Noun Clause & Direct–Indirect Speech: Materi Lengkap, Soal dan Pembahasan

Artikel ini menata ulang materi “Noun Clause & Direct–Indirect” (laporan ujaran) secara sistematis agar mudah dipahami, lengkap dengan definisi, fungsi, pola, dan contoh. Pembahasan dilengkapi tabel pergeseran kala (sequence of tenses), perubahan keterangan waktu/tempat, serta tip antigalat yang sering muncul di soal. Di bagian akhir tersedia 20 butir latihan beserta pembahasan.

Bagian I — Noun Clause

Apa itu Noun Clause?

Noun clause adalah klausa yang berfungsi seperti nomina (kata benda) di dalam kalimat. Artinya, ia dapat menempati posisi subjek, objek (dari verba atau preposisi), pelengkap subjek (subject complement), atau aposisi. Noun clause memiliki subjek dan predikat sendiri, serta biasanya diperkenalkan oleh penanda (subordinator) seperti that, whether/if, wh-words (who, whom, whose, what, which, when, where, why, how).

Penanda (Subordinator) Noun Clause

• that: menyatakan pernyataan/kepercayaan/pendapat
  I believe that he is honest.

• whether / if: untuk pertanyaan ya/tidak (yes–no) yang dilaporkan
  I don’t know whether/if she will come.

• wh-words: untuk mengantar informasi tertentu
  Tell me why you were late.
  I wonder how they solved the problem.

Fungsi Noun Clause dalam Kalimat

1. Subjek
   What you decided matters.
   (Subjek = what you decided)

2. Objek Verba
   She knows that the plan works.

3. Pelengkap Subjek (Subject Complement)
   The issue is whether we have enough time.

4. Objek Preposisi
   We are talking about how the system operates.

5. Aposisi (Appositive)
   The idea, that we should start early, was approved.
   (Dalam praktik akademik modern, aposisi memakai that-clause kerap sama fungsinya dengan pelengkap nomina: the fact that…)

Ciri Tata Bahasa Penting

• Urutan kata (word order) di dalam noun clause pada umumnya seperti kalimat berita (S + V), meski asalnya dari pertanyaan.

  • Pertanyaan: Where did she go?
    Noun clause: I wonder where she went. (tanpa inversi did she go)

• Kesepakatan subjek–verba mengikuti subjek di dalam klausa itu sendiri, bukan subjek kalimat utama.

• Pilihan that: dalam bahasa tulis formal, that biasanya dipertahankan; dalam bahasa tutur, that sering dihilangkan jika tidak menimbulkan ambiguitas.
  I think (that) they agree.

• Penggunaan whether vs if:

  • Gunakan whether dalam konteks formal, setelah preposisi (depend on whether…), atau di awal kalimat sebagai subjek.

  • If lazim untuk objek verba informal, tetapi tidak dipakai setelah preposisi.

Noun Clause setelah Ekspresi Tertentu

• Verba pendapat, keyakinan, persepsi: say, tell, think, believe, report, hear, know, find, realize, suggest (dengan catatan suggest → konstruksi (that) + S + (should) + V1/subjunctive).
  The committee suggested (that) she (should) revise the draft.

• Ekspresi impersonal: It is important/necessary/possible that… (sering diikuti subjunctive/mandative).

• Nomina yang diikuti that-clause: fact, idea, claim, belief, evidence.

Perbandingan Singkat: Noun Clause vs. Relative Clause

• Noun clause = bertindak sebagai nomina (posisi S/O/Complement).

• Relative clause = memodifikasi nomina yang sudah ada (diperkenalkan who, which, that sebagai relative pronoun).
  Contoh:

• Noun clause: I know that he will pass. (objek dari know)

• Relative clause: The student who studies hard will pass. (memodifikasi student)

Bagian II — Direct & Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

Definisi

• Direct speech: mengutip ujaran secara langsung, biasanya memakai tanda kutip.
  She said, “I am tired.”

• Indirect (reported) speech: melaporkan ujaran secara tidak langsung; bentuk verba, pronomina, dan keterangan waktu/tempat dapat bergeser menyesuaikan konteks pelaporan.
  She said (that) she was tired.

Prinsip Umum Perubahan (Backshift) Kala

Saat verba pelapor (reporting verb) berada dalam past (said, told, asked), klausa yang dilaporkan biasanya mengalami backshift (pergeseran ke kala lampau). Pengecualian dibahas di bawah.

Tabel 1. Sequence of Tenses (Pergeseran Umum)

Catatan: Could, might, should, would sering tetap (tidak bergeser).

Tabel 2. Perubahan Keterangan Waktu & Tempat

Pergeseran Pronomina & Deiksis

• I, we → disesuaikan dengan subjek pelapor.
  “I am ready,” said Lina → Lina said she was ready.

• you → bergantung rujukan (pendengar/objek yang dilaporkan).
  “You should rest,” the doctor told me → The doctor told me that I should rest.

• Possessive menyesuaikan: my/our/your → his/her/their/my/our sesuai konteks.

