Basic word order in English
Learn how to structure sentences using Subject, Verb, Object, Place, and Time.
- check_circleI can form basic sentences with the correct English word order.
- check_circleI can put time and place expressions in the correct position.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Tom: Hey, Sarah! What do you do on the weekends?
Sarah: On the weekends, I usually read a book in the living room. What about you?
Tom: I play tennis at the club every Saturday. I really like sports.
Sarah: That’s nice! My sister plays tennis too. She plays matches on Sundays.
Tom: Do you eat dinner with her on Sundays?
Sarah: Yes! We eat pizza at a restaurant every Sunday evening.
Tom: Oh, I love pizza! Maybe we can go together next time.
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
English sentences follow a strict order. To speak clearly, you need to put the words in the right place!
The Golden Rule: S-V-O
Most English sentences follow the Subject + Verb + Object (SVO) pattern.
The Subject is who or what does the action. The Verb is the action. The Object is who or what receives the action.
- I (Subject) drink (Verb) coffee (Object).
- She (Subject) reads (Verb) a book (Object).
- We (Subject) like (Verb) music (Object).
You cannot change this order. In Spanish, you can sometimes put the object first or drop the subject, but in English, the Subject and Verb must stay together!
Adding Place and Time
When we want to say where (Place) and when (Time) something happens, we usually add them at the end of the sentence.
The rule is: Place before Time.
- I drink coffee at the café (Place) every morning (Time).
- They play soccer in the park on Sundays (Time).
Do not put Place or Time between the Verb and the Object!
- Incorrect: I drink every morning coffee.
- Correct: I drink coffee every morning.
Moving Time to the Beginning
Sometimes, we can put the Time at the very beginning of the sentence to emphasize it. However, the Place always stays at the end.
- Every morning, I drink coffee at the café.
- On Sundays, they play soccer in the park.
But remember, you cannot put the time in the middle! It either goes at the beginning or at the end.
- S-V-O: Subject + Verb + Object is the basic rule.
- Place before Time: Place comes first, Time comes second at the end of the sentence.
- Don’t separate Verb and Object: Never put other words between them.
- Time at the beginning: You can start a sentence with the Time to emphasize it.
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
Now make the language yours in a real task. Use the prompt below — the editor keeps a simple word count, and nothing is saved or graded.
Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?