Ada banyak cara untuk bisa menguasai bahasa Inggris. Salah satunya adalah membaca teks dalam bahasa Inggris. Ada banyak jenis teks yang bisa kamu baca, dan tentunya kamu ingin membaca sesuatu yang bisa menarik perhatianmu agar kamu menikmati aktivitas tersebut.
Seperti misalnya membaca novel dalam bahasa Inggris. Namun bagi sebagian orang, terutama mereka yang masih pemula bisa jadi merasa membaca novel dalam bahasa Inggris terlalu berat untuk dilakukan.
Nah, kalau kamu adalah salah satu di antara mereka yang masih kesulitan membaca teks bahasa Inggris yang panjang tapi ingin bisa rutin membaca dalam bahasa Inggris, kamu bisa membaca cerpen dalam bahasa Inggris.
Di artikel kali ini kamu akan mempelajari lebih dalam tentang cerpen bahasa Inggris dan contoh-contohnya. Yuk simak artikel berikut ini!
Pengertian Cerpen dalam Bahasa Inggris
Dalam bahasa Inggris cerpen atau cerita pendek bahasa Inggris disebut sebagai short story. Cerpen ini adalah salah satu dari jenis teks naratif yang bersifat fiksi. Cerita yang terkandung di dalamnya merupakan karya imajinasi dari seorang penulis. Meski memiliki kemiripan dengan novel, cerita pendek memiliki karakter yang terbatas dan ceritanya lebih singkat.
Sebuah cerita pendek merupakan prosa fiksi yang bisa dibaca sampai selesai dalam satu kali duduk. Yang dimaksud dalam satu kali duduk adalah durasi membaca cerpen tidaklah panjang. Hanya berkisar antara 20 menit hingga satu jam.
Sebenarnya, tidak ada jumlah kata maksimal dalam sebuah cerpen. Namun pada umumnya cerpen memiliki 1.000 hingga 7.500 kata. Terkadang terdapat juga cerpen yang memiliki 10.000 hingga 15.000 kata, dengan 10 hingga 25 halaman.
Nah terdapat juga karya prosa yang lebih pendek daripada cerita pendek. Jika jumlah katanya lebih sedikit dari 1.000 kata, maka karya tersebut disebut sebagai short short story atau flash fiction, dan jika karya prosa fiksi kurang dari 300 kata, disebut sebagai microfiction.
Kunci Elemen pada Short Story (Cerpen Bahasa Inggris)
Latar yang terdapat pada cerita pendek biasanya sederhana, biasanya hanya memiliki satu latar tempat dan satu latar waktu dengan satu atau dua karakter utama yang diperkenalkan tanpa latar belakang cerita yang lengkap. Cerpen pada umumnya hanya fokus pada satu plot saja daripada fokus kepada beberapa subplot yang mungkin akan ditemui di novel.
Banyak cerita pendek mengikuti traditional narrative arc, yaitu terdapat eksposisi atau deskripsi di awal, rising action, kemudian diikuti dengan klimaks atau momen konflik atau aksi puncak dan diakhiri dengan resolusi. Namun karya cerpen kontemporer lebih sering memulai cerita dari tengah-tengah aksi. Hal ini bertujuan agar menarik perhatian pembaca.
Cerita pendek memang biasanya memiliki pembelajaran moral atau nasehat di akhir ceritanya. Namun cerpen terkini yang kamu temui mungkin akan lebih sering menggunakan akhir yang ambigu. Open-ended readings atau cerita pendek dengan akhiran ambigu ini bertujuan agar pembaca lebih memahami realita dan memahami perilaku manusia.
Ciri Kebahasaan Cerpen Bahasa Inggris
Seperti yang kamu ketahui, setiap teks dalam bahasa Inggris memiliki ciri kebahasaan untuk membedakan sebuah teks dengan teks yang lainnya. Hal ini juga berlaku pada cerpen dalam bahasa Inggris. Berikut adalah ciri kebahasaan pada cerpen bahasa Inggris:
1. Menggunakan Past Tense
Salah satu ciri kebahasaan utama dari cerpen bahasa Inggris adalah menggunakan past tense. Tentu saja yang digunakan tidak hanya simple past tense saja. Tapi beragam past tense. Mulai dari simple past tense hingga past perfect continuous tense. Biasanya cerpen bahasa Inggris menggunakan juga adverb of time untuk menunjukkan waktu cerita berlangsung.
