SECTION ONE: WORD ORDER:


English sentences take several forms and there are rules governing the various types:

A: the positive statement:

i) S V C

e.g. John was ill.

ii) S AUX V DO

e.g. Joan has lost her ball.

iii) S AUX V IO DO

e.g. Bill is giving his friend a computer

B: the negative statement:

i) S V C

e.g. John was not ill

/ John wasn't ill.

ii) S AUX V DO

e.g. Eric has not lost his bicycle

/Eric hasn't lost his bicycle.

iii) S AUX V IO DO

e.g. Joan is not giving her mother a present

/Joan isn't giving her mother a present.

C: the positive question: verb reversal type

i) AUX S V

e.g. Are you going fishing?

ii) AUX S V DO

e.g. Have you seen my book?

iii) AUX S V IO DO

e.g. Has my father given his friend some books?

D: the positive question: question word type

i) QW V S

e.g. What is your name?

ii) QW C V S

e.g. How big is your house?

iii) QW AUX S V IO DO

e.g. Why is Bill giving his friend some money?

E: the negative question: verb reversal type

i) AUX S V C

e.g. Is Mary not coming with us?

Isn't Mary coming with us?

ii) AUX S V DO

e.g. Have you not visited London?

/Haven't you visited London?

iii) AUX S V IO DO

e.g. Have you not brought me a French dictionary?

/Haven't you brought me a French dictionary?

F: the negative question: question word type

i) QW AUX S V C

e.g. Why has he not come yet?

Why hasn't he come yet?

ii) QW AUX S V DO

e.g. Why is he not teaching his class?

Why isn't he teaching his class?

iii) QW AUX S V IO DO

e.g. Why have you not brought me a cup of tea?

Why haven't you brought me a cup of tea?


Copyright © 1995, The English Institute, Sarl. All Rights Reserved.