Word order (1)

UNIT 101 Word order (1)  verb + object

A.   verb + object
The verb and the object of the verb normally go together. We do not usually put other words between them:

                  verb + object
            I    like     children   very much. (not I like very much children.)
    Did you see      Norman     yesterday?
Ann often plays   tennis.

Here are some more examples. Notice how each time the verb and the object go together:

• Do you clean the house every weekend? (not Do you clean every weekend the house?)

• Everybody enjoyed the party very much. (not Everybody enjoyed very party.)

• Our guide spoke English fluently (not. . . spoke fluently English.)

• I not only lost all my money - I also lost my passport. (not I lost also my passport)

• At the end of the street you'll see a supermarket on your left. (not  . . . see on your left a supermarket.)                       

B.   Place and time
We usually say the place (where?) before the time (when?/how often?/how long?)

                                 place                time
Tom walks            to work          every morning. (not Tom walks every morning to work.)
She has been in   Canada           since April.
We arrived       at the airport     early.

Here are some more examples:

• I'm going to Paris on Monday. (not I'm going on Monday to Paris.)

• Don't be late. Make sure you're here by 8 o'clock.

• Why weren't you at home last night?

• You really shouldn't go to bed so late.

It is often possible to put the time at the beginning of the sentence:

• On Monday I'm going to Paris.

• Every morning Tom walks to work.

Note that you cannot use early or late at the beginning of the sentence in this way.