Word order

Word order can be reduced to a

few basic rules or principles
1- In a normal (declarative) sentence, the
subject of a sentence comes directly in
front of the verb. The direct object (when
there is one) comes directly after it:
 Examples:

Subject Verb Object

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The man wrote a letter

2- Note that by the subject, we mean
not just a single word, but the subject
noun or pronoun plus descriptive
phrases that go with it. The rest of
the sentence –i.e. the part that is not
the subject – is called the predicate.
 Example:
 People who live in glasshouses
shouldn't throw stones.
3- If a sentence has any other parts (indirect
objects, adverbs or adverb phrases) these
usually come in the following places:
3.1 The position of the indirect object:
 The indirect object follows the direct object when
it is formed with the preposition (to).
 Example:
 The doctor gave some medicine to the child.
 The indirect object comes in front of the direct
object if (to) is omitted.
 Example:
 The doctor gave the child some medicine.
3.2 Adverbs or adverb phrases can come in three
possible places:
 Before the subject (notably with common adverbs or
adverb phrases).
 Example:
 Yesterday the man wrote a letter.
 After the object (virtually any adverb or adverb
phrases can be placed here).
 Example:
 The man wrote a letter on his computer in the train.
 In the middle of the verb group (notably with short
common adverbs).
 Example:
 The man has already written his letter.
4- In standard English, nothing usually
comes between the subject and the
verb, or between the verb and the
object.
 There are a few exceptions. The
most important of these are adverbs
of frequency and indirect objects
without (to).
 Examples:
 The man often wrote his mother a letter.
 I sometimes give my dog a bone.
 He always plays tennis.
5- Note that the examples above are
deliberately simple – but the rules
can be applied even to complex
sentences, with subordinate and
coordinated clauses.
 Example:
 The director, {who often told his staff (to
work harder),} never left the office
before {he had checked his e-mail}.
 6- In questions, the word order subject- verb-
object) is the same as in affirmative
sentences. The only thing that's different is
that you usually have to put the auxiliary
verb (or the main verb "be") before the
subject. Also interrogatives are put at the
beginning of the sentences.
 Example:
Interrogative Auxiliary Subject Other verbs Object
verb
How do you Do - ?

If you apply these few simple rules, you will not make
too many word order problems in English.