Baca Juga: Simple Past Future Tense: Pengertian, Rumus dan Contoh Kalimat
2. Menggunakan Chronological Conjunctions
Conjunction adalah kata hubung yang digunakan untuk menghubungkan kata dengan kata, frasa dengan frasa, atau kalimat dengan kalimat. Chronological conjunctions pada cerpen bahasa Inggris berguna untuk memberikan waktu kejadian atau urutan kejadian.
3. Menggunakan Indirect Speech
Indirect speech biasanya ditandai dengan adanya penggunaan kata-kata seperti “told about”, “revealed”, “narrated” dan lain-lain. Indirect speech ini digunakan untuk menggambarkan atau mengekspresikan perkataan setiap tokoh melalui sudut pandang orang ketiga.
Baca Juga: 5 Contoh Pidato Bahasa Inggris dan Terjemahan serta Jenis-jenisnya
4. Memuat Dialog antar Tokoh
Agar sebuah cerpen semakin hidup dan dapat tetap menarik perhatian pembaca, di dalamnya akan terkandung dialog antar tokoh. Dialog antar tokoh ini ditandai dengan adanya quotation marks (“…”) dan menggunakan direct speech.
5. Menggunakan Adjective
Nah, untuk menggambarkan suasana, latar, tokoh, tempat dan lain-lain cerpen menggunakan adjective. Adjective ini berfungsi untuk menambahkan keterangan tambahan untuk noun atau kata benda. Sehingga pembaca dapat membayangkan seperti apa yang sedang terjadi dalam cerita pendek.
Contoh Cerpen dalam Bahasa Inggris Singkat
The True Love of A Mother
Once upon a time, there were a mother and her child who lived near the forest. They were so poor so that they lived in an ugly cottage and wore worn-out dresses. One day, there was a plague in the village. The child was infected by the plague. The mother would like to bring her child to the doctor.
However, they didn’t have money to pay for the doctor. The mother asked the people about the medicine. She went to the forest and looked for some herbal roots. She made the medicine and treated her child carefully. The children’s condition was getting better. After that, the child recovered from the disease.
Unfortunately, the mother was getting infected. And, since her body was so weak and didn’t get enough sleep, she passed away after several days. Her child was crying and realizing that her mother gave her true love till the end.
The Legend of Crying Stone
There was once a stone that cried tears of blood. It was said that the stone wept for the sorrows of the world. Many people tried to destroy the stone, but it was unbreakable. One day, a woman came to the stone and asked it why it cried. The stone told her that it wept for the woman’s lost daughter.
The woman was so touched by the stone’s compassion that she vowed to protect it from then on. Now, the stone is a symbol of hope for many people. It reminds us that even in the darkest times, there is always someone who cares.
Legend of Banyuwangi
Once upon a time, there was a local ruler named King Sulahkromo. The king had a Prime Minister named Raden Sidopekso. The Prime Minister had a wife named Sri Tanjung. She was so beautiful that the king wanted her to be his wife. One day, the King sent his Prime Minister to a long mission. While the Prime Minister was away, the King tried to get Sri Tanjung.
However, he failed. He was very angry. Thus, when Sidopekso went back, the King told him that his wife was unfaithful to him. The Prime Minister was very angry with his wife. Sri Tanjung said that it was not true. However, Sidopekso said that he would kill her. He brought her to the river bank. Before he kill her and threw her into the river, she said that her innocence would be proven.
After Sidopekso killed her, he threw her dead body into the dirty river. The river immediately became clean and began to spread a wonderful fragrance. Sidopekso said, “Banyu…Wangi… Banyuwangi”. This means “fragrant water”. Banyuwangi was born from the proof of noble and sacred love.
The Secret Park in My Grandfather’s House
Last summer, my family and I went to my grandfather’s house. We stayed there for about one week. I and my brother were so happy since my grandfather’s house was located close to the beautiful and greenery farm.
