Russian grammar —> Word order in Russian
In English, the word order plays an important role because it shows the relationships between parts in the sentence (subject, object, etc.). For example, if we say «Cats eat mice», we clearly understand that «cats» is here the subject of the action «eat» and the object of this action is «mice». If we switch the position of nouns «cats» and «mice», we get «Mice eat cats», a sentence with a different meaning. So, in English sentence the grammatical sense depends on word order.
However, Russian word order is very flexible. The relationships between parts of the Russian sentence are shown by the endings of words. Depending on the grammatical sense and role in the sentence, Russian words have different endings.
Look at the following example:
Кошки едят мышей. — Cats eat mice.
In the Russian sentence, the object of the action is shown by the ending -ей of the word мышей. That is why, if you change the position of the Russian words, the overall meaning of the sentence will not change. You can say:
Кошки едят мышей.
Мышей едят кошки.
Едят кошки мышей.
Едят мышей кошки.
In these sentences, the subject and the object of the action «eat» remain the same.
So, because of words endings, the parts of the Russian sentence can go in almost any order without causing any misunderstanding on the part of the listener.
If you want to know more about word endings and their grammatical role in Russian, we recommend you to see the page Cases in Russian on our website.
For the beginner in Russian there is nothing very important to remember about word order – other than the fact that it is very flexible. For example, while translating a Russian sentence, you can use the word order of the English sentence and native speakers will always understand you.
At the same time, Russian word order has its own peculiarities. One of these peculiarities is that in written Russian new information (or emphasized information) comes at the end of the sentence. For example, look at the sentence:
Мария едет в Москву. — Maria goes to Moscow.
The emphasis is on the word Москва (Moscow), it is a new information because this sentence tells where Maria goes. If another word order is used:
В Москву едет Мария. – It is Maria who goes to Moscow.
The emphasis is on the word Мария (Maria), and, in this case, the sentence tells who goes to Moscow.
In a conversation, the word order is more flexible since intonation and stress may be used to show the emphasized information in a sentence.
Each
sentence can be spoken of in different aspects. A syntactic aspect
implies the sentence analysis in terms of parts of the sentence
(sentence subject, predicate, object, attribute, adverbial modifier).
Syntax reveals the relation of sentence parts to each other. A
semantic aspect implies the relation of sentence components to the
elements of the real situation named by the sentence. This can be
done in terms of case grammar139or reference theory,140or by singling out the agent, object and other semantic roles. A
third aspect is pragmatic, or communicative. It implies the relation
of the sentence to its users. The speaker makes up a sentence so as
to stress logically this or that part of the information conveyed by
the sentence. Therefore, this type of sentence structure is called
information (communicative) structure, and this type of sentence
analysis is referred to as actual division of the sentence,141or functional sentence perspective.142
Normally,
each sentence develops from a known piece of information, called the
theme,
to a new one, called the rheme.
The rhematic component is the information center of the sentence. It
is logically stressed. It can be easily singled out in speech by
contrasting it to some other word: The
early bird catches the worm, not the trap. The early bird catches the
worm, not the late one. The
rhematic word usually answers a special question: e.g., Whom
does the early bird catch? — The early bird catches the
worm.
What kind of bird catches the worm? – The early
bird catches the worm.
In addition to the methods of contrasting and questioning, there are
some other signals for the rhematic component. They include:
-
the
indefinite article of the sentence subject: A
little evil
is often necessary for obtaining a great good. -
a
long extended part of the sentence; compare: Many
people
saw it. – People saw
it. -
negation:
Not
he
who has much is rich, but he who gives much. -
intensifiers
(only,
even, just, such as, etc.):
Only
the educated
are free. (Cf.
The educated are free.) -
some
special constructions (there
is; it is… (who); passive
constructions with the by-agent
expressed):
It is human
nature
to think wisely and to act foolishly.
The
sentence communicative structure is different in English and in
Russian. In Russian it is more rigid, which compensates a loose word
order of the sentence. English fixed word order, on the other hand,
is compensated by a free, to some extent, functional sentence
perspective. In Russian neutral style, the theme precedes the rheme,
which means that a logically stressed part of the sentence is in the
final position. In English, the rheme can be interrupted by the theme
or even precede the theme: There
is an
unknown word
in the text. (T-R-T)
– В тексте
есть незнакомое
слово.
(T-R).
§2. Word order change due to the functional sentence perspective
When
the English and Russian functional sentence perspectives do not
coincide, a word order change is applied in translation.
Thus,
the rhematic subject in English usually takes the initial position,
whereas in Russian it should be placed at the end of the sentence: A
faint perfume of jasmine
came through the open window. (O.Wilde) – Сквозь
открытое
окно
доносился
легкий
аромат
жасмина.
A
waitress
came to their table. – К
их
столику
подошла
официантка.
This
transformation is evident in comparing the structures with the
subjects introduced by the definite and indefinite articles. A
sentence that has the definite article with the subject has the same
word order: The
woman entered the house. – Женщина
вошла
в
дом.
On
the other hand, a word order change takes place in a similar sentence
if its subject is determined by the indefinite article: A
woman entered the house. – В
дом
вошла
женщина.
To
emphasize the rhematic subject of the sentence, the construction it
is … that (who)
can be used in English. For example, It
is not by means of any tricks or devices that the remarkable effect
of Milton’s verse is produced. – Удивительный
эффект
стихов
Мильтона
объясняется
вовсе
не
какими—то
особыми
ухищрениями.143The
rhematic component is positioned at the end of the Russian sentence.
Another
example: It
was the Russian-born American physicist Vladimir Zworykin who made
the first electronic television in the 1920s. – Именно
Владимир
Зворыкин,
американский
физик
русского
происхождения,
создал
электронный
телевизор
в
20-х
годах
XX столетия.
In
Russian, the emphasis on the semantic center of the sentence is made
either with the help of the intensifier (именно),
or else the meaning can be rendered through a change of word order:
Электронный
телевизор
в
20-х
годах
XX столетия
создал
Владимир
Зворыкин,
американский
физик
русского
происхождения.
Thematic
components in Russian are shifted to the initial position, which
often happens with objects and adverbial modifiers: It
was early for
that.
– Для
этого
еще
было
рано.
A
typical case is the sentence introduced by there
is/are.
Here the subject is rhematic and the adverbial modifier of place is
thematic. Therefore, the construction is normally translated into
Russian with the adverbial in the initial position: There
is a book on the table. – На
столе
лежит
книга.
Compare
this sentence with one of a thematic subject: The
book is on the table. – Книга
лежит
на
столе.
If
there is no adverbial modifier of place in the English sentence (to
start the translation), the sentence beginning with there
is
is rendered in Russian by the verb существует:
There are three kinds of solid body. – Существует
три
вида
твердого
тела.
Adverbial
modifiers of place and time are usually mirrored in translation.
Being thematic, they are positioned in the beginning of the Russian
sentence, and in English they take the final position: Вчера
в
Москве
состоялась
встреча
президента
России
с
президентом
Франции.
– A meeting of the Russian president and the French president was
held in
Moscow yesterday.
A
rhematic component expressing the agent of the action in the passive
construction cannot be placed as the initial subject of the
translated sentence: The
telephone was invented by
A. Bell.
corresponds
to Телефон
изобрел
А.
Белл.
(not
to А.
Белл
изобрел
телефон.)
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Have you ever had difficulties with combining Russian words? We’re sure you know what we’re talking about. Russian word order is important because it makes sentences make sense. Without understanding the main principles of combining words, you won’t be able to communicate with native speakers while, let’s say, vacationing in Russia over the holidays or chatting on social media.Russian sentence structure is one of the most significant parts of learning the grammar rules of this language. If you learn how to make sentences word by word now, you probably won’t have problems with more difficult themes in the future. So let’s start studying!
