A sentence in normal order (susunan biasa) puts the subject first and the predicate second: “Bunga itu cantik sungguh.” An inverted sentence (susunan songsang) swaps them to stress the predicate: “Cantik sungguh bunga itu.” The meaning is the same; the emphasis changes.
What your child will learn
- Tell normal order from inverted order
- Invert a sentence and turn it back
- Find the subject and predicate in an inverted sentence
Predicate to the front
To invert, move the whole predicate to the front. “Mereka bermain di padang” becomes “Bermain di padang mereka.” “Baju itu sangat mahal” becomes “Sangat mahal baju itu.”
Writers invert to make a description more striking, and the particle -lah often joins the predicate: “Pergilah kamu.” Pantun and stories use inversion a great deal.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Tukarkan kepada susunan biasa: “Sedang tidur bayi itu.”
😴- Tidur sedang bayi itu.
- Bayi itu sedang tidur.
- Itu bayi sedang tidur.
- Sedang bayi itu tidur.
Show answer
Answer: Bayi itu sedang tidur.. Subjek “bayi itu” diletakkan di hadapan.
2. Dalam ayat songsang “Pergilah kamu”, subjeknya ialah…
- pergilah
- lah
- pergi
- kamu
Show answer
Answer: kamu. “Kamu” ialah subjek; “pergilah” ialah predikat.
3. Betul atau salah? “Kucing itu comel” ialah ayat susunan biasa.
🐱- Salah
- Betul
Show answer
Answer: Betul. Subjek “kucing itu” hadir dahulu.
Tips for grown-ups
- Say a plain sentence and take turns flipping it.
- Hunt for inverted sentences in a storybook or song.