The Sentence Structure

Word order in English sentences:

verb + object

Jill reads a newspaper every day

subject verb object

The verb (reads) and the object (a newspaper) are usually together:

- Jill reads a newspaper every day. (not ‘Jill reads every day a newspaper.’)

— I like Italianfood very much. (not ‘I like very much Italian food.’)

— Ann borrowed some money from the bank. (not ‘Ann borrowed from the bank some money.’)

— I opened the door very quietly. (not ‘I opened very quietly the door.’)

— George usually wears a black hat.(not ‘George wears usually a black hat.’)

— Why do you always makethe same mistake? (not ‘Why do you make always the same mistake?’)

— place and time

place is usually before time:

— They go to school every day.(not ‘They go every day to school.’)

— I went to the bank yesterday afternoon.(not ‘I went yesterday afternoon to the bank.’)

— Jack’s brother has been in hospital since June.(not ‘...since June in hospital.’)

Revision test

– Put the words in the right order.

1. (a newspaper / reads / every day / Jill) Jill reads a newspaper every day
2. (football / don’t like / very much / I) ……………………………………...................
3. (London / do you know / very well?) …..………………………………....................
4. (I / very well / French / don’t speak) ……………………………………...................
5. (I / this picture / don’t like / very much) ……………………………….....................
6. (she / smokes / every day / ten cigarettes) …………………………….......................
7. (you / the same clothes / wear / every day) …………………………….....................
8. (I / want to speak / fluently / English) ….....................................................................
9. (lost/I/my watch/last week)...........................................................................................
10. (Tom/the letter/ slowly/read).......................................................................................

– Put the words in the right order.

1. (to work/every morning/walks /George) George walks to work every morning
2. (goes / every year / to Italy / Jill) …………………………………….........................
3. (in London / Alice / in 1951 / was born) ……………………………….....................

4. (in October / Barbara / to university / is going) ……………………….......................

5. (to work/ tomorrow/are you going?).............................................................................

6. (next week/they/to London/are going..........................................................................

7. (many times/my parents/have been/ to the United States)............................................

8. (a beautiful bird/this morning/I/in teh garden)..............................................................

9. (my umbrella/last night/ I think I left?in the restaurant)...............................................

10. ( at the party/we/early/arrived).....................................................................................

11. (they/since 1984/here/have lived)................................................................................

12. (will you be/this evening/at home?)..............................................................................

13. (to the cinema/last night/did you go?)...........................................................................

14. (on Monday/here/will they be?).....................................................................................

Unit II

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1669