Table of Contents
- Overview of Word Order in Russian
- Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object
- Word Order with Prepositional Phrases
- Word Order with Modifiers
- How to Change Your Sentence into a Yes-or-No Question
- Translation Exercises
- Conclusion
1. Overview of Word Order in Russian
The Russian language word order is SVO, but the existing grammar rules allow us to change it. So, sometimes, the typical SVO Russian word order can become VSO. That’s why we can say that word order in Russian sentences is quite flexible.
So, does word order matter in Russian? When comparing word order in English and Russian, we can notice one big difference. Russian word order doesn’t matter grammatically as much as English word order does.
Before having Russian sentence structure practice, you should definitely learn the most popular Russian phrases and words. It’s impossible to make sentences without knowing them by heart.
If you’re an advanced speaker, you may read Russian books and learn new words from them.
2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object
According to the basic Russian word order, you must start your sentence with the subject. Then comes the verb, followed by the object. If you use this word order in Russian sentences, you’ll never make a mistake. For example:
- Я читаю книгу. (Ya chitayu knigu.) — “I read a book.”
There are also some cases when you can use VSO instead of SVO. It’s appropriate if the sentence contains two verbs, and you want to emphasize the first one. It sounds good if you’re telling a story. For example:
- Читаю я книгу и вдруг… (Chitayu ya knigu i vdrug…) — “I’m reading a book, and suddenly…”
Be careful with VSO in Russian, though. It may sound really weird if you use it while making an order in a restaurant, talking to a stewardess during your flight to Russia, in an emergency, or in other formal situations.
3. Word Order with Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases answer the following questions:
- Where?
- When?
- In what way?
Prepositional phrases that answer the question “Where?” are typically used at the end of the sentence, after the object:
- Я читаю книгу дома. (Ya chitayu knigu doma.) — “I read a book at home.”
In Russian sentence structure, prepositional phrases that answer the question “When?” are put either at the very beginning or at the end of a sentence. The meaning of the phrase will change a bit, though. For example:
- Сегодня я читаю книгу. (Segodnya ya chitayu knigu.) — “Today, I read a book.”
- In this case, this sentence answers the question “What did I do today?”
- Я читаю книгу сегодня. (Ya chitayu knigu segodnya.) — “I read a book today.”
- This one answers the question “When did I read a book?”
Prepositional phrases that answer the question “In what way?” can be used right after the noun or at the end, after the verb. Both variants are grammatically correct, but the first one sounds more natural:
- Я увлеченно читаю книгу. (Ya uvlechyonno chitayu knigu.) — “I enthusiastically read a book.”
- Я читаю книгу увлеченно. (Ya chitayu knigu uvlechyonno.) — “I read a book enthusiastically.”
When there are two (or even more) prepositional phrases, you should use them in the following order:
- Put the prepositional phrase of time in the first place, before the noun.
- Add the prepositional phrase that answers the question “In what way?“ after the noun.
- Use the prepositional phrase of place after the object, at the end.
Here’s an example:
- Сегодня я увлеченно читаю книгу дома. (Segodnya ya uvlechyonno chitayu knigu doma.) — “Today, I enthusiastically read a book at home.”
If you don’t want to learn all these rules about building sentences in Russian, you may always put the prepositional phrase at the end of the sentence. Of course, doing so is appropriate only for beginners. Advanced students must know and use more complex rules regarding sentence structure in Russian.
4. Word Order with Modifiers
In most cases, the modifier is an adjective which describes something. In Russian word order, adjectives are always used before nouns:
- Я читаю интересную книгу. (Ya chitayu interesnuyu knigu.) — “I read an interesting book.”
If there are two or more adjectives in the sentence, you should:
- Firstly, use the one which expresses your own opinion about the subject or marks something about the subject that’s not very stable.
- Use the adjective which denotes a very stable aspect as close to the noun as possible.
For example:
- Я читаю интересную научную книгу. (Ya chitayu interesnuyu nauchnuyu knigu.) — “I read an interesting scientific book.”
Note that Russian sentence structure with adjectives is more or less flexible. There are no actual Russian word order rules that say you must use one type of adjective before another (e.g. shape before color). Try not to think too hard about how to order words in Russian when it comes to adjectives.
Other modifiers include the determiner, the numeral, and the possessive. According to the most typical word order in Russian, all modifiers like these come before the noun:
- Я читаю эту книгу. (Ya chitayu etu knigu.) — “I read this book.”
- Я читаю одну книгу. (Ya chitayu odnu knigu.) — “I read one book.”
- Я читаю его книгу. (Ya chitayu yego knigu.) — “I read his book.”
5. How to Change Your Sentence into a Yes-or-No Question
Typical Russian sentence structure makes it really easy to change affirmative constructions into yes-or-no-questions. If you want your Russian question word order to be correct, follow our instructions:
- Put the verb at the beginning.
- Add the conjunction ли (li) after the verb.
- Then use the noun and the object.
Here’s an example:
- Читаю ли я книгу? (Chitayu li ya knigu?) — “Do I read a book?”
6. Translation Exercises
We hope that you’ve read the information above thoroughly and understand the basic Russian sentence structures. Now we need to practice a bit with new sentences. We’ll use the most common Russian word order: SVO.
Please, stop comparing Russian sentence structure to that of English. They are both easy and comprehendible, believe us.
First of all, try to translate this phrase using your knowledge about how Russian sentences are structured:
- “I watched a movie.”
You may use the Russian dictionary if you don’t know the translations of some words.
If it’s difficult for you, think about Russian sentence structure compared to that in English. What do you know about them? They’re both SVOs! That’s why you can translate the simplest sentence word by word without the fear of making mistakes.
The correct Russian translation of the sentence above is:
- Я посмотрел фильм. (Ya posmotrel fil’m.)
Now let’s translate a slightly more difficult variant of this sentence:
- “I watched a good movie.”
If you’re struggling, look at our Russian sentence structure examples. There you’ll see that the adjective always comes before the noun:
- Я посмотрел хороший фильм. (Ya posmotrel khoroshiy fil’m.)
Now it’s time to make our English sentence more difficult. Translate this one:
- “I watched a good movie yesterday.”
Don’t panic! There are two ways to make this sentence:
- Вчера я посмотрел хороший фильм. (Vchera ya posmotrel khoroshiy fil’m.)
- Я посмотрел хороший фильм вчера. (Ya posmotrel khoroshiy fil’m vchera.)
Now try to translate the question:
- Did I watch a good movie yesterday?
There are two correct ways to translate it:
- Посмотрел ли я вчера хороший фильм? (Posmotrel li ya vchera khoroshiy fil’m?)
- Посмотрел ли я хороший фильм вчера? (Posmotrel li ya khoroshiy fil’m vchera?)
Sometimes there’s more than one appropriate way to express your thoughts in Russian.
7. Conclusion
You’ve learned a lot about Russian sentence structure and word order. We gave you not only the basic rules, but also some advanced techniques to build complex Russian sentences. Of course, it may seem too difficult right now. But don’t forget that Russian people don’t even think about how to combine words while speaking or writing. You only need some practice to do the same.
No one can fully cover the theme of sentence structure in Russian in one article, because this language is too rich. We’re sure you still have some questions: how to structure a sentence in Russian if there are two subjects and two verbs, how to form complex questions, how Russian sentence structure works in sentences with relative clauses, etc.
If you want to know more about this theme and find the answers to the above-mentioned questions, explore RussianPod101.com. Here you’ll find lots of free materials regarding vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. You’ll be able to download some useful information about Russian sentence structure.Do you want to try personal coaching? You can check our Premium PLUS service MyTeacher and take the assessment test to get started.
Order of words in a sentence
An important feature of the English sentence is the strictly defined word order. Unlike the Russian language, English verbs do not have personal endings, and nouns, adjectives and pronouns do not have case endings, so the relationship between words is determined by the order of the words. If the word order is violated, the meaning of the sentence is violated.
Word order in a declarative sentence
The normal word order in a declarative sentence is subject + predicate (that is, the predicate is never in front of the subject). In case the verb has an object, it usually follows the verb: Subject + Predicated + Complement.
Example: I can see my friend. — I see my friend.
