Learn What is Word Order in Sentences in English Grammar for CBSE Class 7 and 8
Word Order in Sentences – There probably have been instances wherein you have tried to build up a coherent sentence, but have ended up with a jumble of words that do not sound right. This is because in English word order matters a lot. Whether you are asking a question, giving a command, or telling a story, the type of sentence you use changes the way the words are arranged. In this article, we will explore what word order is, its examples, tips and a bunch of practice questions to hone your skills.
- What is Word Order in Sentences?
- Why is Word Order Important?
- Types of Word Order in Sentences
- Rules of Word Order in Sentences
- Examples of Word Order in Sentences
- Tips for Word Order in Sentences
- Exercises on Word Order in Sentence Types – Practice Questions
What is Word Order in Sentences?
The term ‘word order’ refers to the sequence in which words are arranged in a sentence. This order is important because it determines the clarity, meaning, and correctness of what you want to express. In English, word order simply helps us understand who is doing what in a sentence.
Why is Word Order Important?
Word order directly influences the meaning of a particular sentence. Even a small change can lead to the sentence delivering a completely different message. For example:
- Sentence 1: I only like non-vegetarian dishes. (Emphasizes ‘only liking’)
- Sentence 2: Only I like non-vegetarian dishes. (Emphasizes exclusivity of subject)
- Sentence 3: I like only non-vegetarian dishes. (Excludes other types)
- Sentence 4: I like non-vegetarian dishes only. (Similar meaning to sentence 3)
In all the above sentences, the word ‘only’ is used in four different positions. As you probably have noted, all of the above sentences, despite sounding similar, do not mean the same thing. The first sentence means that the person likes non-vegetarian dishes. The second sentence means that only that person and no one else likes non-vegetarian dishes. The third and fourth sentences mean that the person likes non-vegetarian dishes and nothing else. The two different positions of the word ‘only’ are used just to shift the stress.
As you could infer from the above examples, English heavily relies on word order due to limited and similar inflections. Due to this, correctly placing each component which includes, subject, verb, object, and modifiers, is vital for the coherence of the sentence.
Basic Sentence Structure
The most common structure follows the Subject (S) + Verb (V) + Object (O) pattern. For example:-
- I eat apples.
However, English includes other components that influence word order, such as:
Complements: Give more information about the subject or object. Often follow the verb or precede the object. For example:
- I painted my nails pink. (Object)
- Today is Wednesday. (Subject)
Adjuncts: It can be placed at the beginning, middle or the end and can modify verbs, adjectives, or whole clauses. These include adverbs, prepositional phrases, or adverbial clauses.
For example:
- They were not able to make it in time due to the heavy rains.
- Last year, I was the Vice President of the Youth Association.
Types of Word Order in Sentences
Understanding word order is important for forming grammatically correct and meaningful sentences. Different languages follow different sentence patterns, and even within English, variations can occur for stylistic or emphasis-related reasons.
Constituent Order of Clause
In sentence structure, the constituents refer to the main parts that make up a clause. The constituent order refers to how these elements are arranged in a sentence. Different languages adopt different default orders. English typically follows the SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) pattern:
- Subject (S): The person or thing performing the action.
- Verb (V): The action or state.
- Object (O): The person or thing receiving the action.
For example,
- “She (S) reads (V) books (O).”
Languages are classified into six main types based on how they arrange the subject, verb, and object. The following are the six major types of constituent order:
1. SOV Form: Subject-Object-Verb.
- This is the most common word order across world languages.
- Half of the languages situated in the world follow this pattern.
2. SVO Form: Subject-Verb-Object
- This is the default form used in English.
- One-third of the languages situated in the world follow this pattern.
3. VSO Form: Verb-Subject-Object
- Only a small number of languages follow this pattern.
- In this form, the action usually comes first.
4. VOS Form: Verb-Object-Subject
- Here, the verb comes first, followed by the object, and the subject appears last.
- This form is rarely used but more common than the OVS and OSV from.
5. OVS Form: Object-Verb-Subject.
- A rare form where the object leads the sentence.
6. OSV Form: Object-Subject-Verb, is the rarest one.
- OSV is often used to emphasize the object of a sentence.
In addition to the above 6 forms, the following two are notably used in English as well:-
1. Order of Modifiers
Modifiers like adjectives, demonstratives, and quantifiers usually come before the noun in a fixed order:
Determiner – Quantity – Opinion – Size – Age – Shape – Colour – Origin – Material – Purpose – Noun
For example-
- These three beautiful large old round blue Italian ceramic serving plates
2. Order of adverbs
Adverbs describe how, when, where, or how often something happens. Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, or entire sentences, and their placement varies by function. In English, they most commonly appear in these positions:
- Before the main verb
Example: She always studies late.
