Items Involving Verb Problems TOEFL: Panduan Lengkap, Contoh & Tabel

Items Involving Verb Problems TOEFL adalah salah satu pokok materi penting di sesi Structure and Written Expression. Topik ini dibahas khusus sebagai bagian dari ranah “Verbs and Verbals” yang kerap muncul di soal–soal struktur. Artikel blog ini menulis ulang inti materi Items Involving Verb Problems dengan gaya akademik, sistematis, dan praktis untuk persiapan TOEFL PBT/ITP maupun latihan struktur bahasa Inggris. Kita akan menelaah concord (subject–verb agreement), passive voice beserta polanya (termasuk modal + be + V3), subjunctive (khususnya pola wish + past), conditionals (termasuk inversion), hingga causatives yang sering menjerat peserta ujian. Rujukan spesifik pada halaman yang relevan disertakan di sepanjang penjelasan.

Items Involving Verb Problems TOEFL

A. Concord (Subject–Verb Agreement)

1) Prinsip dasar

• Subjek tunggal → verb tunggal; subjek jamak → verb jamak.

• Hati-hati pada kata benda tak-terhitung (uncountable) seperti money, furniture, information yang memperlakukan verba sebagai tunggal: Money is… (bukan are). Buku mencontohkan money harus mengambil is, bukan are.

• Pada subjek majemuk dengan and, umumnya jamak; dengan or / nor, verba menyesuaikan bagian subjek yang dekat dengan verba.

2) Subjek yang menipu (tricky subjects)

• Kuantitas & ukuran (five kilometers, two years, a lot of time) biasanya diartikan satu kesatuan → verb tunggal.

• Kata depan + noun seperti A number of… (jamak) vs. The number of… (tunggal).

• Judul, nama organisasi, dan bidang studi sering dianggap sebagai satu unit → tunggal.

• Kata benda kolektif (team, audience) bergantung pada makna—kolektif sebagai satu unit (tunggal) vs. anggota terpisah (jamak).

3) Contoh & Diagnostik

• Most of her money is used up for her daughter’s wedding party. (benar: is)—contoh soal yang dijelaskan langsung pada buku.

• The data show… (gaya ilmiah modern sering memperlakukan data jamak, tetapi di beberapa konteks kebakuan modern juga menerima data sebagai mass noun tunggal. Dalam TOEFL struktur klasik, preferensi jamak kerap muncul; tetap peka pada konteks kalimat.)

Tips cepat: tutup semua sisipan/frasa penjelas. Cocokkan inti subjek dengan verb. Untuk or / nor, lihat subjek terdekat.

B. Passive Voice: Pola & Aplikasinya

1) Rumus umum & cakupan tenses

Buku menegaskan rumus pasif: to be + V3 (past participle).

Penjelasan bagian “Vocabulary” juga memperkenalkan “pola pembentukan kalimat pasif dari berbagai bentuk”—sebuah isyarat agar pembelajar menguasai pasif lintas tenses.

Tabel: Pola Pasif di Berbagai Waktu

Catatan ujian: cek indikator pasif by + agent. Jika subjek jamak (mis. rights), to be harus plural (are), sebagaimana dijelaskan dalam pembahasan soal di buku.

2) Kapan memilih pasif

• Fokus pada aksi/hasil ketimbang pelaku.

• Pelaku unknown/irrelevant: The files were deleted.

• Gaya ilmiah: menonjolkan prosedur/hasil (Data were analyzed…).

3) Salah kaprah yang sering muncul

• Menggunakan V2 alih-alih V3 (mis. was renovate → salah; harus was renovated).

• Lupa menyesuaikan to be dengan jumlah subjek (rights are guaranteed).

C. Subjunctive “Wish + Past” (dan ekspresi keinginan tidak nyata)

Lesson 14 menggarisbawahi pola present subjunctive untuk “wish”: wish + S + V2—mengacu pada situasi berlawanan dengan kenyataan saat ini.

Misal:

• Fakta: I don’t have enough money.