Circumstances are most often at the very beginning or at the very end of the sentence. Of course, in English there are other options, for example, the so-called reverse word order, but in this work I give only basic information that is necessary and minimally sufficient.
Word order in an interrogative sentence
There are four main types of interrogative sentences. We will consider two types: general and specific questions.
General question Is a question that can be answered «yes» or «no». Word order in a general question: auxiliary or modal verb or linking verb + subject + predicate. Example: Can you swim? — Can you swim?
Special question Is a question that starts with a question word. English question words: what — what, what; when — when; where — where; why — why; how — how; whose — whose; which — which; who — who; whom — whom. The word order in the special question is: question word + auxiliary or modal verb + subject + predicate.
As we can see, the word order in the special question is the same as the word order in the general question. The only difference is that the question word comes first. The subject question has its own characteristics. In the question to the subject, sentences in the place of the subject (i.e.
at the beginning of a sentence) there is an interrogative word; the order of the rest of the clause is the same as in the declarative clause. Example: Who can swim? — Who can swim? That is, it all comes down to substituting the question word who or what (who or what) in the place of the subject.
No further changes are made.
Word order in negative sentences
Subject + auxiliary or modal verb or linking verb + particle not + predicate.
Example: He does not read. — He doesn’t read.
← back contents forward →
Source: http://begin-english.ru/study/sentence/
Word order in an English sentence, part 1
Can interrogative word order be used in affirmative sentences? How to build a sentence if there is no subject in it? Read about these and other nuances in our article.
Affirmative sentences
In English, the basic word order can be described by the formula SVO: subject — verb — object (subject — predicate — object).
Mary reads many books. — Mary reads a lot of books.
A subject is a noun or pronoun that appears at the beginning of a sentence (who? — Mary).
The predicate is the verb that comes after the subject (what does it do? — reads).
An addendum is a noun or pronoun that comes after a verb (what? — books).
There are no cases in English, so it is necessary to strictly observe the basic order of words, since it is often the only thing that indicates a connection between words.
SubjectPausableCompletionTranslation
my mom | loves | soap operas. | My mom loves soap operas. |
Sally | found | her keys. | Sally found her keys. |
I | remember | you. | I remember you. |
The verb to be in affirmative sentences
As a rule, an English sentence is not complete without a verb predicate. Since it is possible to construct a sentence in Russian without a verb, we often forget about it in English. For example:
mary is a teacher. — Mary is a teacher. (Mary is teacher.)
I‘m scared. — I’m scared. (I AM I am scared.)
Life is unfair. — Life is not fair. (Life is unfair.)
My younger brother is ten years old. — My younger brother is ten years old. (To my little brother Yes ten years.)
His friends are from Spain. — His friends are from Spain. (His friends occur from Spain.)
The vase is on the table. — The vase is on the table. (Vase is/is on the table.)
To summarize, the verb to be translated into Russian can mean:
- to be / is / to be;
- be / stay (in some place or state);
- exist;
- originate (from some locality).
If you are not sure whether to be is needed in your sentence in the present tense, then translate the sentence in the past tense: I am at work — I was at work. If a linking verb appears in the past tense, then in the present it is also necessary.
Offers with there is / there are
When we want to say that something is somewhere or something is not somewhere, then we need to adhere to the construction there + to be at the beginning of the sentence.
there is grass in the yard there is wood on the grass. — Grass in the yard, firewood on the grass.
If in these types of sentences we do not use the construction there is / there are, then in English such sentences will sound less natural:
There are a lot of people in the room. — There are a lot of people in the room. (naturally)
a lot of people are in the room. — A lot of people are in the room. (less natural)
Please note that sentences with there is / there are, as a rule, are translated into Russian from the end of the sentence.
There is / there are also needed to maintain the basic word order — SVO (subject — predicate — complement):
SubjectPausableCompletionTranslation
There | is | too much sugar in my tea. | There is too much sugar in my tea. |
More details about the construction there is / there are can be found in the article «English grammar for beginners, part 3».
Pronoun it
We, as native speakers of the Russian language, in English sentences forget not only about the predicate, but also about the subject. It is especially difficult to figure out how to translate sentences like this into English: It gets dark. It’s time to get up. It was nice to talk to. In English, all these sentences must contain a subject, the role of which will be played by the introductory pronoun it. It is especially important not to forget it if we are talking about the weather.
It‘s getting dark. — It gets dark.
It‘s time to get up. — It’s time to get up.
It was nice to talk to you. — It was nice to talk to.
Negative sentences
If the sentence is negative, then we put a negative particle not after:
- auxiliary verb (auxiliary verb);
- modal verb.
Subject Auxiliary / Modal Verb not
Sally | has | Note | found | her keys. | Sally didn’t find her keys. |
my mom | does | Note | love | soap operas. | My mom doesn’t like soap operas. |
He | Could | Note | save | his reputation. | He couldn’t save his reputation |
I | will | Note | be | yours. | I won’t be yours. |
If the only verb in the sentence is to be, then we put not after it.
Subject Verb to be Particle not Completion Translation
TT | is | Note | an engineer. | Peter is not an engineer. |
I | was | Note | at work yesterday. | I was not at work yesterday. |
Her friends | Were | Note | polite enough. | Her friends weren’t polite enough. |
Word order in questions
First, let’s say that there are two main types of questions:
- closed-ended questions (questions with a yes / no answer);
- open-ended questions (questions that can be answered in detail).
Closed questions
To build a yes / no question, you need to put a modal or auxiliary verb at the beginning of a sentence. You get the following structure: auxiliary / modal verb — subject — predicate. The following examples will help you understand how to convert an affirmative sentence to an interrogative one.
Source: https://englex.ru/basic-word-order-in-english-sentences/
How to build a sentence in English correctly
It is very important to know the word order in English. In Russian, thanks to the cases, we can put words in any order, and this will not change the meaning of what is said. In English, not knowing what order the words should be in can lead to misunderstandings. How often have you wondered what word to put where in English in order to express your thoughts correctly? In fact, everything is not so difficult — just learn a few simple rules.
Building a simple sentence in English
- In English, in simple sentences, the subject (who / what) always comes first.
- Then comes the predicate (action).
- A direct object is placed after the predicate.
It should be remembered that it is always present in English. If in Russian you can say simply «I am a doctor», then in English we will say «I am a doctor» — «I am a doctor.»
Here are a few examples:
He s coffee. — He loves coffee.
I am swimming in the pool. — I am swimming in the pool.
It’s important to know! In English, when we talk about ourselves and someone else, first we write with whom we did what, and then about ourselves.
For example:
My friend and I went to the shop.
My friend and I went to the store.
Don’t be selfish
Source: https://tryeng.ru/3201
English Sentence Structure — Word order in affirmative and negative sentences
A sentence (in both English and Russian) is a complete thought. It starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop:
We are at home. — We’re home.
John’s good food. — John likes good food.
What does the offer consist of?
Both in Russian and in English, a sentence can consist of the following members: subject, predicate, object or complement, adverbial modifier and attribute.
At the our lessons teachers use various interesting materials. — In the classroom, our teachers use a variety of interesting materials.
our — definition, refers to the word «teachers»
teachers — subject
use — predicate (verb)
materials — addition
various interesting — two definitions related to the word «materials» at the lessons — circumstance
Which sentence members are required in English?
In Russian, there may be a sentence without a subject and / or without a predicate: “This is a pen.«; «Late.«,»I’m cold«.
In all sentences of the English language, both the subject and the predicate are required. Compare with the examples above: “It is a pen.«»It is late.«»I’m cold.«
The rest of the members of the proposal may be absent (they are called minor members of the proposal).
We arrived. — We arrived.
We — subject, arrived — predicate (verb).
We arrived in the morning.
in the morning — circumstance of time
We arrived at a small station. — We arrived at a small station.
at a small station — circumstance of place
small (small) — definition, clarifying word station (station)
Word order in an English sentence
In English, a fixed word order. That is, each member of the proposal is in its own specific place. In Russian, in almost all parts of speech there are endings, with the help of which the categories of time, gender, number, etc. are expressed. Therefore, the word order in the Russian sentence is free.
