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.
1,204
questions
3
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2
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69
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a sticky note attached (adjective after noun)
I opened my white bag and found a sausage biscuit, hash browns, and a 50-dollar bill with a sticky note attached. Have fun with this, Sam had written.
I wonder why "a sticky note attached" ...
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votes
2
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59
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What difference does it makes to change the order of these words? [closed]
changing order of words in this text:
1 - "covid and diabetes collide in a public health train wreck"
rewriting it as:
2 - "covid and diabetes collide in a train wreck public health&...
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0
votes
2
answers
117
views
"should I" or "I should" in wh-question [closed]
Which of the sentences below is correct (plus explanation if possible)? If both of them are incorrect, in any way, please suggest me another way to say it.
Which version I should choose to work with?
...
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0
votes
2
answers
61
views
Should "just" come before or after the verb?
Which one is grammatically correct?
I just have studied German.
I have just studied German.
Or if these two are wrong, what sentence can I use?
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-1
votes
1
answer
47
views
Can you put "than OO" at the end of a sentence when you say "How many times"
How many times larger than the moon is the earth?
My textbook says this is the correct answer and doesn't mention about the pattern that you put "than the moon" at the end of the sentence ...
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0
votes
1
answer
54
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Can I place an adjective after the noun it describes, like "My hair is a fast-growing"?
I want to say, I have a type of hair that grows fast like:
My hair is a fast-growing.
where fast-growing is an adjective and the article "a" connect the adjective "fast-growing" ...
- 255
3
votes
3
answers
382
views
Word order in "district voting maps"
This is from a news podcast.
INSKEEP: On May 3, voters cast ballots in primary elections, but the
state has not agreed on district voting maps. This is super basic. It
means that candidates do not ...
user153498
0
votes
1
answer
14
views
"I can grant that easily" vs "That I may grant easily"
I found a phrase
"That I may grant easily."
in a Dragon Ball comic book. Sheng-Long, the divine dragon with the power to grant people's wish, says this.
Is this the same as "I can ...
- 1,076
0
votes
1
answer
24
views
Is "Has As the Title" Correct Syntax?
While writing some information for an upcoming event I wrote this text:
"There will be a final presentation on [a date], which has as the title: [the title]"
When proof reading I was unsure ...
dVyper
0
votes
2
answers
127
views
Why is Everest Mount wrong?
Can I say "Everest mount", instead of "Mount Everest"?
I want to know the rule of such combinations.
Or why do we say "Eiffel Tower", not the other way around?
Thanks for ...
0
votes
2
answers
27
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“You realize” at end of sentence
“This is why you’re here you realize” or “This is why you’re here,you realize.”
I realize that “you realize” could be fronted and resolve this issue. But I’m trying to figure out what part of grammar “...
JewJitsu11B
0
votes
2
answers
35
views
Which of these forms is the correct one?
Which of these forms is the correct one?
Addressing the students as a class, ask them who they think the culprit is.
Addressing the students as a class, ask them who they think is the culprit.
DannyG.
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 ...
0
votes
1
answer
29
views
Try to understand the structure of sentence
He thought Micheal wouldn't respond.
In the above sentence, "He" is the subject pronoun, "thought" is the main verb. What are the rest of the words playing role in the sentence?
...
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0
votes
2
answers
103
views
Why should you care? / Why you should care?
A: What about you? Why should I care?
B: Why should you care? / Why you should care? You don't have to.
Are both word orders possible and natural or is only one correct?
- 1,153
0
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1
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111
views
Which is correct? I would like to know when the delivery day is? or I would like to know when is the delivery day? [duplicate]
Which is correct?
I would like to know when the delivery day is?
or
I would like to know when is the delivery day?
1
vote
2
answers
59
views
Does it not work vs Does not it work
Do they mean same thing? I found both use on the Internet, for example:
Why does it not work?
Why does not it work?
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1
vote
1
answer
93
views
Any difference in "paradise lost" and "lost paradise"?
Imagine a book named:
"paradise lost" and another named "lost paradise"? would them imply any differences in meaning?
the reason I'm asking is to get a better understand in ...
- 255
1
vote
2
answers
49
views
What would be the difference if the adjective came first in this phrase/sentence?
The headline is:
Analysis: The limits of a Europe whole and free
If the headline was "... whole and free Europe" instead, would that differ from the original meaning? As a learner, I often ...
- 255
0
votes
2
answers
30
views
What does 'such as' and ' have a right to expect' refer to?
