Word order (1)--verb + object; place and time

Word order (1)--verb + object; place and time

A. Verb + object

The verb and the object of the verb normally go together. We do not usually put other words between

them:

I like children very much. (not 'l like very much children')

Did you see your friends yesterday?

Ann often plays tennis

Study these -examples. Notice how the verb and the object go together each time:

* Do you clean the house every weekend? (not 'Do you clean every weekend the house?')

* Everybody enjoyed the party very much. (not 'Everybody enjoyed very much the party')

* Our guide spoke English fluently. (not '...spoke fluently English')

* I not only lost all my money - I also lost my passport. (not 'I lost also my passport')

* At the end of the street you'll see a supermarket on your left. (not '...see on your left a supermarket')

B. Place and time

Usually the verb and the place (where?) go together:

go home, live in a city, walk to work etc.

If the verb has an object, the place comes after the verb + object:

take somebody home, meet a friend in the street

Time (when?/how often?/how long?) normally goes after place:

Tom walks to work every morning. (not 'Tom walks every morning to work')

She has been in Canada since April.

We arrived at the airport early.

Study these examples. Notice how time goes after place:

* I'm going to Paris on Monday. (not 'I'm going on Monday to Paris')

* They have lived in the same house for a long time.

* Don't be late. Make sure you're here by 8 o'clock.

* Sarah gave me a lift home after the party.

* You really shouldn't go to bed so ate.

It is often possible to put time at the beginning of the sentence:

* On Monday I'm going to Paris.

* Every morning Tom walks to work.

Some time words (for example, always/never/often) usually go with the verb in the middle of the sentence.