Questions tagged [word-order]
This tag is for questions about the correct order of words in a phrase or a sentence, or how changing the order affects the meaning.
110
questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
2
votes
2
answers
136
views
Putting to+infinitive at the beginning
My question is about the place of to+infinitive in some sentences.
For example,
1- Before I went on holiday for a week, I was really eager to study at mathematics.
I know this is correct.
How ...
- 844
2
votes
1
answer
489
views
interrogative and affirmative sentence constructions
Say we have the following sentence :
The further information I need is to know in which building is the
class held.
Is it grammatically correct to place "is" where it's placed in the sentence, ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
876
views
Though I could noticed or I could noticed though
I am trying to express that I noticed the presence of some files on a phone. Which sentence would be correct:
I could noticed though, on the phone, some files and icons apparently leftovers of the ...
2
votes
1
answer
99
views
"Which hers was" OR "which was hers"
if i want to convert :
She said, "I don't remember which is mine"
to reported speech ,
which one of these is correct ?
She couldn't remember which was hers.
OR
She couldn't remember which ...
- 156
2
votes
1
answer
98
views
Commas with subordinating conjunctions
I have read in grammar books that a comma is usually used when making a complex sentence. For instance:
If you keep talking to your mother like that, I will have to teach you manners.
...
- 129
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is "now as well" correct?
I just had a discussion whether it is correct to say:
This issue should be fixed now as well.
I had the impression that as well always goes at the end of the sentence but the person I was talking ...
- 121
1
vote
0
answers
33
views
Noun modified by two adjectives; one has a complement, the other doesn't
When using two adjectives to modify the same noun, and only one of them has a complement, what are the grammatical options? I know that these sentences can probably be rephrased to sound better, but I'...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
37
views
Should 'do' after 'than' be inverted in this sentence?
That is, Strangers stand further apart than acquaintances do is ungrammatical? I have often encountered inverted clauses after than, as, so in comparatives, so the sentence above seems - at least to ...
- 699
1
vote
0
answers
19
views
placing adjectives after nouns or using adjective clauses instead?
I have come across different sentences in which adjectives are placed after nouns. I did search for the reason and got to know the idea of the postpositive adjectives which are, in general, used in a ...
- 1,213
1
vote
0
answers
34
views
Is the same (aux + subject + verb + comp) as (verb + subject + comp)
Hi everyone excuse me if my english may fail.
I try to search about the different question types in the simple tense.
but i see if i want to ask a question i use the form aux + subject + verb + comp ...
1
vote
0
answers
23
views
Subject-auxiliary inversion in affirmative answers?
I came across a sentence as follows.
Most teachers attest to the superior intelligence Ralph has
displayed. Because of this, one of the teachers wants to register him
in a local quiz show. When he is ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
66
views
Are the structures of "with one player less" and "with one less player" the same?
This year we were very unlucky because we played with one player less against Barcelona.
Does "with one player less" have the same stractures as sentences below?
This year we were very ...
- 777
1
vote
1
answer
213
views
What is the rule for using ONLY at the beginning of a sentence that turns a prepositional phrase into a subject?
Only under this kind of environment can people live safe.
Without only, it should read: Under this kind of environment, people can live safe. People is the subject and in the normal position. But ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
42
views
about word-order of a question sentence which is a line from a movie
I'd like to ask about a line in a dialogue(<- should it be a line of a dialogue instead?) from the movie, No Country for Old Men.
I marked the line bold among the below dialogue. The conversation ...
- 1,639
1
vote
0
answers
136
views
Why is inversion applied in some subordinate interrogative clauses when a subject is asked for?
Preamble
The main concern of this post was discussed in this thread. However, both the OP and I were not convinced of the explanation in the existing answer and comments. I tried to talk to the author ...
- 417
1
vote
0
answers
17
views
How should I order the sentence with "noun clause" and "wh clause"?
I hope that all of you have a nice day.
When the subject is a bit long, we can use "it" as the representative of the "that-noun clause".
What if the object or subject complement is ...
