Word Order In English - Declarative Sentences

Word Order In English - Declarative Sentences

By Prof Fitzgerald

Declarative Sentence

​What is a declarative sentence?

A declarative sentence gives information directly.

• It is not a question (interrogative sentence).

• It is not one that usually expresses sudden emotion (exclamatory sentence).

• It is not one that gives an order or command (imperative sentence).

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​Examples of declarative sentences

• ​Jenny likes chocolate ice cream.

• Benny dances very well.

• Jason and his friends play football at the park every weekend.

• My cousins live in the countryside.​

• We don't go to the beach very often.​

Word Order

Positions of subjects, verbs, objects, adverbs of manner, place and time

S - V- O - P - T

Subject | Subject

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​Subject	​Verb	​Object	​Place	​Time
​Jim	​plays	​football	​	​
​Jim	​plays	​football	​at the park	​
​Jim	plays	​football	​at the park	​on Saturday
​Alison	​didn't eat	​the ceviche	​at the party	​last night
​Richard	doesn't speak	​English	​at home	​

​Subject

A subject can be a person, place, thing, idea, or gerund that initiates an action or a process, or declares a state of being.

​

Examples:

• Peter cooked pasta last night.​

• Alison doesn't speak Spanish.​

• Learning is fun.​

Subject | Subject

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​Verb

For now, just know that a verb is the action or process initiated by the subject. A verb can be abstract also, meaning that it can not be directly observed.

​

Examples:

We ate a lot of food at the party.

We felt sick after the party.​

​

Subject | Subject

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​Object

Like the subject, the object can be a person, place, thing, idea or gerund. It is the receiver of the action (the object of the verb).

​

Examples:

Michael speaks Italian.

He enjoys swimming.​

Subject | Subject

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​Place

A place is exactly what you would expect: a location. This could be a country, a city, a room in your house, etc. A place is usually accompanied by a preposition. Note: learn prepositions of place

​

Example:

We play baseball at the park.​
Betty is eating lunch in her office.

Subject | Subject

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​Time

Time can be expressed as a specific clock time (ex. 6 AM), day, month, year, century, a specific date or an event marked by a specific date. Note: Learn prepositions of time

​

Example:

John bought a new car yesterday.​

We finished the report at 9 PM.​

Subject | Subject

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S - V - O - M

Subject | Subject

*Some verbs cannot take an object. They can only be modified by an adverb. Some verbs can function with or without an object.

​Jim	​plays	​football	​well
​Carla	​sings	​	​beautifully
​We	work	​	​hard
​Alison	​dances	​	gracefully
​Richard	drives	​	​fast

​Predicate

The predicate completes the idea of what the subject does.

​

Example:

John bought a new car yesterday.​

We finished the report at 9 PM.​

Subject | Subject

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John: How often do you walk your dog, Peter?

Peter: I walk my dog every day at 6 AM and 7 PM.​

John: Where do you walk your dog?​

Peter: I usually walk my dog​ here in the park.

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​Dialogue

Alison: What are you doing this weekend, Maria?

Maria: My boyfriend and I are buying some new furniture at the new mall.​

Alison: Really?​ My husband and I bought new furniture last week.

Maria: We should go shopping together some time.

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​Dialogue 2