English belongs to a different language type and has practically no endings. But the need to express all those categories that the Russian language expresses remains. Therefore, the solution was found in a fixed word order.
This makes the English language more «logical», similar to simple mathematical formulas, which undoubtedly makes it easier to learn.
Compare: (2) I rarely watch (1) I (3) TV on weekdays.
(1) I seldom (2) watch (3) TV on week-days
Word order in an affirmative sentence
In an affirmative sentence, in the first place is subordinate,
In second place — predicate,
on the third — secondary members of the proposal.
(1) We (2) are (3) in the center of Moscow now.
We (are) in the center of Moscow now.
(1) Julia (2) is (3) a very nice girl.
Julia (is) a very nice girl.
Negative sentence word order
In a negative sentence, the word order is the same as in the affirmative, but only after the verb is the negative particle not.
(1) I (2) am Note (3) hungry.
I am not hungry.
(1) The children (2) are Note (3) attentive
Children are not (are) attentive.
Remarks:
-
Some minor members of the sentence may change their location depending on what the speaker wants to emphasize first.
Most often, circumstances may change their place in the sentence.
We usually go home together. — We usually we go home together.
Usually we go home together. — Usually we go home together. -
There are impersonal sentences in Russian. That is, sentences in which only the subject or only the predicate is present. In English, both main members of the sentence must be present in a sentence. To express impersonal sentences in English, the turnover It is is used (it is),
where It — subject, and Is — predicate.It is cold. — Coldly. (It’s cold)
It is late. — Late. (It’s late) -
In colloquial speech, phrases that are not complete sentences can and are used:
— Hello! How are you? — Hey! How are you doing?
— (I am) Fine, thanks! — Thank you, OK!
Source: https://www.study.ru/courses/elementary/predlozhenie
Word order and sentence structure in English
A sentence in any language (including English) is the main syntactic unit. With the help of a sentence, a message is delivered to the interlocutor or a question is asked. In order to speak English not with a set of words, but with beautiful and grammatically correct sentences, you need to have an idea of such concepts as the structure of an English sentence and the order of words in it.
Fundamentals of English Sentence Structure
The structure of an English sentence is made up of knowledge about the members of the sentence, major and minor.
The main members of the sentence are (as in Russian) subject и predicate.
The peculiarity of the structure of the English sentence — it must have both of its main members.
For example, in the Russian language, one cannot surprise anyone with a huge number of one-component sentences (where there is either only the subject or the predicate). But in English, the rule is different: the sentence must contain both the subject and the predicate.
Let’s compare sentences from the Russian and English languages, where in the Russian version they will be one-part, and in English (with the same meaning) the subject and predicate are necessarily present in them.
Heat! (one-part sentence, no predicate) — It is hot! (there is a subject and a predicate).
It’s getting dark! (one-piece, no subject) — It’s getting dark! (there are both main members of the proposal).
In addition to the main members of the English sentence, minor ones may be present in it. It:
- direct object;
- indirect addition (indirect object);
- definition (attribute);
- circumstance (adverbial modifier).
I gave her (indirect object) a book (direct object) yesterday. — I gave her the book yesterday.
Our teacher told us (indirect addition) a new story (direct addition). — Our teacher told us a new story.
I saw a little (definition) kitten in the garden. — I saw a little kitten in the garden.
I always drive only my (definition) car. — I always drive only my car.
I was late because of the bad weather. — I was late due to bad weather.
He runs so fast. — He runs so fast.
I was sick yesterday (circumstance of time). — I was sick yesterday.
Now that you have an idea of the structure of an English sentence, you can talk about the order of words in it.
Subject matter
I (subject) worked (predicate) yesterday. — I worked yesterday.
I (subject) work (predicate) every day. — I work every day.
There is always a subject in English sentences, even when the statement does not mention an object / living being, but only an action. In this case, the so-called «impersonal subject» will come first.
It (subject) rains (predicate) here every day. — It rains here every day.
The circumstances of the course of action
I usually go home by bus. — I usually go home by bus.
We always drink hot tea. — We always drink hot tea.
Situations are allowed when these circumstances can be carried over to the first place, before the subject.
We usually buy bread in the nearest shop. — Usually we buy bread in this shop.
Modal verbs
Read more in the article: «Modal Verbs».
I can forgive you. — I can forgive you.
You must drink medicine in time. — You must take your medicine on time.
Adjective
I hot milk. — I like hot milk.
I met a nice girl in the park. — I met a nice girl in the park.
Additions and Circumstances
I write poems (direct object) for you (indirect object) with pleasure (circumstance).
Circumstances
We did it very quickly yesterday. (We did it very quickly yesterday) — Yesterday we did it very quickly. (We did it very quickly yesterday)
Word order in negative and interrogative sentences
With regard to negative sentences, there are no particular difficulties in terms of word order.
The scheme for constructing such a sentence is always the same: in the first place the subject, in the second — the auxiliary / modal verb, in the third the particle not, then the predicate.
I don’t (do not) hot milk. — I don’t like hot milk.
I cannot (can not) help you. — I can not help you.
An important detail: the adverb never itself performs a negative function, therefore, if it is present, the particle not is not used in a negative sentence.
I have never been to Tbilisi. — I’ve never been to Tbilisi
I never eat coconuts. — I’ve never eaten coconuts.
Sentences positive and negative, as you can see, have (with the exception of some details) the same word order, and in such cases it is called direct. In interrogative sentences, the word order is called reverse: an auxiliary or modal verb is no longer placed after the subject, but before it.
Can you help us? — Can you help us?
Have you ever been to Novgorod? — Have you ever been to Novgorod?
For comparison — variants of the Russian special question (with a free word order) and an English sentence with a question word.
When will you go out of town? (When will you go out of town?) — When will you go to the country?
What do you usually drink in the morning? (What do you usually drink in the morning?)
If in a question the words who / what replace the subject, then the word order is forward, not reverse.
Who is the most beautiful girl in your town?
What was the most important event in your life?
Who came to the class yesterday?
Such strict and, at first glance, complex rules regarding the order of words in an English sentence have a logical explanation. In English, the endings of nouns, adjectives and verbs are unchanged. If in Russian, the connection between words in a sentence is achieved through endings, then in English this happens with the help of a strict word order.
That’s all for today!
If you have any questions, ask them in the comments!
Source: https://4lang.ru/english/grammar/poryadok-slov
Forward and reverse word order. Part 1
The order in the sentence of the members of the sentence — SUBJECT — FAILED — usually called in grammar direct word order (the Direct Order of Words). Direct word order is the norm for an affirmative sentence in English:
Walking can be recommended as a good exercise.
Reverse word order
Setting the predicate to the subject is usually called reverse word order, or, using the generally accepted term, inversion (the Indirect Order of Words, Inversion).
Distinguish between full and partial inversion.
RџSЂRё full inversion the predicate, expressed in one word, is placed before the subject. There are few cases of complete inversion:
Is anybody at home? (as a semantic verb). Has anybody twenty dollars to lend me? (as a semantic verb).
Cases are much more numerous partial inversion, that is, setting before the subject of the predicate-auxiliary or modal verb, as well as the linking verb:
Has you received any new emails? Can walking be recommended as a good exercise? Is it cold today?
When forming a question using the auxiliary do verb type: At what time does the sun rise now? — there is essentially no reverse word order. The pointer to the question is the auxiliary verb do; other members of the sentence are placed in the usual order: subject — predicate: Does the sun rise?
An indirect question in English is built like an affirmative sentence: Ask if he can come to see me tomorrow afternoon. I wonder what time it is. In Russian, the reverse order of words is observed, as well as the presence of a particle in the sentence: Ask if he can come to me tomorrow. Find out if the director has arrived.
Other cases of inversion
The predicate also stands before the subject in the following cases:
— In the construction there is (are) and with all the verbs preceded by the formal there: There is a meeting today. There must be a meeting today.