- 844
1
vote
0
answers
49
views
Treatment for or treatment of?
This study describes a treatment for/of a diseased kidney of a 15-year-old girl.
Which is correct (for or of). Does the rest also sounds alright or would it be better to rephrase the whole sentence?
...
- 141
1
vote
0
answers
95
views
"... said Sally" or "... Sally said"?
I have always hesitated about the order S+V or V+S after a quote. For example, in the following sentence should I write "... said Sally" or "... Sally said"?
"If everything ...
- 9,158
1
vote
0
answers
135
views
"For what do you go to school?" or "What do you go to school for?"
What is the difference in the following two sentences?
For what do you go to school?
What do you go to school for?
- 2,885
1
vote
0
answers
497
views
"He/Peter said" vs. "Said he/Peter"
We often see "said he/Peter" or "he/Peter said" after the direct speech :
"Your information is out of date" he said.
"Your information is out of date" said he.
"Your information is out of date" Peter ...
- 2,430
1
vote
0
answers
228
views
Than I am V.S than me
I have a question about this 2 options...I was talking with 2 friends about healthy and one of them said "You ´re are fitter than I am" .So my other friend said" No, it has to be than me not than I am"...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
20
views
Sentence participle II role
I have a sentence and I want to understand word "preoccupied" role in it.
I became preoccupied with work.
My analysis:
Direct word order.
I - subject, personal pronoun.
became - predicate, ...
- 267
1
vote
0
answers
29
views
Place of adjective Place in the sentence
There is a long Neva River in Saint Petersburg.
Is it correct to put this adjective (long) this way?
1
vote
5
answers
104
views
Are articles needed in "sift signal from noise"? Is it the right word order?
I have 2 related questions.
What is the correct expression in English? Is it with "the" or without it? In my research I have found roughly the same instances of both. If both are ok and ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
90
views
Is "in exchange for" valid at both the beginning and end of "What did you give him money in exchange for?"?
I would like to learn if these kinds of questions are possible and correct in English. I think they are but I'm not sure.
What did you give him the money in exchange for?
In exchange for what did ...
- 844
1
vote
3
answers
218
views
Which is more natural? "Whose is that car?" or "Whose car is that?"
Whose is that car?
Whose car is that?
Which of the two is the most natural way of saying it? I think #2 but may I be mistaken?
- 24.7k
1
vote
1
answer
58
views
"others took to finish" vs "others to finish took"
Is there any difference between these two?
She was a good student, finishing in half the time the others took to finish.
She was a good student, finishing in half the time the others to finish ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
59
views
What is the difference?
What is the difference between
I baked the cake myself
and
I myself baked the cake
- 404
1
vote
1
answer
46
views
"what are the best ergonomic chairs" vs "what the best ergonomic chairs are"
What is different between these two sentences?
We look into different types of chairs to narrow down what are the best ergonomic chairs.
We look into different types of chairs to narrow down what ...
- 53
0
votes
0
answers
40
views
Strange intuition about split infinitives
I recently encountered a sentence in a story that has got me to thinking:
He at least had class enough not to leer.
The sentence as-is seems fine, although I would usually use a word order of "...
- 4,374
0
votes
0
answers
17
views
What did they offer you to read?
I know that this is wrong:
What did they offer you to buy?
This is correct:
They offered me a book to read.
Is this correct?
What did they offer you to read?
- 3,621
0
votes
0
answers
15
views
Which I had accidentally once
Which is correct, Folks?
That rock, which I had accidentally once found on the ground, was magical;
That rock, which I had once accidentally found on the ground, was magical;
That rock, which I ...
- 41
0
votes
0
answers
10
views
Which of these is correct: "Is supposedly" or "supposedly is"?
"Something supposedly is true."
"Something is supposedly true."
Are both of these correct English? Is there any notable difference in their meanings?
Adam
0
votes
0
answers
19
views
I Then Understood
Can then and first be put in the mid-position? I've seen some examples where they are, but I want to know whether they really can be in the most grammatical way.
I then understood that those small ...