One day, I saw my grandfather go to the farm behind the house. I was so curious since I had never gone there. The place looked so scary. My grandfather saw me. Then, he immediately asked me to follow him.
And, I was so surprised since there was a flower park behind the farm. The park was full of flowers and butterflies. My grandfather said that he planted all the flowers and took care of them.
After that day, I spent my whole day enjoying the time in the park.
One Sided Love
There was a young man who had been in love with the same girl since they were kids. He loved her so much and could not bear the thought of losing her. He dedicated his life to making her happy and sacrificing whatever he had to make sure that she was always smiling. But even though he loved her so much, she did not feel the same way about him.
She kept hurting him with her words and actions, but he still stayed by her side. He kept thinking that one day she would realize his love and reciprocate it, but that never happened. He kept trying for years until finally, he realized that he was only hurting himself by clinging on to a person who did not care about him. He accepted the situation and moved on with his life, even though it was hard to let go of someone he loved so much.
The Lost Wallet
It was just another busy day at the mall for Jason. He was running errands and picking up some last-minute gifts for his friends and family. As he was walking towards the parking lot, he spotted a wallet lying on the ground. He picked it up and opened it, hoping to find some identification to return it to its owner. He found a driver’s license with the name “Anna Johnson” on it and some cash.
Jason thought for a moment and decided to try and find Anna to return her wallet. He asked around the mall, but no one seemed to know her. Finally, he found a phone number on a piece of paper in the wallet and called it.
“Hello?” A woman answered the phone.
“Hi, is this Anna Johnson?” Jason asked.
“Yes, it is. Who is this?” Anna replied.
“My name is Jason, and I found your wallet at the mall. I wanted to return it to you,” Jason said.
“Oh my god, thank you so much! I had no idea where it was. Can we meet somewhere so you can give it back to me?” Anna asked.
“Sure, how about we meet at the food court in 30 minutes?” Jason suggested.
“That works for me. Thank you again, Jason,” Anna said.
Thirty minutes later, Jason arrived at the food court and spotted Anna waiting at a table. He approached her and said, “Hi Anna, I’m Jason. Here’s your wallet.”
Anna was overjoyed and relieved. “Thank you so much, Jason. I was so worried about losing it.”
“No problem, I’m just happy to have helped. I know how it feels to lose something important,” Jason replied.
As they sat down together, Anna realized that Jason seemed like a nice guy. “So, Jason, do you want to grab some lunch or something? I mean, you did go out of your way to return my wallet,” Anna said.
“Sure, I don’t see why not,” Jason replied with a smile.
As they chatted over lunch, Jason and Anna realized they had a lot in common. They were both huge fans of hiking and traveling, and they even shared the same favorite movie.
After lunch, they exchanged phone numbers and decided to keep in touch. Over the next few weeks, they went on several hikes and explored the city together. Jason felt like he had made a new friend, and Anna felt the same way.
One day, Anna received a call from Jason. “Hey, Anna, I know this might sound weird, but I lost my wallet at the park today. I was wondering if you could help me look for it?” Jason said.
“Of course! I’ll be there in 10 minutes,” Anna replied.
When she arrived at the park, Anna spotted Jason searching through the grass. “Did you check all the pockets in your bag?” Anna asked.
“Yeah, I did, but I still can’t find it,” Jason replied.
Anna thought for a moment and remembered something. “Wait, I think I saw something on the bench over there. Let me go check,” she said.
Anna walked over to the bench and sure enough, she found Jason’s wallet lying there. She picked it up and ran back to Jason. “Here you go, Jason. I found it!” Anna exclaimed.
Jason was overjoyed and relieved. “Thank you so much, Anna. You’re a lifesaver,” he said.
As they walked back to their cars, Jason realized that sometimes, the simple act of returning a lost item could lead to a new friendship. He knew that he had made a new friend for life in Anna, and he was grateful for that lost wallet that brought them together.
Cinderella
Once, a beautiful girl named Cinderella lived with her wicked stepmother and two stepsisters. The stepmother made her do all the housework and was very cruel to her. One day, the stepmother and stepsisters go to a ball in the King’s palace, leaving Cinderella behind. Cinderella wanted to attend the ball and felt very sad that she had been left behind.
