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1.1 In a normal (declarative) sentence, the subject of a sentence comes directly in front of the verb. The direct object (when there is one) comes directly after it: Examples: The man wrote a letter. People who live in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones. The president laughed.
1.2. Note that by the subject, we mean not just a single word, but the subject noun or pronoun plus adjectives or descriptive phrases that go with it. The rest of the sentence - i.e. the part that is not the subject - is called the predicate. Example: People who live in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones.
1.3. If a sentence has any other parts to it - indirect objects,adverbs or adverb phrases these usually come in specific places:
medicine
to
the
child.
1.4 In standard English, nothing usually comes between the subject and the verb, or between the verb and the object. There are a few exceptions. The most important of these are adverbs of frequency and indirect objects without to. Example: The man often I sometimes give my dog a bone.
wrote
his
mother
letter.
If you always apply these few simple rules, you will not make too many word order problems in English. The examples above are deliberately simple - but the rules can be applied even to complex sentences, with subordinate and coordinated clauses. Example: The director, [who often told his staff (to work harder),] never left the office before [he had checked his e-mail.] 2 Exceptions Of course, there are exceptions to many rules, and writers and speakers sometimes use different or unusual word order for special effects. But if we concentrate on the exceptions, we may forget the main principles, and the question of word order may start to seem very complex! So here are just a few examples: you should realise that they exist, but not try to use them unless either they are essential in the context, or else you have fully mastered normal word order patterns. (Don't try to run before you can walk!)
Has the bank sent us an invoice yet? How many books have you read this year ? Is the new secretary being given her own laptop ? Can the new secretary be given her own laptop ? How quickly can the new secretary be given her own laptop ? Is the new secretary nice ? Comparison between statements and questions with single-word tenses : He had a good time. > Did he have a good time? NOT Had he a good time? He lives in new York. > Does he live in new York? NOT Lives he in New York?
Exceptions: Certain adverbs, notably short adverbs of frequency or time, can and indeed sometimes must be placed between the auxiliary and the root verb, as in statements. In questions, these adverbs are placed between the subject and the root verb. Has that French company yet sent us their order ? Can the new secretary soon be given a bigger desk ? What sort of hats do the ladies usually wear?