• Subjunctive: I wish I had (enough money).—ini contoh yang dijelaskan di buku.

Contoh lain dalam pembahasan: Stanka wishes she could marry Marek and live together… → live perlu diubah menjadi bentuk lampau lived agar konsisten dengan wish + V2.

Ringkas: wish + past (present unreal), wish + past perfect (past unreal). Hindari wish + present untuk menyatakan keinginan berlawanan fakta saat ini.

D. Conditional Sentences (Termasuk Inversion)

1) Type II (Present Unreal)

Struktur umum Type II: if + simple past, S + would/could + base. Pada subjunctive past, to be → were untuk semua orang (If he were here…). Buku menegaskan bahwa pada conditional, bentuk to be di simple past adalah were, bukan was

Contoh dari pembahasan:

• If the price were so high, I would buy it for you… (buku menandai pemilihan were pada pola Type II).

2) Type III (Past Unreal) & Inversion

Pola Type III: if + had + V3, S + would/could + have + V3. Variasi inversion (susun balik) menghilangkan “if”: Had + S + V3, S + would/could + have + V3. Buku memberi contoh: Had they been rich, they would have been very generous. (perbaikan dari would be → would have been).

Kiat: cari penanda waktu (yesterday, last year, by the time…) untuk membedakan antara Type II (present unreal) vs. Type III (past unreal).

E. Causatives (Get + Object)

Causative get: untuk aktif, polanya S + get + objek (orang) + to-infinitive (mis. I will get someone to fix it). Ini dibahas eksplisit di pembahasan soal.

Catatan: have/get something done (pasif) juga lazim di TOEFL, namun fokus pembahasan pada kutipan di buku adalah get + someone + to-infinitive untuk aktif.

F. Verb Problems Lain yang Sering Muncul di Pembahasan

Walau inti “verb problems” pada Lesson 14 berfokus pada concord, pasif, subjunctive, conditional, dan causatives, beberapa jebakan lain kerap muncul dalam Written Expression dan dibahas di halaman pembahasan kunci:

1. Modal + be + V3 untuk pasif yang mewajibkan tindakan (must be improved).

2. Derajat perbandingan (comparative degree) pada kalimat yang membandingkan dua hal (…are ___ those which…)—indikasi bahwa pilihan bentuk bandingan harus tepat.

3. Penanda pasif sering tampak bersama by-phrase; pastikan to be menyesuaikan number subjek (mis. same rights … are … by all citizens).

G. Diagnostik Cepat Verb Problems

H. Contoh & Pembahasan

1) Concord
Soal: Each of the students ___ responsible for the report.
Analisis: Each of + plural noun → inti subjek tunggal → is.
Jawaban: is.

2) Concord—uncountable
Soal: Most of her money ___ used up…
Analisis: money uncountable → is (lihat pembahasan asli).

Jawaban: is.

3) Pasif (V3 wajib)
Soal: The house was ___ after the earthquake…
Analisis: pasif → to be + V3; bukan V1/V2. Buku menegaskan was renovated adalah bentuk benar.
Jawaban: renovated.

4) Pasif + Modal
Soal: The quality must ___ improved.
Analisis: pasif setelah modal: modal + be + V3—dibahas eksplisit.
Jawaban: be.

5) Subjunctive (wish + past)
Soal: I wish I ___ enough time. (Fakta: I don’t have enough time)
Analisis: wish + V2 (present unreal). Buku memberi pola dan contoh serupa.
Jawaban: had.

6) Conditional Type II (were)
Soal: If he ___ here, we would finish earlier.
Analisis: Type II; to be → were untuk semua orang (lihat catatan buku).
Jawaban: were.

7) Conditional Inversion (Type III)
Soal: ___ they been informed, they would have come earlier.
Analisis: Inversion tanpa if: Had + S + V3 (rujukan contoh di buku).
Jawaban: Had.

8) Causative (get + someone + to-infinitive)
Soal: I will get the technician ___ the printer.
Analisis: aktif: get + person + to-infinitive (dibahas di buku).
Jawaban: to fix.