Suddenly, a fairy godmother appeared in a burst of light, and she used her magic to transform Cinderella into a princess, wearing a lovely dress and glass slippers. She also turned a pumpkin and some mice into a carriage and horses, respectively. Cinderella could now attend the ball.
The fairy godmother warned her that the magic would wear off at midnight and that Cinderella should return home before that. When Cinderella arrived at the ball, the prince saw her, and they fell in love. They danced together until midnight. When the clock struck twelve, Cinderella rushed to her carriage, leaving behind one of her glass slippers.
The prince searched every house in town for the mysterious girl whose foot fit into the glass slipper. He reached the wicked stepmother’s house and found the shoe belonged to Cinderella. Thus, the prince and Cinderella got married and lived happily ever after.
The Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears
by Robert Southey
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks. She went for a walk in the forest. Pretty soon, she came upon a house. She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry. She tasted the porridge from the first bowl.
“This porridge is too hot!” she exclaimed.
So, she tasted the porridge from the second bowl.
“This porridge is too cold,” she said.
So, she tasted the last bowl of porridge.
“Ahhh, this porridge is just right,” she said happily and she ate it all up.
After she’d eaten the three bears’ breakfasts, she decided she was feeling a little tired. So, she walked into the living room where she saw three chairs. Goldilocks sat in the first chair to rest.
“This chair is too big!” she exclaimed.
So she sat in the second chair.
“This chair is too big, too!” she whined.
So she tried the last and smallest chair.
“Ahhh, this chair is just right,” she sighed. But just as she settled down into the chair to rest, it broke into pieces!
Goldilocks was very tired by this time, she went upstairs to the bedroom. She lay down in the first bed, but it was too hard. Then she lay in the second bed, but it was too soft. Then she lay down in the third bed and it was just right. Goldilocks fell asleep.
As she was sleeping, the three bears came home.
“Someone’s been eating my porridge,” growled the Papa bear.
“Someone’s been eating my porridge,” said the Mama bear.
“Someone’s been eating my porridge and they ate it all up!” cried the Baby bear.
“Someone’s been sitting in my chair,” growled the Papa bear.
“Someone’s been sitting in my chair,” said the Mama bear.
“Someone’s been sitting in my chair and they’ve broken it to pieces,” cried the Baby bear.
They decided to look around some more and when they got upstairs to the bedroom, Papa bear growled,
“Someone’s been sleeping in my bed.”
“Someone’s been sleeping in my bed, too,” said the Mama bear.
“Someone’s been sleeping in my bed and she’s still there!” exclaimed the Baby bear.
Just then, Goldilocks woke up. She saw the three bears. She screamed, “Help!” And she jumped up and ran out of the room. Goldilocks ran down the stairs, opened the door, and ran away into the forest. She never returned to the home of the three bears.
The Big Race
“Come on, Dad! You can do it!” yelled Mike’s son, Tommy, from the sidelines.
Mike could hear the excitement in his son’s voice, and it fueled his determination even more. He took a deep breath, feeling his heart racing with anticipation, and prepared himself for the race.
As the flag dropped, Mike revved up his engine and hit the gas, racing down the track. The wind was blowing through his hair, and the sound of the engine roared in his ears.
He maneuvered through the twists and turns of the racecourse, feeling his adrenaline pumping with each turn. He could hear the cheers and shouts of the crowd as he raced past them, focused only on the finish line.
Suddenly, he felt his car swerve, and he knew that he was losing control. “Hold on tight, Dad!” yelled his daughter, Emily, from the sidelines.
Mike struggled to regain control of his car, but it was too late. He felt himself hurtling towards the edge of the track, and he braced himself for the impact.
But just as he was about to hit the barrier, he felt a sudden jolt of energy surge through his body. His car righted itself, and he found himself back on course, racing towards the finish line.
He didn’t know how he had done it, but he knew that he had just experienced something extraordinary. As he crossed the finish line, he felt a sense of elation wash over him.
He was greeted by his family and friends, who were all cheering and clapping. “That was amazing, Dad!” said Tommy, giving him a high-five.
Mike couldn’t believe what had just happened. He had won the race, but more importantly, he had experienced the thrill of something truly magical.
