English — Word Order and Sentence Structure — 3rd Year Middle School — Algerian Curriculum

Word Order and Sentence Structure

English follows a specific word order in sentences.

Basic Word Order: SVOMPT

Subject + Verb + Object + Manner + Place + Time

“I (S) saw (V) a cat (O) in the garden (P) yesterday (T).”

Questions

Question word + Auxiliary + Subject + Verb?

“Where do you live?” “What are you doing?” “When did he arrive?”

Adjective Order

Opinion → Size → Age → Shape → Color → Origin → Material

“A beautiful old French painting.”

Adverb Position

• Adverbs of frequency (always, never, often): before the main verb. “I always read before bed.”
• Adverbs of manner (slowly, carefully): after the verb. “He drives carefully.”
• Adverbs of time (yesterday, today): at the beginning or end. “Yesterday, I went to school.”

Negation

Subject + auxiliary + not + verb. “I do not like coffee.” “She is not coming.”

Exercises

1) Put in order: school / I / to / go / every day → … a / bought / dress / beautiful / she → …
2) Write the sentence correctly: plays / football / he / on Fridays → …