The document discusses word order in English sentences. It explains that proper word order is important to make sentences clear and understandable. The standard word order in English is subject-verb-object (SVO). Questions follow an auxiliary verb/subject/verb (ASV) order. Other parts of word order include indirect objects, prepositional phrases, and adverbs. The document provides examples to illustrate correct and incorrect word orders and explains how to avoid mistakes by following patterns like SVO, SVIO, and ASV.

1. ORDER OF
WORDS AND CLAUSES
BY – RESHMA MULCHANDANI

2. WHAT ISWORD ORDER?
• Word order is important:it’s what makes your sentences make sense!
• So, proper word order is an essential part of writing and speaking—when we put words
in the wrong order, the result is a confusing, unclear, and an incorrect sentence.

3. EXAMPLES OF WORD ORDER:
• Here are some examples of words put into the correct and incorrect order:
• I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters at home. CORRECT
• 2 brothers and 2 sisters have I at home. INCORRECT
• I am in middle school. CORRECT
• In middle school I am. INCORRECT
• How are you today? CORRECT
• You are how today? INCORRECT
• As you can see, it’s usually easy to see whether or not your words are in the correct order.When words
are out of order, they stand out, and usually change the meaning of a sentence or make it hard to
understand.

4. TYPES OFWORD ORDER:
• In English, we follow one main pattern for normal sentences and one main pattern for
sentences that ask a question.
• StandardWord Order – for normal sentences
• Questions – that ask a question

5. STANDARD WORD ORDER
• A sentence’s standard word order is Subject +Verb + Object (SVO). Remember, the
subject is what a sentence is about; so, it comes first.
• For example:
• The dog (subject) + eats (verb) + popcorn (object).
• The subject comes first in a sentence because it makes our meaning clear when writing and
speaking.Then, the verb comes after the subject, and the object comes after the verb; and
that’s the most common word order. Otherwise, a sentence doesn’t make sense, like this:
• Eats popcorn the dog. (verb + object + subject)
• Popcorn the dog eats. (object + subject + verb)

6. • Some more examples are:
• I (S) am cleaning (V) the house (O).
• He (S) loves (V) the cold breeze (O).
• I (S) bought (V) a new computer (O).
• She (S) doesn't like (V) dogs (O).

8. QUESTIONS:
• When asking a question, we follow the order:
• auxiliary verb/modal auxiliary + subject + verb (ASV).
• Auxiliary verbs and modal auxiliaries share meaning or function, many which are forms of
the verb “to be.”
• Auxiliary verbs can change form, but modal auxiliaries don’t.
• As said, questions follow the form ASV; or,
• If they have an object, ASVO.
• Here are some examples:

9. • Can he cook?
• “Can” (auxiliary) “he” (subject) “cook” (verb) -> ASV
• Does your dog like popcorn?
• “Does” (A) “your dog” (S) “like” (V) “popcorn” (O) -> ASVO
• Are you burning the popcorn?
• “Are” (A) “you” (S) “burning” (V) “popcorn” (O) -> ASVO

10. PARTS OFWORD ORDER:
• While almost sentences need to follow the basic SVO word order, we add other words,
like indirect objects and modifiers, to make them more detailed.
• So, parts of word order are:
• Indirect objects
• Prepositional Phrases
• Adverbs

11. INDIRECT OBJECTS:
• It is more complicated when an indirect object (I) is added to the sentence. In this case the
word order depends on -
on whether the direct and indirect objects are nouns or pronouns, and
on whether the indirect object is preceded by the word to.
• Note: What is indirect object?
• An indirect object of a sentence shows the recipient of the direct object. It basically tells us to
whom/what or for whom/what something is done.An indirect object can be made up of one or
more words, or a phrase, known as a prepositional phrase.

12. • When we add an indirect object, a sentence will follow a slightly different order. Indirect
objects always come between the verb and the object, following the pattern SVIO, like
this:
• I fed the dog some popcorn.
• This sentence has “I” (subject) “fed” (verb) “dog” (indirect object) “popcorn” (direct
object).

13. PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES:
• Prepositional phrases also have special positions in sentences.When we use the
prepositions like “to” or “for,” then the indirect object becomes part of a prepositional
phrase, and follows the order SVOP, like this:
• I fed some popcorn to the dog.
• Other prepositional phrases, determining time and location, can go at either the
beginning or the end of a sentence:
• He ate popcorn at the fair. -Or- At the fair he ate popcorn.
In the morning I will go home. -Or- I will go home in the morning.

14. ADVERBS:
• Now as we know about the basic word order used in simple sentences, we need to step
our game up and learn about complex sentences.These sentences can contain, adverbs of
place, time, two verbs, an indirect object etc.The most used word order is:
• Subject +Verb + Object + Adverb of Place + Adverb ofTime
• Again, note that the verb and object are placed next to each other.
• An important thing to realize is that the time usually comes after the place. Hence the
adverb of the place is kept before the adverb of time.
• Let us look at some examples:

15. • He (S) meets (V) George (O) at the park (Adverb of place) every day (Adverb of
time).
• We can also use the adverb of time at the beginning of a sentence in the order of words
(except early and late). For example,
• Every Monday he goes to the orphanage.

16. HOW TO AVOID MISTAKESWITH WORD ORDER:
• Aside from following the proper SVO pattern, it’s important to write and speak in the
way that is the least confusing and the clearest. If you make mistakes with your word
order, then your sentences won’t make sense. Basically, if a sentence is hard to
understand, then it isn’t correct. Here are a few key things to remember:
• The subject is what a sentence is about, so it should come first.
• A modifier (like an adverb) should generally go as close as possible to the thing it is
modifying.
• Indirect objects can change the word order from SVO to SVIO
• Prepositional phrases have special positions in sentences

17. A SOLVED EXAMPLE FORYOU
• Question: Arrange the following sentences in correct word order:
• she/there/ every day/to work/goes.
• in this world/ looking/is/everybody/for happiness.
• a movie/was/I/when you called/watching.

18. • Answer:
• She goes there to work every day.
• Everybody is looking for happiness in this world.
• I was watching a movie when you called.