As he looked up at the sky, he saw a shooting star streak across the sky. He knew that it was a sign, a symbol of the magic and wonder that had just entered his life.
From that day on, Mike knew that he would always be passionate about racing, but he would also never forget the power of the unexpected and the magical.
Michael and His Pet
Michael had always been an animal lover, and when he was finally old enough to get his own pet, he jumped at the opportunity. He went to the local animal shelter and fell in love with a small, scrappy-looking terrier named Charlie. From the moment they met, Michael knew that Charlie was the perfect pet for him.
As they walked out of the shelter, Charlie excitedly wagged his tail and jumped up to lick Michael’s face. Michael laughed and said, “Looks like we’re going to be the best of friends, Charlie.”
Over the next few weeks, Michael and Charlie spent every moment together. They went on long walks in the park, played fetch in the backyard, and snuggled up together on the couch. Michael couldn’t imagine his life without Charlie by his side.
One day, Michael was at work when he got a call from his neighbor, Mrs. Johnson. “Michael, I’m sorry to bother you, but I found Charlie wandering around the street. He doesn’t have a collar or any identification. Is everything okay?” she said.
Michael’s heart sank. He couldn’t imagine how Charlie had gotten out of the house. “Thank you for letting me know, Mrs. Johnson. I’ll be right over to pick him up,” he said.
As he rushed home, Michael couldn’t stop worrying about Charlie. Had he escaped from the backyard? Had someone stolen him? When he got home, he found Charlie sitting on the front porch, looking up at him with his tail wagging.
“Charlie! Oh my god, I’m so glad you’re okay,” Michael exclaimed, scooping him up into his arms.
As he brought Charlie inside, he noticed that something was off. Charlie was lethargic and didn’t seem interested in playing or cuddling. Michael knew that something was wrong, and he immediately called the vet.
After an examination, the vet told Michael that Charlie had eaten something toxic and would need to be hospitalized. Michael was devastated. He didn’t know how he would get through the next few days without Charlie.
As he sat in the waiting room, Michael heard a woman talking on the phone. “Yes, I have a small terrier that needs a home. He’s a little scrappy-looking, but he’s very sweet and well-behaved,” she said.
Michael’s ears perked up. He realized that the woman was talking about Charlie. He rushed over to her and said, “Excuse me, ma’am. That dog you’re talking about is mine. His name is Charlie, and he’s in the hospital right now.”
The woman looked at him skeptically. “I’m sorry, sir, but I found this dog wandering around the street. He didn’t have a collar or any identification. I assumed he was a stray,” she said.
Michael felt his heart sink. Had he lost Charlie for good? As he was about to leave the waiting room, he heard a small bark. He turned around and saw Charlie limping toward him.
“Charlie! You’re okay!” Michael exclaimed, scooping him up into his arms.
The woman looked at Michael and said, “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t realize that this was your dog. I’m just glad he’s okay.”
Michael couldn’t stop hugging Charlie. He knew that he never wanted to lose him again. As they walked out of the hospital, Michael turned to Charlie and said, “You know what, buddy? I think it’s time we got you a collar with your name and my phone number on it. That way, if you ever get lost again, someone will know who you belong to.”
Charlie wagged his tail excitedly, and Michael knew that they had a bond that could never be broken.
Demikianlah penjelasan tentang cerpen dalam bahasa Inggris. Dengan mempelajari dan banyak membaca kumpulan cerita pendek dalam bahasa Inggris, hal ini akan meningkatkan kemampuan bahasa Inggrismu terutama di kemampuan reading.
Supaya kamu mahir berbahasa Inggris, jangan lupa untuk terus belajar terus tentang grammar bahasa Inggris khususnya di tenses. Jika kamu membutuhkan bantuan, kamu bisa mengikuti kursus bahasa Inggris online di Golden English. Dengan kursus bahasa Inggris online, kamu bisa mengembangkan kemampuan bahasa Inggris dengan mudah dan cepat. Selamat belajar!
Referensi:
Blurb. ND. What is a short story? (online at) https://www.blurb.com/blog/what-is-a-short-story/ [accessed on 27 June 2023]
