Perbandingan - as ~ as possible
as + bentuk asal + as possible dan as + bentuk asal + as + subjek + can sama-sama berarti 'sebisa mungkin ' dan menyatakan taraf setinggi-tingginya.
Penjelasan
as + bentuk asal + as possible dan as + bentuk asal + as + subjek + can sama-sama berarti 'sebisa mungkin ~' dan menyatakan taraf setinggi-tingginya. Kalau memakai possible, subjeknya tidak diperlukan sehingga kalimatnya ringkas, dan kalau memakai can, bentuknya bisa diubah menjadi could sesuai kalanya sehingga cocok pula untuk konteks lampau.
A. as + bentuk asal + as possible — sebisa mungkin ~
as + bentuk asal + as possible berbentuk bentuk asal kata sifat atau kata keterangan yang dibiarkan apa adanya, diapit as di depan dan di belakang, lalu ditutup possible, dan karena subjeknya tidak perlu disebut lagi, pola ini sangat sering dipakai dalam percakapan, surel, dan pengumuman.
| Ungkapan utama | Arti |
|---|---|
| as soon as possible | sesegera mungkin (ASAP) |
| as fast as possible | secepat mungkin |
| as much as possible | sebanyak mungkin |
| as often as possible | sesering mungkin |
| as clearly as possible | sejelas mungkin |
| as carefully as possible | sehati-hati mungkin |
- I'll finish the report as quickly as possible. (Saya akan menyelesaikan laporan itu secepat mungkin.)
- Please explain as simply as possible. (Mohon jelaskan sesederhana mungkin.)
- We need to save as much water as possible. (Kami perlu menghemat air sebanyak mungkin.)
B. as + bentuk asal + as + subjek + can — cara lain
as + bentuk asal + as + subjek + can adalah cara menyatakan arti yang sama dengan menaruh subjek + can menggantikan possible, dan dalam konteks lampau can berubah menjadi could. as ~ as possible = as ~ as subjek can itulah kesetaraan kedua ungkapan ini.
| Kala | Bentuk | Contoh |
|---|---|---|
| Kini·mendatang | as + bentuk asal + as + subjek + can | I'll come as soon as I can. |
| Lampau | as + bentuk asal + as + subjek + could | She ran as fast as she could. |
- I'll help as much as I can. (Saya akan membantu sebanyak yang saya bisa.)
- He answered as honestly as he could. (Dia menjawab sejujur yang dia bisa.)
- We arrived as early as we could. (Kami tiba sepagi yang kami bisa.)
- Please speak as loudly as you can. (Mohon berbicara sekeras yang Anda bisa.)
C. Saling tukar — satu situasi, dua cara
as ~ as possible dan as ~ as subjek can dapat ditukar dengan bebas asalkan kala dan keterangan subjeknya disesuaikan. Kalau subjeknya tidak perlu ditampilkan seperti pada surel dan pengumuman, possible terasa ringkas, sedangkan kalau subjek di dalam kalimat sudah jelas, bentuk subjek + can terasa wajar.
| Cara possible | Cara subjek + can/could |
|---|---|
| I'll do it as fast as possible. | I'll do it as fast as I can. |
| Please come as soon as possible. | Please come as soon as you can. |
| She helped as much as possible. | She helped as much as she could. |
| Speak as clearly as possible. | Speak as clearly as you can. |
- I'll send the file as soon as possible. = I'll send the file as soon as I can. (Saya akan mengirim berkas itu sesegera mungkin.)
- Study as much as possible before the exam. = Study as much as you can before the exam. (Belajarlah sebanyak mungkin sebelum ujian.)
- She spoke as calmly as possible. = She spoke as calmly as she could. (Dia berbicara setenang mungkin.)
- Please arrive as early as possible. = Please arrive as early as you can. (Mohon tiba sepagi mungkin.)
Poin penting
- 1as ~ as possible dan as ~ as subjek can artinya persis sama sehingga dapat ditukar dengan bebas menurut situasinya. (Contoh: as soon as possible = as soon as I can)
- 2Dalam konteks lampau, kalanya disesuaikan menjadi as ~ as subjek could, sedangkan possible tidak berkala sehingga dibiarkan apa adanya. (Contoh: She ran as fast as she could.)
- 3Pada pola as ~ as possible / can, kata sifat dan kata keterangan wajib berbentuk asal dan tidak diubah menjadi -er atau more. (Contoh: as soon as possible / X: as sooner as possible)
- 4Kalau subjeknya tidak diperlukan seperti pada surel dan pengumuman, possible terasa ringkas, sedangkan kalau subjek di dalam kalimat sudah jelas, subjek + can terasa wajar. (Contoh: Please reply as soon as possible.)
- 5as soon as possible adalah ungkapan lazim yang sangat sering disingkat ASAP dalam percakapan dan urusan kerja. (Contoh: I need this ASAP = I need this as soon as possible.)