- 193
0
votes
0
answers
16
views
what is the problem/what the problem is
I want to find out what is the problem.
I want to find out what the problem is.
Do you consider these sentences to have different meanings?
On the one hand, the mean the same, but on the other they ...
- 3,621
0
votes
0
answers
24
views
I don’t know how many kilometers there are between the airport and the city
1 I don’t know how many kilometers there are between the airport and
the city.
2 I don’t know how many kilometers between the airport and the city
there are.
3 I don’t know how many kilometers between ...
- 3,621
0
votes
0
answers
20
views
problems can be there/problems can there be/problems there can be
There can be a lot of problems.
How can I rephrase the sentence?
1 I don’t understand what kind of problems can be there.
2 I don’t understand what kind of problems can there be.
3 I don’t understand ...
- 3,621
0
votes
0
answers
17
views
Interesting blown-away/blown-away interesting dandelion
Which word order is correct for compound hyphenated adjectives?
▪︎ That [interesting blown-away/blown-away interesting] dandelion was intercepted by the cats.
user166442
0
votes
0
answers
12
views
What happiness is is being discussed
From https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/85353/65098, I learned "I didn't know what it was." is correct.
So if I use the what clause as a subject, like
What happiness is is being discussed.
It ...
- 634
0
votes
0
answers
15
views
Can I use 'lag 100 years behind'?
I have found some usages of 'lag behind' as follows:
lag far behind
We still lag far behind many of our competitors in using modern technology.
Catering salaries lag far behind those of other sectors.
...
0
votes
0
answers
18
views
How to use "between" for percentages
I have a question regarding the below pie chart, can I say the following sentence regarding the least practiced activities by girls ? :
"Listening to music, gymnastics, netball and computer games ...
- 101
0
votes
0
answers
25
views
How to use the phrase “in and of itself”?
What would be grammatically correct form between following english sentences?
X is in and of itself contradictory.
X in and of itself is contradictory.
I know “in and of itself” is a short form of “...
0
votes
0
answers
25
views
Which of the following is grammaticaly correct?
There are many sentences that confuse me and they are like these two:
Whatever may be the reason, they failed badly.
Whatever the reason may be, they failed badly.
Which one is grammatically correct ...
- 13
0
votes
1
answer
30
views
Which word is better here: 'case' or 'occasion'?
I want to say about some event/incident/opportunity (not crime) that happened in city/area.
For example, Manchester occasion or Florida occasion meaning some event/incident/opportunity that once ...
- 441
0
votes
0
answers
26
views
Is the form [What time is + noun-phrase] ungrammatical?
This question sprang to mind while I was learning Chinese using an app. To make it clear what sentence I tried to translate, it's:
你们上午几点喝茶?
The suggestion answer from the app is
What time in the ...
- 4,892
0
votes
1
answer
66
views
What is the correct word to the song that kept telling me its okay or that keep telling is correct
Like something I've been listening for a year and want to express that the song was the one that keep me going and what should be the correct word for me to post with kept telling or keep telling what ...
0
votes
0
answers
23
views
Is this sentence has an inversion or modifying of word-order?
I am reading an article Tbilisi on Wikipedia, there is a sentence that confuses with me.
It was in the former Viceroy of the Caucasus's palace where the
independence of three Transcaucasus nations – ...
0
votes
0
answers
30
views
No way was I going vs No way I was going
Can you explain to me why there is so order of words in the sentence (from my book):
I'd been asking Mom for a year to let me go back to Ridgefield, our hometown in Illinois, and see my friends. No ...
- 337
0
votes
2
answers
87
views
The usage of adv + can
Some People say can only have same meaning as only can, and some not. So I want to make it clear.
I only can get it.
Does the sentence mean: I am the the only one who can get it?
So, how do I ...
- 269
0
votes
0
answers
182
views
Which is correct and why? "How can I not...?" or "How can't I...?"
How can I not know this?
How can't I know this?
Which one of the two sentences is correct? Or maybe they are both correct, but different in meaning.
- 1,831