22.2: Word Order
- Page ID
- 315472
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)If your first language is not English, you will most likely need some extra help when writing in Standard, or formal, English. New students of Standard English often make similar kinds of errors. Even if you have been speaking English for a long time, you may not feel as confident in your written English skills. This chapter covers the most common errors made by English language learners and helps you avoid similar mistakes in your writing.
Basic Sentence Structures
The most basic sentence structure in English is a subject plus a verb. A subject performs the action in the sentence, and the verb identifies the action. Keep in mind that in some languages, such as Spanish and Italian, an obvious subject does not always perform the action in a sentence; the subject is often implied by the verb. However, every sentence in English must have a subject and a verb to express a complete thought.
subject + verb
Samantha sleeps.
Not all sentences are as simple as a subject plus a verb. To form more complex sentences, writers build upon this basic structure. Adding a prepositional phrase to the basic sentence creates a more complex sentence. A preposition is a part of speech that relates a noun or a pronoun to another word in a sentence. It also introduces a prepositional phrase. If you can identify a preposition, you will be able to identify a prepositional phrase.
subject + verb + prepositional phrase
Samantha sleeps on the couch.
On is the preposition. On the couch is the prepositional phrase.
Common Prepositions:
| about | through | in |
| beside | against | until |
| off | except | at |
| above | to | into |
| between | along | up |
| on | for | before |
| across | forward | like |
| by | among | with |
| over | from | behind |
| after | under | of |
| during | around | without |
Direct and Indirect Objects
Another sentence structure that is important to understand is subject + verb + object. There are two types of objects: direct objects and indirect objects.
A direct object receives the action of the verb.
- subject + verb + direct object
Example: Rosa writes a letter.
Explanation: The letter directly receives the action of the verb writes.
Finding the Direct Object
A quick way to find the direct object is to ask what? or who?
Sentence: Maurice kicked the ball.
What did Maurice kick? The direct object, ball.
Sentence: Maurice kicked Felipe by accident.
Who did Maurice kick? The direct object, Felipe.
An indirect object does not receive the action of the verb.
- Subject + verb + indirect object
Example: Janice writes me a letter.
Explanation: The action (writes) is performed for or to the indirect object (me).
Finding the Indirect Object
Even though the indirect object is not found after a preposition in English, it can be discovered by asking to whom? or for whom? after the verb.
Sentence: Dad baked the children some cookies.
Explanation: For whom did Dad bake the cookies? The indirect object, children.
Forming Questions
English speakers rely on the following two common ways to turn sentences into questions:
- Move the helping verb and add a question mark.
- Add the verb do, does, or did and add a question mark
Here is an example of moving the helping verb and adding a question mark.
Original sentence: Sierra can pack these boxes.
Question: Can Sierra pack these boxes?
Here is an example of adding the verb do, does, or did and adding a question mark:
Original sentence: Jolene skated across the pond.
Question: Did Jolene skate across the pond?
Adjectives
An adjective is a kind of descriptive word that describes a noun or a pronoun. It tells which one, what kind, and how many. Adjectives make your writing more lively and interesting. Keep in mind, a common error that English language learners make is misplacing the adjectives in a sentence. It is important to know where to place the adjective in a sentence so that readers are not confused.
If you are using more than one adjective to describe a noun, place the adjectives in the following order before the noun:
- Opinion: an interesting book, a boring movie, a fun ride
- Size: a large box, a tiny turtle, a tall woman
- Shape: a round ball, a long hose, a square field
- Age: a new day, an old horse, a modern building
- Color: an orange sunset, a green jacket, a red bug
- Ethnicity: Italian cheese, French wine, Chinese tea
- Material: silk shirt, wool socks, a cotton dress
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Pro-Tip: Adjective Placement Adjectives can also be placed at the end of a sentence if they describe the subject of a sentence and appear after the verb. Example: My English teacher is excellent. |
Negative Statements
Negative statements are the opposite of positive statements and are necessary to express an opposing idea. The following charts list negative words and helping verbs that can be combined to form a negative statement.
Negative Words:
| nobody | not | |
| never | none | barely |
| no | scarcely | nowhere |
| hardly | no one | rarel |
Common Helping Verbs:
| am | have | may |
| is | has | might |
| are | has | must |
| was | do | will |
| were | does | should |
| be | did | would |
| being | can | ought to |
| been | could | used to |
The following examples show several ways to make a sentence negative in the present tense.
1. A helping verb used with the negative word not.
Original sentence: My guests are arriving now.
Negative: My guests are not arriving now.
2. The negative word no.
Original sentence: Jennie has money.
Negative: Jennie has no money.
3. The contraction n’t.
Original sentence: Janetta does miss her mom.
Negative: Janetta doesn’t miss her mom.
4. The negative adverb rarely.
Original sentence: I always go to the gym after work.
Negative: I rarely go to the gym after work.
5. The negative subject nobody.
Sentence: Everybody gets the day off.
Negative: Nobody gets the day off.
The following sentences show you the ways to make a sentence negative in the past tense.
Original sentence: Paul called me yesterday.
Negative: Paul did not call me yesterday.
Original sentence: Jamilee went to the grocery store.
Negative: Jamilee never went to the grocery store.
Original sentence: Gina laughed when she saw the huge pile of laundry.
Negative: Gina did not laugh when she saw the huge pile of laundry.
Notice that when forming a negative in the past tense, the helping verb did is what signals the past tense, and the main verb laugh does not have an -ed ending.
Double negatives are two negatives used in the same phrase or sentence. They are considered incorrect in Standard English. You should avoid using double negatives in all formal writing. If you want to say something negative, use only one negative word in the sentence. Return to the list of negative words, and then study the following examples.
Double Negatives
| Double Negative (incorrect) | Single Negative (correct) |
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neg. + neg. I couldn’t find no paper. |
neg. I couldn’t find any paper. |
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neg. + neg. I don’t want nothing. |
neg. I don’t want anything. |
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Pro-Tip: Ain’t Right! Ain’t is considered a contraction of am not. Although some may use it in everyday speech, it is considered incorrect in Standard English. Avoid using it when speaking and writing in formal contexts. |