Word Order

Basic Word Order (Continuous, Past and Perfect Tenses)

When the verb has two parts (an auxiliary + the main verb), the two parts stay together. The object comes after the whole verb, never between the auxiliary and the main verb.

Subject + Auxiliary + Main Verb + Object

Present Perfect

have/has + past participle.

• I have finished my homework. — not I have my homework finished.
• They have bought a new car.

Continuous Tenses

am/is/are or was/were + verb-ing.

• She is reading a book. — not She is a book reading.
• They were cleaning the kitchen.

Negatives

Put not (n't) with the auxiliary. The main verb and object keep their place.

• He hasn't seen the film.
• We aren't watching TV.
• I wasn't listening to music.

Past Simple Negative

Use didn't + base form. The object stays after the verb.

• We didn't see the accident. — not We didn't the accident see.

Quick Reference

• Present perfect: have/has + participle
  I have lost my keys.
• Continuous: be + verb-ing
  He was writing a letter.
• Negative: not goes with the auxiliary
  You haven't met her.

Questions (Simple Present)

In the present simple, the word order of a question depends on the verb. With the verb be we use inversion; with all other verbs we use do/does.

Questions with Be

Put am/is/are before the subject. Do not add do/does.

Am/Is/Are + subject + ...?

• Are you happy? — not Do you are happy?
• Is she a nurse?

Questions with Do/Does

With other verbs, use do (I/you/we/they) or does (he/she/it) + the base form of the verb.

Do/Does + subject + base verb ...?

• Do you like tea?
• Does he play tennis? — not Does he plays tennis?

Wh- Questions (What, Who, Where, Why)

The question word goes first, then the same order as above.

Question word + am/is/are or do/does + subject ...?

• What is your name?
• Who is that man?
• Where are the keys?
• Why do you like it?
• Where does she live?

Quick Reference

• Be: Am/Is/Are + subject
  Are you ready?
• Other verbs: Do/Does + subject + base verb
  Do they work here?
• Never use do/does together with be — not Do you are...

Place and Time Expressions

When a sentence has both a place and a time expression, the usual order is place before time.

Subject + Verb (+ Object) + Place + Time

• She goes to work every morning. — not She goes every morning to work.
• We travelled to Spain in July.

Time at the Beginning

The time expression can also go at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis.

• Every morning she goes to work.
• At midnight they arrived at the airport.

Never Split the Verb and Object

Never put a time or place expression between the verb and its object.

• I meet my friends on Fridays. — not I meet on Fridays my friends.
• We eat lunch at noon. — not We eat at noon lunch.

Quick Reference

• Place before time
  They play in the park on Sundays.
• Time can start the sentence
  On Sundays they play in the park.

Direct and Indirect Objects

Many verbs have two objects: an indirect object (usually a person) and a direct object (usually a thing). There are two correct patterns.

Pattern One: Verb + Person + Thing

• She gave me a book.
• He bought his son a bike.

Pattern Two: Verb + Thing + to/for + Person

• She gave a book to me.
• I sent a letter to my friend.

Use to with verbs like give, send, show, tell, lend; use for with verbs like buy, make.

Pronoun Objects

When the direct object is a pronoun (it, them), we normally use Pattern Two.

• Give it to me. — not Give me it.

Quick Reference

• Person + thing
  They told us the truth.
• Thing + to/for + person
  They told the truth to us.

Inversion

After certain negative or limiting expressions at the beginning of a sentence, we put the auxiliary before the subject, like in a question.

Negative Adverbials

After never, rarely, seldom, hardly, little, not only, no sooner at the front, use inversion.

• Never have I seen such a mess. — not Never I have seen such a mess.
• Rarely does she go out.
• No sooner had I left than it started.

Conditional Inversion

We can leave out if and invert with had, were, should.

• Had I known, I would have helped.
• Were I you, I would apologise.
• Should you need help, ask me.

Other Cases

• Only after lunch did we start.
• Under no circumstances should you sign.

Quick Reference

• Negative adverbial + auxiliary + subject
  Little did he know.
• Conditional: Had/Were/Should + subject
  Had I known...

Fronting and Cleft Sentences

We use special structures to emphasise one part of a sentence.

It-Cleft

Structure: It + be + focus + that/who + ... Use who for people, that for things and other cases.

• It was John who broke the window.
• It is money that he wants.
• It was in Paris that they met.

Wh-Cleft

Structure: What + clause + be + focus.

• What I need is a holiday.
• What matters is your health.

Fronting

We can move a part of the sentence to the front for emphasis, without repeating it with a pronoun.

• This book I really enjoyed. — not This book I really enjoyed it.

Quick Reference

• It-cleft: It + be + focus + that/who
  It was you who were wrong.
• Wh-cleft: What + clause + be + focus
  What she wants is respect.