Pelaporan Pernyataan (Statements)

• Pola umum: S + said/told + (that) + S + V (bergeser jika perlu)

  • said (that) tanpa objek penerima.

  • told + O (wajib ada objek): She told me (that)…

• that sering opsional dalam ujaran sehari-hari, disarankan dipertahankan dalam tulisan akademik untuk kejelasan.

Pelaporan Pertanyaan (Questions)

1. Yes–No Questions

   • Gunakan if/whether, tanpa inversi (S + V biasa).
     “Did she call?” → He asked whether/if she had called.

2. Wh-Questions

   • Pertahankan wh-word di depan, tanpa inversi balik.
     “Where does he live?” → She asked where he lived.

• Verba pelapor: ask, inquire, wonder, dst.

• Tanda tanya hilang; kalimat berubah menjadi pernyataan dengan titik.

Pelaporan Perintah, Permintaan, Saran (Commands/Requests/Advice)

• Pola umum: S + told/asked/ordered/urged + O + to-Infinitive
  “Close the door,” → He told me to close the door.

• Larangan: not + to-Infinitive
  “Don’t be late,” → She told me not to be late.

• Verba yang lazim: tell, order, ask, advise, urge, warn, remind, encourage.

• Setelah suggest, recommend, insist, demand, gunakan (that) + S + (should) + V1 atau gerund tergantung pola:
  They suggested (that) we (should) start early. / They suggested starting early.

Pengecualian Backshift (Kapan tidak bergeser?)

• Fakta umum/kebenaran ilmiah:
  “Water boils at 100°C.” → She said that water boils at 100°C.

• Jika reporting verb masih present (says, tells, explains), pergeseran tidak wajib.

• Saat kerangka waktu tetap sama (laporan segera atau konteks masih berlaku).

Perbandingan Inti: Direct vs Indirect

• Direct mempertahankan kata persis penutur (kutipan), cocok untuk warna gaya atau bukti.

• Indirect menekankan isi ujaran, mengikuti kaidah pergeseran dan penyesuaian deiksis.

• Penulisan akademik sering memilih indirect untuk ringkas dan terintegrasi dalam paragraf.

Bagian III — Integrasi: Noun Clause dalam Reported Speech

Reported speech sering diwujudkan sebagai noun clause:

• He said (that) he was tired. → that-clause sebagai objek dari said/told/claimed.

• Pertanyaan yang dilaporkan juga membentuk noun clause dengan if/whether atau wh-word:
  She asked whether the train had left.
  They wondered why the device failed.
  Dengan demikian, memahami noun clause mempermudah transformasi direct → indirect.

Bagian IV — Strategi Menjawab Soal & Antigalat

Tip Umum

• Identifikasi tipe klausa: apakah itu pernyataan, pertanyaan yes–no, wh-question, atau perintah.

• Cek reporting verb dan waktunya (present/past) untuk menentukan perlu backshift.

• Ubah pronomina berdasarkan sudut pandang pelapor.

• Perbarui keterangan waktu/tempat sesuai tabel.

• Untuk noun clause, pastikan urutan kata bukan inversi pertanyaan.

Antigalat yang Sering Muncul

• Menggunakan inversi di noun clause pertanyaan (I wonder where does he live ❌ → where he lives ✅).

• Memakai if setelah preposisi (We discussed if… ❌) → pakai whether ✅.

• Lupa menambahkan objek setelah told (She told that… ❌) → She told me that… ✅.

• Tidak mengubah keterangan waktu (today → that day, here → there).

• Menggeser kala padahal dirinya kebenaran umum (tidak perlu backshift).

Bagian V — Tabel Ringkas (Rekonstruksi Konsep Kunci)

Tabel 3. Pemetaan Penanda Noun Clause & Fungsinya

Tabel 4. Pola Pelaporan

(Tabel-tabel di atas adalah rekonstruksi ringkas untuk memudahkan belajar berdasarkan materi pada halaman terkait.)

Latihan (20 Soal) — Pilihan Ganda & Pembahasan

Petunjuk: Pilih jawaban A–E yang paling tepat. Setelah kunci, baca pembahasan singkat.

1. I don’t know ____ he will attend the seminar.
A. that
B. whether
C. what
D. which
E. how
Jawab: B
Pembahasan: Pertanyaan ya/tidak → whether/if; di posisi objek verba know lebih natural whether (formal).

2. The teacher explained ____ photosynthesis works.
A. that
B. whether
C. what
D. how
E. if
Jawab: D
Pembahasan: Membutuhkan keterangan cara → how sebagai pengantar noun clause.

3. ____ she lied surprised everyone.
A. That
B. Whether
C. What
D. How
E. If
Jawab: A
Pembahasan: Noun clause sebagai subjek; that-clause lazim untuk menyatakan fakta/pernyataan yang mengejutkan.

4. She told me ____ the package had arrived.
A. that
B. whether
C. what
D. if
E. how
Jawab: A
Pembahasan: told + O + (that) + clause; that sangat umum di tulisan akademik.