- After the main verb
Example: He runs quickly.
- At the beginning or end of the sentence
Example: Unfortunately, they lost the match.
Rules of Word Order in Sentences
The following are some rules one must follow when forming and maintaining word order in sentences:-
Rule 1: Subject + Predicate
Every assertive sentence must contain a subject and a predicate.
Examples:
- I like mangoes.
- It is a beautiful day.
Rule 2: Negative Sentences
To express negation, ‘not’ is added after the verb or between the auxiliary and main verb. Forms of do are often used for negation in simple tenses.
Examples:
- It is not right.
- The girl does not know what to do.
Rule 3: Interrogative Sentences
In questions, the auxiliary verb comes before the subject (inversion), or question words are used at the beginning.
Examples:
- Are you happy?
- Do you like the new playground?
Rule 3.1: Negative Interrogative Sentences.
In negative questions, we use an auxiliary verb with “not” before the subject. These are often used when we are surprised, expecting a “yes,” or checking something. You can use short forms like don’t, isn’t, didn’t or the full form (do not, is not, etc.). The word order still follows the rule of putting the helper verb before the subject.
Examples:
- Do you not like the new playground?
- Have you not finished your homework yet?
Rule 4: Sentences with Complements
Complements add necessary information about the subject or object. Subject complements follow linking verbs; object complements follow direct objects.
Examples:
- Emma is a psychologist. (subject complement)
- It made everything easy. (object complement)
Rule 5: Sentences with Adjuncts
Adjuncts (adverbs, phrases, clauses) provide extra details about time, manner, place, etc., and can appear in various positions.
Examples:
- I reached home yesterday.
- After we finish our work, we will help you out.
Rule 6: Sentences with Indirect Objects
When both direct and indirect objects are present, the indirect object comes before the direct object, or it follows a preposition.
Examples:
- The teacher gave us our marksheets.
- I sent Christmas presents to all my friends.
Rule 7: Sentences with Multiple Adjectives
When using more than one adjective, follow the correct order:
Determiner + Quantity + Opinion + Size + Age + Shape + Colour + Origin + Material + Purpose
Examples:
- My mother gave me a big white teddy bear.
- She wore a beautiful long black lace dress.
Rule 8: Sentences with Multiple Adverbs
Adverbs can appear in various positions depending on what they modify. The general order when using multiple adverbs is:
Manner – Place – Frequency – Time
Examples:
- Brittany was extremely angry. (modifying adjective)
- They always take the 9 a.m. bus to college. (frequency)
- I need it now. (time)
Examples of Word Order in Sentences
The following are some examples of word order in sentence to provide you further clarity on the topic:
- The cat chased the mouse.
- Do you not understand the question?
- She paints beautiful pictures.
- The teacher explains the lesson.
- We watch movies every weekend.
- My father drives the car slowly.
- They built a big new school recently.
- The dog caught the ball eagerly.
- Has your sister not replied?
- The children play football happily in the park.
Tips for Word Order in Sentences
The following are some tips to ace Word Order in Sentence:
- Keep the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order for clarity: In English, sentences are most clear and natural when the subject comes first, followed by the verb, and then the object.
- Place Adverbs Close to What They Modify: Adverbs of manner, place, frequency, and time should be positioned near the words they describe. Adverbs of frequency come before the main verb but after “be” verbs.
- Add Time and Place Details at the End: When including when and where something happens, it is usually clearest to put those details at the end of the sentence.
- Change Word Order for Questions: In interrogative sentences, helping verbs usually come before the subject. For Example, “Are you coming with us?”
- Use ‘Not’ Correctly in Negative Sentences: To form negatives, use “not” after helping verbs or “do/does/did” for action verbs. For Example, “She does not like cold coffee.”
- Avoid Overloading the Sentence with Too Many Modifiers: Keep the sentence simple and avoid crowding it with too many adjectives or adverbs, which can confuse the reader. For Example, “The tall, kind man spoke gently.” (Avoid adding unnecessary extra words)
Practice Questions on Word Order in Sentence Types
Now, try solving the following practice questions to hone your Word Order in Sentence Types skills.
