Basic Word Order
English statements normally follow subject + verb + object order. Adverbs and time expressions go in fixed positions rather than between the verb and its object.
Level A1
Sentence Structure & Emphasis
Summary
- English statements normally follow subject + verb + object order. Adverbs and time expressions go in fixed positions rather than between the verb and its object.
Structure
subject + verb + object (+ place + time)
Examples
- I drink coffee every morning.
- She read a book yesterday.
- We play football in the park.
- They watched a film last night.
Common mistakes
- • Putting the object before the verb, e.g. 'I coffee drink' instead of 'I drink coffee'.
- • Placing time before place, e.g. 'I went yesterday to London' instead of 'I went to London yesterday'.
More sentence structure & emphasis
And, But, Or
A1
These conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses. 'And' adds, 'but' contrasts, and 'or' offers a choice.
Inversion After Negative Adverbials
C2
When a negative or restrictive adverbial begins a sentence for emphasis, the subject and auxiliary invert as in a question. This is a formal, dramatic device.
Cleft Sentences
C1
Cleft sentences split one idea into two clauses to emphasise a particular element. 'It-clefts' begin with 'It is/was', and 'what-clefts' (pseudo-clefts) begin with a 'what'-clause.
Subjunctive / Were
C1
English keeps a small subjunctive. The present subjunctive uses the base verb after verbs of demand or suggestion, and the past subjunctive 'were' is used for all persons in unreal conditions.
Ellipsis and Substitution
C1
To avoid repetition, English omits words (ellipsis) or replaces them with shorter forms like 'so', 'do', 'one', and 'neither' (substitution). Both keep sentences economical and cohesive.
Fronting and Emphasis
C1
Fronting moves a word or phrase to the start of a sentence to give it emphasis or to improve cohesion. The element is highlighted simply by its unusual position.