Basic word order in English

Basic word order in English

Exercise 1

Fill in the gaps with the correct options.

1I didn't like the food very muchvery much the food last night.

2We arrived very late homehome very late.

3Teresa speaks English very wellvery well English.

4Please, can you put in the corner that boxthat box in the corner?

5After the accident, Jim was for a week in hospitalin hospital for a week.

6I like a lot this musicthis music a lot.

7They met at a friend's house after a partyafter a party at a friend's house.

8Tigers approach very slowly their victimstheir victims very slowly.

9I saw Hellen at the libraryat the library Hellen.

10He finished the exam very quicklyvery quickly the exam.

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Basic word order in English – Grammar chart

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Subject + verb

In English, we normally need to include the subject in a sentence. The subject goes before the verb.

• We dance.
• She is waiting.

We use it or they as subject, to talk about something that we mentioned before.

• I like your guitar. It is nice. (NOT I like your guitar. Is nice.)
• Can you see those trees? They are beautiful. (NOT Can you see those trees? Are beautiful.)

We don’t include the subject in imperative sentences.

• Sit down, please.
• Call me soon.

We can put an adverb of frequency between the subject and the verb. BUT adverbs of frequency go after the verb when the verb is be.

• We often dance.
• BUT: You are always late.

Verb + object

When there is an object in the sentence, we need to put it after the verb. Verb and object are together.

• I like pizza very much. (NOT I like very much pizza.)
• She plays the guitar every day. (NOT She plays every day the guitar.

Place + time

We normally say ‘where’ and ‘when’ something happens in this order.

• She arrives at the hospital in the morning. (NOT She arrives in the morning at the hospital.)
• Will you be in the office at 3 pm? (NOT Will you be at 3 pm in the office?)

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