— In exclamation sentences expressing the wish: Long Live the King!
— In conditional sentences starting with verb forms: were, had, should: Were I in your place, I would act differently. Should the weather keep fine in September, come down to see us in the country.
— When repeating an auxiliary or modal verb in sentences like: You are here, so am I.
Note: The subject takes its usual place if it refers in both sentences to the same subject of speech: “You seem to be very pleased with your work,” said my friend to me. “So I am,” I answered.
Source: http://www.english7days.ru/pryamoy-i-obratnyiy-poryadok-slov-chast-1.html
Word order in an English sentence
Word order in an English sentence is, on the one hand, not a difficult topic, because the basic rules are simple, on the other — inexhaustible, because the nuances are endless. In this article, we will not try to grasp the immensity, but consider the basic rules, principles of constructing a sentence in English.
A sentence in English can be simple or complex. Simple includes one grammatical basis (subject and predicate), complex — two or more. Complex sentences are divided into compound sentences, the sentences in which are equivalent, and complex sentences, consisting of the main and subordinate clauses.
- Subject matter — the actor or subject in the proposal, answers the questions: who? what?
Mountains are beautiful. — The mountains are beautiful.
- Predicate — what is said about the subject. What does the subject do? What is it like?
Mountains are beautiful… — The mountains are beautiful.
- Addition — the person or object to which the action is directed. After some verbs, two additions are possible: direct, to which the action is directed directly, and indirect, answering the question “to whom?” — the action is directed at him indirectly.
He Told me a joke… — He told me a joke.
In this example joke — direct addition, me — indirect.
- Definition — a sign of an object or person, answers the questions: which one? which? whose? etc.
It is my spot. — This is my spot.
- Circumstance — shows when, how, under what circumstances the action takes place.
I drive Carefully… — I drive carefully.
Feature of word order in English
English has a stricter word order than Russian. In Russian, we can rearrange words in a sentence with slight changes in meaning:
- The cat is chasing the mouse.
- The mouse is chased by a cat.
We understand who is catching up with whom, since in the Russian language, not only word order and prepositions, but also case endings (mouse, cat) are responsible for such semantic connections.
There are no case endings in English, so you can’t move the words so freely — the meaning of the sentence will change:
- A cat chases a mouse. — The cat is chasing the mouse.
- A mouse chases a cat. — The mouse is chasing the cat.
Word order in affirmative and negative sentences
The affirmative sentence uses direct word order. The scheme is as follows: subject, predicate, object (if any).
Subject
I | see | you |
Я | see | you |
We | found | a cat |
Мы | found | cat |
Mark | will help | Them |
Mark | will help | them |
In a negative sentence, the word order is the same. The difference is that a negative sentence uses a negative particle Note and an auxiliary verb (will, do, be, have).
Subject
I | want not tell | the truth |
Я | I will not tell | the truth |
We | do not help | rich people |
Мы | we do not help | rich people |
Place of definition
The definition does not have a clearly fixed place in the sentence, it can stand for any noun it defines, for example:
- I see a white dog — I see a white dog (white — definition),
- My friend will help me. — My friend will help me (my — definition).
Note: in the diagrams below, the definitions will not be highlighted as a separate member of the proposal, so as not to make the diagrams too cumbersome.
Place of indirect complement
Indirect addition may come before or after direct object.
As a rule, the indirect object is located BEFORE the direct object — in this case, the preposition before the indirect object is not needed.
Subject Implied Indirect Complement Direct Supplement
Source: https://langformula.ru/english-grammar/word-order/
Word order in a sentence in English
The deep and hidden meaning of what is spoken and written is the strict observance of the correctness of the sentence. This seemingly small, but important nuance conceals the secrets of literacy in English. Along with spelling, the formulation of thoughts is not just a key place in teaching English, but teaches you to think in it and clearly use what you have learned.
It must be remembered that a global rearrangement of words in a sentence leads to a change in the entire essence of the statement. Knowing the golden rule of drawing up an English sentence, it becomes possible to express a thought clearly and correctly. That will testify not only to the knowledge of such, but also to the ability to use it.
Subject + predicate + direct object
Why is it so important word order in a sentence in English language. The answer to this question will be the knowledge of the principles of grammar, which is fraught with certain pitfalls that are alien to our mentality. The completeness, volume and unpredictability of Russian speech promises considerable problems when learning English. But having understood and accepted the main rule for granted, all difficulties fade away.
The essence of language acquisition lies in the correct construction of phrases, which frightens many beginners with this very difficulty. With a more detailed study of the issue, this aspect becomes clear, and not so creepy. The habit of combining words in an arbitrary order, emphasizing the importance of certain words, perceives the strict framework of the order «with hostility.» This aspect is very difficult and incomprehensible for us, but we are fully studying it. The trick is as follows.
The flexibility of the Russian language lies in the unique case system, which is absent in English. Understanding gives each word an ending, which does not change from the permutation of words in a sentence, but which clearly and clearly shows that it denotes and all its meaning, depth and meaning that it carries. It should be noted that the construction of the English sentence is very dry, specific, definite and concise. The mentality of the people can be traced here.
It is impossible to fit the breadth of the Russian soul into some narrow narrative framework. Although, in English, there are also longer, intricate sentences that are inherent in fiction, jurisprudence and other areas where it is appropriate and necessary.
If you remember the correct word order in an English sentence, then its study becomes easy, simple and does not encounter difficulties. The order is as follows: the subject comes first, then the predicate, and only after the direct and indirect object, as well as all the circumstances.
Having dealt with the main characters, what play the role of the subject, and correspond to the question “who?”, “What?”. The subject can be expressed by a noun or a pronoun. We always put it in the first place. Then comes the perfect event of this subject, or its specific activity.
Therefore, it is expressed by a verb in a certain time interval.
The predicate is an important point of the proposal, put in second place, and unquestioningly shows the developing situation, what is happening in this or that interval. In this case, the predicate can be expressed in several verbs to more fully clarify the action or indicate the time.
Without the subject and predicate, it is impossible to create a sentence and express your thought clearly. They are very important and come first. But, the offer also contains:
- additions, which can be both direct and indirect;
- definitions;
- circumstances.
Indirect additions and circumstances
One cannot stand a sentence with important and paramount words. Some addition is needed here for completeness of the description. Such an explanatory moment is the additions, without which, the expressed thought may not be fully understood and not fully formed. Additions broaden the horizons of expression and make it more accessible, understandable, which carries a great semantic load. So, the additions indicate the subject, on which there was a completely given influence.
The add-ons are different. They are divided according to the degree of importance into direct, indirect and prepositional. In a sentence, a direct addition, following immediately after the predicate, which is what its name says, expresses what the action being performed directly goes to and answers the questions “who?”, “What?”. An indirect addition is who or what, as a result of which this operation is performed, and which answers the questions: «who?», «What?», «Who?», «Why?» etc.
Indirect Complement Position
Regularity orderwords in an English sentence due not only to the semantic load of each component, but also to the fixed arrangement of words. Here, the clarity of understanding the correct location of the indirect complement depends on the following subtleties:
- If the indirect object contains the preposition to, then it is placed after the direct object.
- In the absence of the preposition to, the indirect object goes to the first place before the direct one.
This must be remembered, taken into account and used to the extent of necessity, which is taken into account by the specifics of the language.
Position of circumstance
A given to the culture of a language in its study tells us to correctly and flawlessly determine the position of a certain word in a sentence.
The complexity of the interweaving of all the subtleties into the language web determines a number of rules by which it is worth learning to understand word order in an English sentence.
Having considered the dominant positions, moving on to secondary places, let us pay attention to the following most important subtlety, as a circumstance. It is it that dictates in what place, how and at what time a certain event took place.