I. “Verb Problems” yang Paling Sering Dites

J. Strategi Menghadapi Soal “Verb Problems” di TOEFL

1. Identifikasi inti subjek (hapus keterangan/sisipan), samakan dengan verb → selesaikan concord dulu.

2. Cari ciri pasif (by + agent, bentuk to be) → pastikan V3 dan number tepat.

3. Tandai modal → pasif setelah modal = modal + be + V3.

4. Deteksi ke-tidaknyataan (unreality) → wish + past (present unreal) atau wish + past perfect (past unreal).

5. Klasifikasikan conditional (II vs. III) & inversion; periksa were dan have + V3 pada sisi kanan koma.

6. Kenali pola causative—terutama get + someone + to-infinitive.

7. Baca pilihan terlebih dahulu pada soal Structure (saran global buku)—agar tahu apa yang dicari kalimat.

K. Latihan Mini (Bahas Singkat)

1. Neither of the proposals ___ feasible at the moment. → is (inti subjek tunggal).

2. The policy must ___ revised to meet the new standard. → be (modal + be + V3).

3. I wish the lab were nearer. (present unreal; wish + past).

4. Had the committee been informed earlier, the decision would have changed. (Type III inversion).

5. We will get the supplier to send the samples today. (causative aktif).

L. Kesalahan Umum & Cara Memperbaikinya

• Mengira “money” jamak → perbaiki ke is.

• Pasif tanpa V3 → was renovate ✗ → was renovated ✓.

• Lupa aturan were pada Type II → If he was here ✗ → If he were here ✓.

• Salah konstruksi pasif setelah modal → must improved ✗ → must be improved ✓.

• Wish + present → I wish I have ✗ → I wish I had ✓.

Key Takeaways (5 poin)

1. Concord adalah fondasi: cocokkan inti subjek dan verb; waspadai uncountable & struktur or/nor.

2. Passive voice menuntut to be + V3; sesuaikan to be dengan jumlah subjek; untuk modal gunakan modal + be + V3.

3. Subjunctive (wish): wish + past untuk fakta kini yang berlawanan.

4. Conditionals: Type II gunakan were; Type III gunakan have + V3; kenali inversion (Had + S + V3…).

5. Causative aktif: get + someone + to-infinitive adalah pola yang sering dites.

TERKAIT: Incomplete Prepositional Phrases (TOEFL): Cara Cepat Memilih Preposition + Object yang Tepat

Paket Latihan 20 Soal – Items Involving Verb Problems

Pilih jawaban terbaik (A–D). Setelah tiap soal, baca jawaban & pembahasan untuk memahami alasannya.

A. Subject–Verb Agreement (1–5)

1) Either the manager or the assistants ___ responsible for filing the report.

A. is
B. are
C. has been
D. was

Jawaban: B. are
Pembahasan: Pada struktur either…or, verb menyesuaikan subjek terdekat. Subjek terdekat “the assistants” (jamak) → are.

2) The amount of microplastic in the oceans ___ increasing every year.

A. are
B. were
C. is
D. have been

Jawaban: C. is
Pembahasan: The amount of + uncountable diperlakukan tunggal → is.

3) The committee ___ agreed to postpone the vote until next week.

A. have
B. has
C. are
D. were

Jawaban: B. has
Pembahasan: Collective noun (committee) dalam gaya ujian TOEFL umumnya tunggal bila bertindak sebagai satu kesatuan → has.

4) A number of recent studies ___ the risks of excessive screen time.

A. has shown
B. have shown
C. shows
D. show

Jawaban: B. have shown
Pembahasan: A number of + plural noun → verb plural (have shown). (Catatan: The number of… biasanya singular.)

5) The news about the layoffs ___ been confirmed yet.

A. hasn’t
B. haven’t
C. aren’t
D. weren’t

Jawaban: A. hasn’t
Pembahasan: News bersifat tak-hitung (mass noun) → singular. Bentuk yang tepat: hasn’t been confirmed.