Exercise – 1
Read each sentence carefully. Decide whether the word order is correct or not. If incorrect, identify the misplaced part (Subject, Verb, Object, Adverb, etc.):-
1. She always is happy in the mornings.
2. We play football every Sunday.
3. The bird blue is singing loudly.
4. My mother cooked a delicious meal yesterday.
5. Ran quickly the boy to school.
6. Do you like this song?
7. The baby is crying loudly.
8. Will come they tomorrow?
9. He not does understand the question.
10. At the shop I my brother saw.
11. Haven’t finished you your work yet?
12. In the garden plays the child.
13. They usually arrive late.
14. The girl was wearing a red beautiful dress.
15. I can swim very well.
16. Have you your homework finished?
17. He read the newspaper carefully.
18. Tomorrow is we going to the zoo.
19. I never eat sweets in the morning.
20. Did they not invite you to the party?
Answers:
1. Incorrect – Correct: She is always happy in the mornings. (Ver(b)
2. Correct
3. Incorrect – Correct: The blue bird is singing loudly. (Adjective)
4. Correct
5. Incorrect – Correct: The boy ran quickly to school. (Subject and Ver(b)
6. Correct
7. Correct
8. Incorrect – Correct: Will they come tomorrow? (Subject and Ver(b)
9. Incorrect – Correct: He does not understand the question. (Auxiliary Verb and Negation)
10. Incorrect – Correct: I saw my brother at the shop. (Word order of Subject, Verb, Object)
11. Incorrect – Correct: Haven’t you finished your work yet? (Auxiliary Verb, Subject)
12. Incorrect – Correct: The child plays in the garden. (Subject and Ver(b)
13. Correct
14. Incorrect – Correct: The girl was wearing a beautiful red dress. (Adjectives)
15. Correct
16. Incorrect – Correct: Have you finished your homework? (Object and Ver(b)
17. Correct
18. Incorrect – Correct: We are going to the zoo tomorrow. (Verb and Subject)
19. Correct
20. Correct
Exercise – 2
Choose the sentence with the right word order in the following multiple-choice questions:-
1. (a) She will tell you this story in the park tomorrow.
(b) She will tell you tomorrow this story in the park.
(c) She tomorrow will tell you this story in the park.
(d) She will tell you this story tomorrow in the park.
2. (a) My grandfather a passionate numismatist was.
(b) Was my grandfather passionate numismatist.
(c) A passionate numismatist my grandfather was.
(d) My grandfather was a passionate numismatist.
3. (a) He gave to the child a cookie.
(b) He gave a cookie to the child.
(c) A cookie he gave to the child.
(d) A cookie gave he to the child.
4. (a) Why can’t we have a cup of coffee at first?
(b) Why we can’t have a cup of coffee at first?
(c) Can’t why we have a cup of coffee at first?
(d) Why have we can’t a cup of coffee at first?
5. (a) Trouble may I you for a napkin?
(b) I may you trouble for a napkin?
(c) May trouble I you for a napkin?
(d) May I trouble you for a napkin?
6. (a) Don’t you know the answer?
(b) You don’t know the answer?
(c) Don’t know you the answer?
(d) Don’t the answer you know?
7. (a) You easily can lose your friend’s trust.
(b) You can lose easily your friend’s trust.
(c) You can easily lose your friend’s trust.
(d) Easily you can lose your friend’s trust.
8. (a) Yesterday it was his car that stolen.
(b) That stolen car was his yesterday.
(c) It was his car that was stolen yesterday.
(d) It was that his car stolen yesterday.
9. (a) She bought a new white mink fur coat a week ago.
(b) She bought a white new mink fur coat a week ago.
(c) She bought a new mink white fur coat a week ago.
(d) She bought a white mink new fur coat a week ago.
10. (a) Who had been sleeping during the flight the man woke up.
(b) The man during the flight who had been sleeping woke up.
(c) The man woke up who had been sleeping during the flight.
(d) The man who had been sleeping during the flight woke up.
11. (a) Hardly had Tom the house reached, it started to snow heavily.
(b) Hardly Tom had reached the house, it started to snow heavily.
(c) Hardly had Tom reached the house, it started to snow heavily.
(d) Hardly had reached the house Tom, it started to snow heavily.
12. (a) Is not she coming to the meeting?
(b) Is she not coming to the meeting?
(c) She is not coming to the meeting?
(d) Coming is she not to the meeting?
13.(a) Andrew bought a large beautiful aquarium yesterday.
(b) Andrew bought a large round beautiful aquarium yesterday.