5. We discussed ____ to allocate the budget.
A. if
B. whether
C. that
D. how
E. what
Jawab: D
Pembahasan: Setelah preposisi atau verba seperti discuss lebih cocok wh-word untuk isi “cara”; if tidak digunakan setelah preposisi. Whether bisa, tetapi di sini isi “cara” → how paling tepat.

6. Direct → Indirect: He said, “I am tired.”
A. He said that he is tired.
B. He said that he was tired.
C. He told that he was tired.
D. He said to be tired.
E. He told me he tired.
Jawab: B
Pembahasan: said (past) → backshift am → was; told butuh objek.

7. Direct → Indirect: “Did she finish the task?” he asked.
A. He asked did she finish the task.
B. He asked whether did she finish the task.
C. He asked whether she had finished the task.
D. He asked if had she finished the task.
E. He asked if she finishes the task.
Jawab: C
Pembahasan: Yes–No Question → if/whether + S + V (tanpa inversi); did finish → had finished.

8. Direct → Indirect: “Where do you live?” she asked me.
A. She asked me where do I live.
B. She asked me where I lived.
C. She asked me that where I lived.
D. She asked me where did I live.
E. She asked me where I live.
Jawab: B
Pembahasan: Wh-Question → wh-word + S + V (tanpa inversi); backshift present simple → past simple.

9. Direct → Indirect: “Close the window,” the teacher said to us.
A. The teacher said that we close the window.
B. The teacher told us closing the window.
C. The teacher told us to close the window.
D. The teacher asked us that we close the window.
E. The teacher suggested us to close the window.
Jawab: C
Pembahasan: Perintah → told/asked + O + to-V. (Catatan: suggest tidak diikuti object + to-V).

10. Pilih struktur noun clause yang benar sebagai objek:
A. I wonder where does he go.
B. I wonder where he goes.
C. I wonder that he goes where.
D. I wonder that where he goes.
E. I wonder he goes where.
Jawab: B
Pembahasan: Tanpa inversi; where he goes adalah noun clause yang benar.

11. She asked me ____ I had seen her email.
A. that
B. which
C. if
D. what
E. how
Jawab: C
Pembahasan: Yes–No Question → if/whether; di sini if tepat.

12. Direct → Indirect: “I have completed the report,” he said.
A. He said that he has completed the report.
B. He said that he had completed the report.
C. He told that he had completed the report.
D. He said that he completed the report.
E. He said he completes the report.
Jawab: B
Pembahasan: Present perfect → past perfect setelah said.

13. It is essential that every member ____ on time.
A. arrives
B. arrive
C. arrived
D. will arrive
E. has arrived
Jawab: B
Pembahasan: Konstruksi mandatif (It is essential/important that…) → subjunctive: base form (arrive). Dalam variasi, should + V1 juga benar.

14. He told me ____ the results were inconclusive.
A. which
B. whether
C. if
D. that
E. how
Jawab: D
Pembahasan: told + O + that-clause untuk menyampaikan pernyataan.

15. Direct → Indirect: “Don’t talk loudly,” she said to the children.
A. She said to the children not talking loudly.
B. She told the children don’t talk loudly.
C. She told the children to not talk loudly.
D. She told the children not to talk loudly.
E. She told to the children not to talk loudly.
Jawab: D
Pembahasan: Larangan → told + O + not to-V; bentuk to not talk dapat diterima, namun not to talk lebih baku.

16. Kalimat mana yang tidak memerlukan backshift?
A. He said that the sun rises in the east.
B. He said that he was studying last night.
C. He said that she had finished.
D. He said that they were leaving.
E. He said that the meeting would start at 3.
Jawab: A
Pembahasan: Kebenaran umum tidak mengalami backshift; rises tetap present.

17. Pilih kalimat indirect yang benar dari “Where will they meet?”
A. She asked where will they meet.
B. She asked where they will meet.
C. She asked where they would meet.
D. She asked that where they would meet.
E. She asked if where they would meet.
Jawab: C
Pembahasan: Wh-Question → wh-word + S + V; will → would.

18. The fact ____ the data were miscalculated surprised us.
A. if
B. whether
C. which
D. that
E. what
Jawab: D
Pembahasan: Setelah nomina tertentu (fact, idea, claim) → that-clause sebagai pelengkap nomina.

19. Direct → Indirect: “Can you help me?” he asked her.
A. He asked her can you help me.
B. He asked her if she can help him.
C. He asked her if she could help him.
D. He asked her that she could help him.
E. He asked her to help he.
Jawab: C
Pembahasan: Modal can → could pada pelaporan lampau; if + S + V. Pronomina disesuaikan: you → she; me → him.

20. Pilih kalimat yang benar terkait told vs said:
A. She told that she was busy.
B. She said me that she was busy.
C. She said that she was busy.
D. She said to me that she was busy.
E. She told to me that she was busy.
Jawab: C
Pembahasan: said (that) … tidak butuh objek; told wajib diikuti objek langsung (told me), bukan told to me dalam konstruksi ini.