B. Passive Voice (6–9)

6) All documents must ___ before 5 p.m.

A. be sign
B. be signed
C. been signed
D. be signing

Jawaban: B. be signed
Pembahasan: Pasif setelah modal = modal + be + V3 → must be signed.

7) The historic theater ___ in 1920 and ___ last year to meet safety standards.

A. built – renovated
B. was built – renovated
C. was built – was renovated
D. is built – was renovated

Jawaban: C. was built – was renovated
Pembahasan: Keduanya peristiwa lampau dan pasif → was built & was renovated (V3).

8) The results ___ to the wrong address yesterday.

A. was sent
B. were sent
C. had sent
D. have sent

Jawaban: B. were sent
Pembahasan: Subjek jamak (results) + pasif lampau → were sent.

9) By the end of this month, the bridge ___ to traffic for ten days.

A. will be closed
B. will have been closed
C. is being closed
D. has been closing

Jawaban: B. will have been closed
Pembahasan: Makna “sudah tertutup selama sepuluh hari pada titik waktu di masa depan” → future perfect passive: will have been closed.

C. Subjunctive (Wish / If only) (10–12)

10) I wish the instructions ___ clearer.

A. are
B. were
C. have been
D. would be

Jawaban: B. were
Pembahasan: Wish + past (were) untuk situasi berlawanan fakta saat ini (present unreal).

11) She wishes she ___ more time to practice last week.

A. had
B. had had
C. would have
D. has had

Jawaban: B. had had
Pembahasan: Keinginan terhadap masa lalu (past unreal) → wish + past perfect (had had).

12) If only he ___ here now, we could start the meeting.

A. is
B. was
C. were
D. would be

Jawaban: C. were
Pembahasan: If only + past (were) untuk present unreal; bentuk were digunakan untuk semua orang pada pola hipotesis.

D. Conditionals & Inversion (13–16)

13) If you ___ earlier, we would have caught the train.

A. leave
B. left
C. had left
D. would leave

Jawaban: C. had left
Pembahasan: Type III (past unreal): if + had + V3, would have + V3.

14) Had the alarm ___, the damage would have been minimal.

A. be heard
B. been heard
C. heard
D. had heard

Jawaban: B. been heard
Pembahasan: Inversion (tanpa if): Had + S + V3. Di sini bentuk pasif: been heard.

15) If he ___ the instructions carefully, he would not be confused now.

A. reads
B. read
C. had read
D. would read

Jawaban: C. had read
Pembahasan: Mixed conditional: penyebab masa lalu → akibat masa kini. If he had read… he would not be….

16) Were the proposal less risky, the board ___ it.

A. will approve
B. would approve
C. would have approved
D. approved

Jawaban: B. would approve
Pembahasan: Inversion Type II (present unreal): Were + S + adj/noun… , S + would + base.

E. Causatives (17–20)

17) We will get the technician ___ the server immediately.

A. restart
B. to restart
C. restarting
D. to restarting

Jawaban: B. to restart
Pembahasan: Causative aktif (get): get + person + to-infinitive.

18) She had her laptop ___ yesterday.

A. to repair
B. repaired
C. repairing
D. to be repaired

Jawaban: B. repaired
Pembahasan: Causative pasif (have something done): have + object + V3.

19) The manager got the team ___ the report by noon.

A. finish
B. to finish
C. finished
D. to be finished

Jawaban: B. to finish
Pembahasan: Get + person + to-infinitive (aktif). Finished akan mengubah makna menjadi pasif/hasil.

20) They will have the documents ___ before the deadline.

A. to sign
B. signed
C. being signed
D. to be sign

Jawaban: B. signed
Pembahasan: Have + object + V3 menyatakan pasif hasil (have the documents signed). Pilihan lain tidak gramatikal atau bermakna lain.

SUMBER:

• Purdue OWL – Grammar (Subject–Verb Agreement, Passive)

• Cambridge Grammar – Conditionals