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Unit 93 · Word order

He speaks English very well. (word order 1)

Study

A

verb + object

Sue bought some new shoes yesterday.
subject verb object

The verb (bought) and the object (some new shoes) are usually together. We say:

Sue bought some new shoes yesterday.

(not Sue bought yesterday some new shoes)

verb + object
He speaks English very well. (not He speaks very well English)
I like Italian food very much. (not I like very much ...)
Did you watch TV all evening? (not ... watch all evening TV)
Paul often wears a black hat. (not Paul wears often ...)
We invited a lot of people to the party.
I opened the door slowly.
Why do you always make the same mistake?
I'm going to borrow some money from a friend.
B

where and when

We went to a party last night.

where? when?

Place (where?) is usually before time (when?). We say:

We went to a party last night.

(not We went last night to a party)

place (where?) + time (when? how long? how often?)
Lisa walks to work every day. (not ... every day to work)
Will you be at home this evening? (not ... this evening at home)
I usually go to bed early. (not ... early to bed)
We arrived at the airport at 7 o'clock.
They've lived in the same house for 20 years.
Joe's father has been in hospital since June.

Exercises (3)

0/3 exercises checked
93.1

Right or wrong? Correct the sentences that are wrong.

  1. 1
    Did you watch all evening TV?
    Did you watch TV all evening?example
  2. 2
    Sue bought some new shoes yesterday.
  3. 3
    I like very much this picture.
  4. 4
    Tom started last week his new job.
  5. 5
    I want to speak English fluently.
  6. 6
    Jessica bought for her friend a present.
  7. 7
    I drink every day three cups of coffee.
  8. 8
    Don't eat your dinner too quickly!
  9. 9
    I borrowed from my brother fifty pounds.
93.2

Put the words in order.

  1. 1
    (the door / opened / I / slowly)
    I opened the door slowly.example
  2. 2
    (a new phone / I / last week / got)
  3. 3
    (finished / Paul / quickly / his work)
  4. 4
    (Emily / very well / French / doesn't speak)
  5. 5
    (a lot of shopping / did / I / yesterday)
  6. 6
    (London / do you know / well?)
  7. 7
    (we / enjoyed / very much / the party)
  8. 8
    (the problem / carefully / I / explained)
  9. 9
    (we / at the airport / some friends / met)
  10. 10
    (did you buy / in England / that jacket?)
  11. 11
    (every day / do / the same thing / we)
  12. 12
    (football / don't like / very much / I)
93.3

Put the words in order.

  1. 1
    (to work / every day / walks / Lisa)
    Lisa walks to work every day.example
  2. 2
    (at the hotel / I / early / arrived)
  3. 3
    (goes / every year / to Italy / Julia)
  4. 4
    (we / since 1998 / here / have lived)
  5. 5
    (in London / Sue / in 1990 / was born)
  6. 6
    (didn't go / yesterday / Paul / to work)
  7. 7
    (to a wedding / last weekend / went / Helen)
  8. 8
    (I / in bed / this morning / my breakfast / had)
  9. 9
    (in September / Amy / to university / is going)
  10. 10
    (I / a beautiful bird / this morning / in the garden / saw)
  11. 11
    (many times / have been / my parents / to the United States)
  12. 12
    (my umbrella / I / last night / left / in the restaurant)
  13. 13
    (to the cinema / tomorrow evening / are you going?)
  14. 14
    (the children / I / took / this morning / to school)