | where are |
| where’s | where has / where is / where does |
| where’ve | where have |
| which’s | which has / which is |
| who’d | who would / who had / who did |
| who’d’ve | who would have |
| who’ll | who shall / who will |
| who’re | who are |
| who’s | who has / who is / who does |
| who’ve | who have |
| why’d | why did |
| why’re | why are |
| why’s | why has / why is / why does |
| won’t | will not |
| would’ve | would have |
| wouldn’t | would not |
| y’all | you all |
| you’d | you had / you would |
| you’ll | you shall / you will |
| you’re | you are |
| you’ve | you have |
| noun’s | noun is |
| noun(s)’re | noun(s) are |
Contoh Penggunaan
Simaklah penggunaan contraction word dalam dialog di bawah ini.
Adam: Have you seen Chris lately?
Brian: No, I haven’t. It’s been two weeks.
Adam: Don’t you want to call him?
Brian: I’d like to; I guess I’ll do it after school. Can’t we just focus on the tasks for now?
Adam: Alright, let’s do.
Perlu diingat, penggunaan contraction word dalam sebuah tulisan sebaiknya dilakukan hanya dalam keperluan informal. Jadi, ada baiknya untuk tidak menuliskan contraction word dalam tulisan formal seperti job application (surat lamaran kerja) atau urusan bisnis agar tidak mengurangi keseriusan dalam pesan.
Jadi, sebelum memutuskan untuk menggunakan contraction word dalam tulisan; ada baiknya kita melihat dulu siapa yang akan membacanya.
Latihan Soal
Combine the sentences below into a single clear sentence, converting some parts of the sentences into contractions. Feel free to add connecting words, change the word order, and eliminate needless repetition.
Contoh
- Original: You are sick. You should not work too hard.
- Combined: You shouldn’t work too hard when you’re sick.
Soal
- It has been rainy all day.
I will stay home and read a book. - Yesterday I left a message for Amanda.
She has not returned my call. - We are lost.
We are on a road that does not go anywhere. - Marissa has not attended any classes in a week.
I do not know what is troubling her. - I would like to help you.
You are a close friend.
I am too busy right now.
Answers
- Because it’s been rainy all day, I’ll stay home and read a book
- Yesterday I left a message for Amanda, but she hasn’t returned my call.
- We’re lost on a road that doesn’t go anywhere.
- Marissahasn’t attended any classes in a week, and I don’t know what’stroubling her.
- Because you’re a close friend, I’d like to help you, but I’m too busy right now.