When learning English, it’s hard not to notice that a familiar circumstance always points to the verb to which it refers. The circumstance often appears either in personal and impersonal forms, or in an adverb and an adjective. Such a clarifying point is very important for the complete certainty of what is happening and the correct understanding of the event itself. Hiding in small but significant details, the circumstance indicates the reasons, goals and circumstances, namely:
- location and direction;
- time;
- modus operandi;
- causes;
- goals;
- particular degree or measure;
- conditions and so on.
Although the concreteness and certainty of the place of the circumstance in a judgment or phrase is not as firm as in other words, its location is more free, and it can occupy such locations:
- At the beginning of the sentence before the subject. This is often how the circumstance of time is placed.
- In the middle of the sentence before the addition. So you can use any adverb or adverb.
- Between the two used verbs — the main and the auxiliary. Basically, only short adverbs are used this way.
In the presence of several different circumstances in the pronounced phrase, their mutual arrangement is determined in the following order: first, the circumstances of the mode of action are put, then the places, and only in the last turn they use the circumstance of time, which is sometimes placed at the beginning of the sentence.
The simplicity and brevity of the formulation of the principles of the correctness of the composition of sentences gives a chance not only to learn the language, but also to master it in a certain perfect form. Although such an action requires such an environment that will induce, not just listen and delve into the meaning of the phrases said, but, accordingly, think in this language.
Non-standard word order in English
And it is precisely in this aspect of relevance and globality that the question of broadening one’s horizons and increasing those rules that are necessary in colloquial speech arises. After all, language, no matter how structured it is, tells us to express the entire depth and breadth of a person’s thought, and it is simply not possible to drive it into a certain framework. This is where the non-standard originates from word order in an English sentence.
Remembering, knowing and not forgetting the importance of the arrangement of words in the sentence, namely, following this arrangement rule, which states that the subject takes the first place, then the predicate, and then the direct and indirect addition.
As if the last circumstance follows, which, by the way, can take different places in it depending on the conditions. But there is no other order, and there should be no words between the main ones. But, as with any rule, there are always exceptions, and the English language has its own deviations.
It is necessary to mention adverbs, which show the frequency of actions performed (sometimes, often, never, etc.).
Using simple rules when constructing sentences, there is always a chance to create something bigger and more difficult by combining several components into one large sentence, but something that will most likely describe this action in full. Simple rules also apply in difficult situations, you just need to use them with reliability.
Stylistic reordering of words
Writers often use a bright and unique feature of changing words to enhance some effect or to make the action spicy and impeccable.
The human factor is invincible in its inconstancy and widespread development, improving and developing the turns of speech that convey that depth of feelings that simply cannot be conveyed in words.
But it’s all great when reading a book, listening to a movie or song, or speaking from a speaker. It is undesirable for beginners to use such complex structures.
And to start studying with them, moreover, is forbidden. This complicates understanding and the study itself, distorting the essence of the main principles and confusing them in such an already not easy matter. But, if you have looked into this area, you need to know the following aspects: the usual word order changes when the following words are used — never or never before, hardly, in structures when if is omitted, and when using extended additions. Then there is a change in the places of the subject and predicate.
Сonclusion
The order of words in an English sentence emphasizes the very fact and the degree of connection between words, for reliable transmission of the necessary information. The urgency of mastering the elementary rule of formulating a sentence opens the door to the future of language learning, comprehension of the world.
After repeating and remembering the primacy of the arrangement of words in the formed phrases, which speaks of the primacy of the subject, the next predicate, and after all the various additions, circumstances and other things. It not only initiates language perfection into the world, but also reveals all the secrets of literacy and knowledge.
Great work starts small, allowing you to rise to unknown heights of knowledge.
The totality of numerous studies in the field of modernization and improvement of the language, is aimed primarily at the study and establishment of all shades of a complex issue of a specific and strictly order of the use of words in a sentence of the English language; to convey the seriousness and clarity of understanding and correct perception of such. And also on the influence of words on each other, on the meaning of the sentence as a whole and on the inversion of words, depending on the circumstances. The definition of the word order function, their types and inversion is achieved in the learning process, which allows you to accurately build English sentences with deliberate ease and infallible knowledge.
Source: https://enjoyenglish-blog.com/interesnoe-ob-anglijskom-yazyke/poryadok-slov-v-predlozhenii-v-anglijskom-yazyke.html
How a sentence is built in English | Building English sentences
Knowing how a sentence is constructed in English is a fundamental key to speaking correctly in English. Having well understood the principles of constructing English sentences of different types, you can easily operate with different times, ask questions correctly, and speak English faster.
Strict word order in English sentences
The construction of sentences in English requires clarification due to the dissimilarity of the syntax of English and Russian. For example, The boy was picking berries all day. can be translated in ten ways:
- The boy was picking berries all day
- The boy picked berries all day
- The boy picked berries all day
- The boy picked berries all day
- The boy picked berries all day
- The boy picked berries all day
- The boy picked berries all day
- The boy picked berries all day
- The boy picked berries all day
- The boy was picking berries all day
In English, this will be only one option, where the word order is strictly defined — the subject is followed by the predicate, then the object and the circumstance… On the one hand, it seems that such a limitation is annoying, but practice shows: the less room for maneuver, the less probability of error. In the end, it turns out to be easier to construct sentences of foreign speech according to a strictly defined scheme than to literally convey ornate Russian thoughts.
The outline of a typical affirmative English sentence looks like this:
Subject group | Predicate group | Additions | Circumstances |
the boy | was picking | berries | all day |
Exception for circumstance
There is one exception to the rule «subject, predicate, and then everything else» — this is a circumstance. In English, it can appear in sentences in four different positions:
Before the subject — the circumstance of the time
Last night she left for Pekin — She left for Beijing last night.
Between the subject and the predicate — the circumstance of the frequency of action
Marcus seldom eats spinach — Marcus rarely eats spinach.
Between the auxiliary and the main verb of the predicate — the circumstances of the image or time of action (adverb)
Grant has never been to Penza — Grant has never been to Penza.
And according to the traditional scheme — after the addition, at the end of the sentence.
Flora broke the agreement at once — Flora broke the agreement at once.
Building negative sentences in English
The word order in negative sentences in English differs from affirmative only in the NOT particle. The composition of the predicate in a negative sentence is «Auxiliary verb + NOT + main verb».
Belinda did not show her impatience — Belinda did not show her impatience.
General questions
General questions (requiring a “yes” or “no” answer) in English always start with an auxiliary verb. After it, the word order of the affirmative sentence is preserved.
Did the pupils stand still? — Did the students stand still?
Special Issues
Special questions are of a clarifying nature and begin with special “interrogative words”. After such a word, in a special question, we put an auxiliary verb, and then again return to the affirmative word order.
Why did the pupils stand still? — Why did the students stand still?
Stylistic inversion in English
The order of words in a sentence in English can change when a special stylistic device is used — inversion (reverse word order). It is mainly an artistic technique that serves to emotionally highlight an expression or thought.
And came empty days full of misery and despair. — And there came empty days, full of suffering and despair.
Training and control
Despite the fact that there is nothing complicated in the scheme of the English sentence, it is not so easy to introduce this very scheme into the Russian consciousness. We are used to being free with words. After all, thanks to the endings, the order of the words in the Russian sentence is not important.
When we learn to speak English, we automatically put English words in the place of Russians, often completely distorting the meaning of what we want to say.
To develop the automatism of the correct word order in a sentence in English, you need to build a thought over and over again according to the desired pattern. It is difficult to do this on your own.
The lessons of the Lim-English training site are designed so that the Russian and English versions of the sentences in them almost literally coincide. By completing tasks on the site, you will not only understand how a sentence is constructed in English, but also imperceptibly bring the skill of correct English speech to automatism.
By the way, you can also find a rather rare phenomenon of stylistic inversion in Lim-English in beautiful English fairy tales.
Source: https://lim-english.com/posts/kak-stroitsa-predlojenie-v-angliiskom/
Enjoy learning English online with Puzzle English for free
The rules for constructing sentences in English are quite strict. Unlike the Russian language, there is a clear word order. If you know the basic construction of an English sentence, you can construct any phrase.