(c) Andrew bought a round beautiful large aquarium yesterday.
(d) Andrew bought a beautiful large round aquarium yesterday.
14. (a) Monthly bonus it is unfair to give him.
(b) It is unfair to give him monthly bonus again.
(c) It is unfair him monthly bonus again to give.
(d) To give him monthly bonus again is it unfair.
15. (a) I didn’t like her new haircut.
(b) Her new haircut like I didn’t.
(c) I didn’t her new haircut like.
(d) Her new haircut I didn’t like.
16. (a) Has not he done his homework?
(b) He has not done his homework?
(c) Not has he done his homework?
(d) Has he not done his homework?
17. (a) What the results are of your blood test?
(b) What are the results of your blood test?
(c) What the results of your blood test are?
(d) What of your blood test are the results?
18. (a) I’m a bit late, am not I?
(b) I’m, aren’t I, a bit late?
(c) Aren’t I, I’m a bit late?
(d) I’m a bit late, aren’t I?
19. (a) They took a kitten small black home.
(b) They took a small black kitten home.
(c) They took a black small kitten home.
(d) Home they took a kitten small black.
20. (a) Can Mr. John be soon given a new car?
(b) Can soon Mr. John be given a new car?
(c) Can Mr. John soon be given a new car?
(d) Can a new car Mr. John soon be given?
Answers:-
1. a) She will tell you this story in the park tomorrow.
2. d) My grandfather was a passionate numismatist.
3. b) He gave a cookie to the child.
4. a) Why can’t we have a cup of coffee at first?
5. d) May I trouble you for a napkin?
6. a) Don’t you know the answer?
7. c) You can easily lose your friend’s trust.
8. c) It was his car that was stolen yesterday.
9. a) She bought a new white mink fur coat a week ago.
10. d) The man who had been sleeping during the flight woke up.
11. c) Hardly had Tom reached the house, it started to snow heavily.
12. b) Is she not coming to the meeting?
13. a) Andrew bought a large beautiful round aquarium yesterday.
14. b) It is unfair to give him monthly bonus again.
15. a) I didn’t like her new haircut.
16. d) Has he not done his homework?
17. b) What are the results of your blood test?
18. d) I’m a bit late, aren’t I?
19. b) They took a small black kitten home.
20. c) Can Mr. John soon be given a new car?
Exercise – 3
Fill in the blanks. Use the words in brackets in the correct order:-
- I ______ ______ ______ her name. (remember / never / can)
- I ______ ______ sugar in coffee. (take / usually)
- Where’s Jim? He ______ ______ ______ home early. (gone / probably / has)
- Mark and Diane ______ ______ ______ in Manchester. (both / were / born)
- Liz is a good pianist. She ______ ______ ______ very well. (can / sing / also)
- Our car ______ ______ down. (often / breaks)
- They live in the same street as I do, but I ______ ______ ______ to them. (spoken / have / never)
- ______ he ______ ______ you about the meeting? (told / not / has )
- We ______ ______ ______ in the same place. We haven’t moved. (still / are / living)
- Sue ______ ______ ______ at home when I try to contact her. (is / ever / hardly)
- He ______ ______ a good football player. (is /a / definitely)
- The train ______ ______ late yesterday. (very / was)
- They ______ ______ a new car last month. (bought / recently)
- ______ you ______ ______ him earlier? (did / not / see)
- She ______ ______ ______ in this school for five years. (worked / long / has)
- We ______ ______to the park every Sunday. (go / usually)
- Tom ______ ______ his keys. (has / lost)
- The movie ______ ______ interesting. (was / really)
- You ______ ______your room before you go out. (clean / must)
- ______ she ______ ______ the truth from you? (not / hidden / has)
Answers:-
- can never remember
- usually take
- has probably gone
- were both born
- can also sing
- often breaks
- have never spoken
- Has he not told
- are still living
- is hardly ever
- is definitely a
- was very
- bought recently
- Did you not see
- has worked long
- usually go
- has lost
- was really
- must clean
- Has she not hidden
Conclusion
In order to develop clear and effective communication, understanding and comprehending the correct word order in sentences is essential. Word order in sentences helps us in conveying the meaning of the sentences accurately and makes the sentences easy to understand. This article thus gives you an in-depth guide on what is word order in sentences, its importance, its types, rules, examples, tips and some exercises to enhance your grammar skills. By practicing different sentence structures and paying attention to the placement of subjects, verbs, objects, adverbs, and modifiers, you can improve both your writing and speaking skills.