The members of the sentence in English, as in Russian, are divided into major and minor.
The main members of the sentence are those thanks to which the grammatical basis of the statement is formed. Without them, the proposal would not make sense. The main members are subject and predicate.
examples:
(Who?) They (what did they do?) Thought. — They thought.
Who?) The cat (what is it doing?) Is coming. — The cat is going.
(What?) The apple (what will it do?) Will fall. — The apple will fall.
Predicate
This part of the sentence is expressed by a verb and is key when constructing sentences in English, because it shows at what time an action happened, occurs or will occur. The predicate answers the question «what to do?»
As part of the predicate, there can be two verbs, auxiliary and semantic.
An auxiliary verb is a verb that is used to express tense. As such, it does not in itself have such a meaning and is not translated into Russian in any way. However, his presence is necessary if the temporary form requires it.
examples:
Source: https://puzzle-english.com/directory/sentencestructure
Sentences in English: word order and terms
Greetings to future connoisseurs of the English language! Friends, you’ve probably heard more than once about such a phenomenon in the English language as a fixed word order. And it represents a strict adherence to the position in the proposal of its members.
And then a problem arises — how much do you know about the members of a sentence in English? This is not to say that the grammatical concept of «member of a sentence» differs in many respects from that in Russian, but after making a brief overview, you will undoubtedly discover some useful information or simply refresh your memory of the grammatical material that you studied in school. Let’s get started!
There is a certain word order in an English sentence
English sentences: construction rules and members
The main difference between English declarative sentences and Russian ones is that in English you cannot arrange words as you please, and the sentence formula indicating the strict word order is as follows:
Subject + predicate + complement + circumstance of place + circumstance of time
Of course, this formula is not absolute. Some members may be absent in both English and Russian sentences, or, on the contrary, additional ones may appear, for example:
- circumstances of the course of action
- cause and effect and others
The priority of circumstances in proposals will be discussed a little later.
If in Russian there are sentences without a subject, then in English — the presence of a subject is mandatory
For example, the Russian version of the absence of a subject:
- I see — the city has become so beautiful!
In the English version, the literal translation will be incorrect, here the pronoun «I» must be present:
- I see the city has become so beautiful!
Let us now take a closer look at the important building blocks of sentences.
Subject and predicate are the grammatical basis of the sentence.
The Subject
Subject — a member of the sentence that names the subject in question
The subject in English answers the question:
The subject in English can be expressed:
- noun
- numerative
- a pronoun
- gerund (non-personal form of the verb)
- infinitive
John is a pupil. — John (who?) Is a student.
The book was on the desk. — The book (what?) Was on the table.
The Predicate (Predictable)
The predicate denotes what is said about the subject, that is, what action it performs. Therefore, it is in close connection with the subject and is consistent with it.
The predicate in English answers the questions:
- what does the subject do
- what happens to the subject
- who is the subject / object (subject)
Mary studies. — Mary is studying. (What is Mary doing?)
The letter was burned. — The letter was burned. (What happened to the letter?)
Ann is a housewife. — Anna is a housewife. (Who is Anna?)
This member of the sentence in English has many nuances, so let’s stop to consider them without putting it in a long box.
The predicate is of two types:
A simple predicate is expressed by a personal verb and can be in any of the tenses, inclinations and moods
He s this song. — He loves this song.
To avoid misunderstandings that may arise, it should be understood that a simple predicate can consist of several components, provided that they are constituents of the same verb form.
We are writing a test. — We are writing a test.
She had been writing a letter. — She wrote a letter.
The compound predicate is subdivided into two more types:
- Composite verb predicate
- The compound nominal predicate
Composite verb predicate forms its forms according to two schemes:
- Modal verb (can, ought to, may etc.) + infinitive
- I can read English. — I can read in English
- Verb (expressing the beginning, continuation or end of an action) + infinitive / gerund
- I began to study at the University of St. Nicolas. — I started studying at St. Nicholas University
- It continued snowing. — The snow continued to fall
- He has finished reading the story. — He finished reading the story
The compound nominal predicate is formed according to the following scheme:
Verb bunch to be (to be) in any of the tenses + a nominal part, which can be:
- noun
- pronoun
- numeral
- Communion
- infinitive
- adverb,
- gerund
- My dad is a pilot. — My father is a pilot (+ noun)
- The wall is high. — High wall (+ adjective)
- She is forty-two. — She is 42 years old (+ numeral)
- The game is over. — Game over (+ adverb)
- His heart is broken. — His heart is broken (+ participle)
- His goal was traveling the world. — His goal was to travel the world (+ gerund)
The Object (Addition)
An addendum is a member of a sentence that denotes an object or person that is exposed to
Supplement in English answers a huge number of questions:
- Whom — whom
- what — what
- to whom — to whom
- by whom — by whom
- about what — about what, etc.
It can be direct, indirect and prepositional.
A direct object names a person or an object to which the action, expressed by a transitive verb, goes directly. Questions answered:
I read an article. — I’m reading the article.
An indirect addition in English indicates the addressee or the person for whose sake the action is being performed. The indirect addition answers the questions:
- to whom — to whom
- for whom — for whom
- to what — what
Source: https://englishfull.ru/grammatika/chleni-predlozheniya.html
Putting the word order in English sentences. In diagrams and examples
Greetings dear reader.
I am sure that if I ask you how the word order in a sentence in English differs from its Russian counterpart, you will not be able to tell me plainly. Well, maybe some of you. Therefore, today I will lay out all your knowledge on the shelves, tables and diagrams.
Let’s start!
What is the main difference
To make everything clear, as for children, let’s look at simple examples right away. This is where everyone starts, both adults in various courses and children in grade 2.
If in Russian we can do whatever we want with a proposal, then in English there will be difficulties with this. For example:
The cat climbed a tree.
A cat climbed up a tree.
But look what happens if we do something like this with the English version:
The cat broke the window. — The cat broke the window.
The window broke the cat. — The window broke the cat.
You see, the difference turns out to be significant and, to some extent, comical. And the reason is that in English the word order is firm, and oh, how involuntarily amenable to change!
How to write a sentence correctly
The standard word order of a simple sentence is as follows:
- The subject comes first.
- It is followed by the predicate.
- After that comes the addition.
- And, in the end, a circumstance.
Let’s take a look at some examples:
mother is a doctor. — Mom is a doctor.
Mother Is the subject; the one who performs the main action. It comes first.
Is Is a predicate. It always comes after the subject.
Doctor Is an add-on.
Let’s see some more examples.
I (subject predicate) coffee (addition) in the morning (circumstance). — I like coffee in the morning.
We (subject) do (predicate) the job (addition) well (circumstance). — We’re doing a good job.
We bought a beautiful car last week… “We bought a nice car last week.
I have a concert tomorrow night — Tomorrow evening I have a concert.
But what about the time indicators? — you ask. To which I answer: they can stand like at the beginningAnd in concert offers.
I (subject) drink (predicate) coffee (addition) in the morning (time indicator). — I drink coffee in the morning.
In the morning (time indicator) I (subject) go (predicate) jogging (addition). — In the morning I go for a run.
To help you remember this rule better, I have a table for you that will help you quickly refresh your knowledge at any time.
What to do with questions
For those who are already in grade 5, the most common mistake is the incorrect formation of questions. (Follow the link to learn more about everything)
The word order in the interrogative sentence depends on the type of sentence you are encountering. If the question is general, that is, it only requires the answer «yes» or «no», then the words will go in the following order:
- Auxiliary verb (e.g. Is, Are, Do, Did, Does, Was, Were, Has, Have, Will, etc.)
- Next comes the subject.
- It is followed by the main verb.
- Then all other parts of the sentence are used.
Is (auxiliary) John (subject) a student (addition)? — Is John a student?
Do (auxiliary) you (subject) drink (main verb) water (addition) in the morning (circumstance of time)? — Do you drink water in the morning?
What (auxiliary) he (subject) reading (main verb) to book (addition) last night (circumstance of time)? — Did he read the book last night?
But the language also has special questions that need full answers. The only difference in this case is that a question word appears before the auxiliary verb (what, when, who, whom, where, which, whose).
What (question word) Were (auxiliary) you (subject) doing (main verb) last evening (circumstance of time)? — What did you do last night?
Who did you call yesterday? — Who did you call yesterday?
When did you see her for the last time? — When was the last time you saw her?
To memorize the information much better, here is a diagram for you, which I hope will help you master the rule faster.
Well, my dears, the only thing left for me to tell you is practice, exercise and even more English. Only with constant practice and constant improvement of the language can you achieve good results. After all, we are still at the very beginning of the journey, which can become a starting point for you into the wonderful world of English speech.
To better understand the topic, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the English times, since in the rules you will find a lot of examples of sentences and questions. At the same time, you will understand how sentences are formed at different times.
I’m sure many of you would be interested to receive even more useful information and topics for taking the next steps. Therefore, I created a subscription to my blog mailing list, where I share the most relevant and useful information. Subscribe and improve day by day.
Source: https://lizasenglish.ru/grammatika/poryadok-slov-v-predlozheniyah.html
5 simple rules for word order in English
In order to build even the simplest sentence in English, you need to know the word order in the language. This seemingly simple but very important topic is the starting point for learning English grammar.
Predicate
Note that by subject we mean here not only the main noun or pronoun, but also the adjectives or descriptive phrases that refer to it. The rest of the sentence, which is not related to the subject, is called the predicate. For example:
- The girl in a blue dress was playing the piano.
Indirect additions and circumstances
If there are any other parts in the sentence — indirect additions or circumstances — they usually occupy a strictly defined place.
Before the subject (usually these are the circumstances of the time)
- In the morning he was reading a book. — In the morning he read a book.
After the addition (almost any adverb or adverbial phrase can be put here):
- He was reading a book at the library. — He read a book in the library.
Between the auxiliary and the main verb (as a rule, these are short adverbs):
- He has already read this book. — He has already read the book.
Non-standard word order in English
Typically, in Standard English, no other words are placed between subject and predicate, or between predicate and object. But there are a few exceptions. Here are the most important ones:
Frequency adverbs and indirect objects without the preposition to
- I sometimes drink coffee in the morning. — I sometimes drink coffee in the morning.
Source: https://skyeng.ru/articles/5-prostyh-pravil-poryadka-slov-v-anglijskom
Word order and members of a sentence in English
The main members in the English sentence are:
- Subject, which denotes the producer of the action (who? what?)
the story is amazing — the story is amazing.
- Predicate, which denotes the action or characteristic of the subject (what does the subject do? what is it?)
the story is amazing — the story is amazing.
In addition, a proposal may include several minor members:
- Addition — the object to which the action of the subject is directed. Additions are divided into direct and indirect:
I called you a doctor… — I called a doctor (a doctor — direct addition, you — indirect).
- Definition can refer to both the object of action and the subject. Its task is to convey one or another characteristic of an object (which? Which? Whose?):
I read an interesting book. — I am reading an interesting book.
I see a Beautiful bird on the tree. — I see a beautiful bird on the window.
- Circumstance conveys the meaning of time, place and mode of action (when? where? where? how? etc.)
I drive Carefully… — I drive carefully.
In Russian, we are used to the free order of words, which depends on which of them we want to emphasize. In English, words are always in a certain order, and there are a number of related rules that you need to know.
Correct word order in English is necessary in order not to distort the meaning of the statement. In English, there are no such broad opportunities for conveying meaning through endings, as in Russian:
-
Mom loves her daughter.
-
Mom is loved by her daughter.
Look at these examples: in them we easily understand who is the object of action and who is the subject. The subject is in the nominative and has the ending «a», and the object in the accusative is the ending «y».
If you write the same thing in English, then the meaning of these phrases will be different. There are no case endings here, and the producer of the action will be the noun at the beginning:
-
Mother loves daughter. — Mom loves her daughter;
-
Daughter loves mother. — My daughter loves her mother.
Word order in English affirmative sentences: detailed outline
The word order in the English declarative sentence is called direct. At the beginning of the sentence there is a noun or pronoun (the subject of the action), followed by the action itself, and in third place are the additions.
The word order in an English negative sentence is not fundamentally different. You just need to put the particle not and an auxiliary verb before the verb.
Definition in a sentence
The definition is always located next to the noun it defines.
-
I see a whitedog — I see a white dog (white is the definition).
-
Myfriend will help me. — My friend will help me (my — definition).
Indirect addition in a sentence
In English, there are two options for the location of the indirect object. To put it in the right place, see if there is a preposition to before the addition.
-
If the preposition is present, the indirect object should be put after direct.
-
If there is no preposition, the indirect object will be to direct.
Circumstance in a sentence
The word order in a sentence containing a circumstance depends on its meaning:
- Circumstance of the course of action.
If an intransitive verb (which has no object) is used in the sentence, the circumstance will be in third place.
If there is an addition after the verb, no other words can be placed between them. Then the circumstance may appear immediately after the subject or after the addition.
In order not to make a mistake if you do not clearly distinguish between transitive verbs, remember: if there is an addition, the adverb should be placed after it, if not, after the verb.
Usually placed in third place, but direct addition can displace it.
As a rule, words indicating the time of action appear at the end of a sentence.
But in some cases, the circumstance of time may come first.
Exceptions are words that carry a frequency of action, such as always, seldom, usually, never.
If the predicate consists of one semantic verb, then these words in the sentence will be in second place.
If the predicate is expressed in the form of the verb to be, the circumstance is in third place.
In an English sentence with a complex predicate, including an auxiliary and semantic verb, the circumstance is inside the predicate.
The word order will be the same if the sentence includes an auxiliary verb and a verb to be.
Read the material on the topic: Articles in English with examples and rules
Word order in an English imperative sentence
Sentences, called imperatives, are used to ask for something, advise, give direction. The order of construction of words in an English sentence of this type is quite simple: the subject is absent, the predicate is at the head of the sentence, followed by other words:
Word order in English sentences: outline for exclamation
Any sentence can become an exclamation point if you pronounce it with the appropriate intonation. But in the English language there is a special type of sentences that are designed to convey emotion. The word order in this case will be as follows: at the beginning there is the word What or How, then the related additions or definitions, and only then the subject and predicate.
It is worth resorting to this construction when the meaning of your statement is to convey impressions or emotions (joy, surprise, indignation, etc.). It is noteworthy that in such English sentences, the main terms can be omitted.
Read the material on the topic: The most beautiful words in English: TOP-50
Word order in English interrogative sentences and answers
In our language, the same sentence can be either interrogative or affirmative, depending on intonation. The word order in an interrogative sentence in English has its own characteristics:
-
They listen to the teacher. — They listen to the teacher.
-
Are they listening to the teacher? — Do they listen to the teacher?
Forward word order in an English sentence is used for assertion, and reverse order for asking a question. That is, in an interrogative construction, the predicate will be the first, not the subject. Please note: at the beginning of the sentence, you should not put all the predicate, but only the auxiliary verb. In this case, the main verb will be in third place.
In English grammar, there is a division of interrogative sentences into four groups:
- General question: auxiliary verb + subject + predicate + minor terms.
Are you engrossed in Chinese art? — Are you interested in Chinese art?
- Special question: question word + auxiliary verb + subject + predicate + minor terms.
Where do you prefer eating out? — Where do you prefer to dine outside the home?
The interrogative word «who» can denote the producer of the action: Who is playing the piano right now? — Who is currently playing the piano?
- Alternative question: its distinguishing feature is the conjunction «or», and the order corresponds to the interrogative construction.
Will Andrew go to New Orleans or San Diego? — Will Andrew go to New Orleans or San Diego?
- Certification question consists of two parts: the first uses direct word order, and the second is a general question.
Source: https://www.englishpatient.org/articles/poryadok-slov-v-anglijskom-predlozhenii
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