Here is the sentence and for some reason the bold part is not clear to me:
Two babies in the nursery is right and proper, and such as the best homes have a right to expect, but two is enough. Bring ...
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0
votes
0
answers
30
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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
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2
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87
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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 ...
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1
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91
views
What does "thousands of hundreds of people" mean? [closed]
What the title says. How many people are there when a larger quantity (thousands) is followed by a smaller quantity (hundreds). Is this even grammatical?
I can understand "hundreds of thousands&...
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votes
1
answer
24
views
Position of the preposition: "In the below figure, ..." or "In the figure below, ..."
Which of the following is correct (or preferred)?
"In the below figure, the effect of X on Y is clear." [preposition before the noun]
"In the figure below, the effect of X on Y is ...
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9
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Word order in "She is 5 years old"
There is a sentence like the following.
She is 5 years old
The part of speech of "years" is a noun, and after a noun an adjective "old" is placed in the sentence. Is the word ...
- 456
0
votes
2
answers
42
views
Can we put "reflexive pronoun" between phrasal verbs that are not reversible?
This question came to my mind when I used the phrasal verb "rely on"
E.g.
Could I possibly rely myself on you?
I'm not interested in focusing whether the sentence sounds usual or not, but ...
- 4,892
1
vote
1
answer
59
views
How do I use "both" with someone who is a doctor and professor?
I would like to know if a person is a doctor and a professor, how should I address that person in writing?
“Doctor and Professor”
“Doctor/Professor”
Can I use “both” to say what their professions ...
- 305
1
vote
1
answer
54
views
I have eaten the last orange that has been at home. / The orange I have eaten was the last at home
I have eaten the last orange that has been at home.
The orange I have eaten was the last at home.
Are both sentences natural, or only the second one?
- 2,242
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1
answer
40
views
Can I say "total N people" to mean "N people in total"?
I often use the expression "total N people/things/etc." to mean "N sth in total", but English is not my native language, and that expression actually comes from translating 1:1 ...
- 133
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
2
votes
1
answer
116
views
The word order in a sentence. Why "are" follows "listed"?
I have a sentence: "Often listed with verbs followed only by an infinitive are the verbs: .... ."
I think I can change this word order to: "The verbs: .... are often listed with verbs ...
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votes
0
answers
182
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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.
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0
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1
answer
27
views
"But it's good to know it's there a possibility."
I am thinking about what it correct in the sentence above:
...it's there a possibility
or
...there is a possibility.
The original version sound a bit unnatural for me. Please, help me.
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votes
4
answers
3k
views
“Let for each 𝑗” vs. “For each 𝑗 let”
I wrote
Let for each 𝑗 < 𝑛 a permutation ℎ𝑗 : 𝐿 ↪ 𝐿 be given.
A proofreader (whom I can no longer ask) changed it to
For each 𝑗 < 𝑛, let a permutation ℎ𝑗 : 𝐿 ↪ 𝐿 be given.
This ...
user142975
1
vote
1
answer
103
views
Some Unnatural Word Order Concerning Subject-Verb Inversion
As far as I know, subject-verb inversion involves switching the sentence subject and the verb when another item has to occupy the first position of the sentence. The following is an example from the ...
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1
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85
views
How can "How do you play tennis often?" be rephrased?
How can "How do you play tennis often?" be rephrased:
"In what way do you often play tennis?"
"How do you manage to play tennis (so) often?"
"How come you play ...
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0
votes
1
answer
25
views
What type of question doesn't use inversion? Embedded? Confirmatory?
What do we call this type of question in English "So Andrew was using Michael to smuggle shitty bullets into Mexico?" as opposed to "Was Andrew using Michael to smuggle shitty bullets ...
0
votes
1
answer
60
views
Where should I put "never"?
A) I never should have done it.
B) I should never have done it.
C) I should have never done it.
Which one is correct?
- 1,076
0
votes
0
answers
37
views
Alone among the animals on the farm he never laughed
I don't quite understand this sentence, especially the word order. The problem is that what part of the sentence does "alone" modify? Is it "he"? If I understand it right, can this ...
- 981
1
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1
answer
40
views
Is a word-order inversion required for the second related question in a sentence? "Do you want anything else, or (can I)/(I can) go home now?"
How must this blank be filled?
Do you want anything else, or ...... go home now?
I can
can I
I thought the answer is the number one, since the real question has been asked at the beginning of the ...
user141755
0
votes
1
answer
35
views
"Josh wondered how handicapped the people were who could not see the way he could." - right placement of "were"?
It feels right and wrong at the same time.
I know these alternatives would be correct:
Josh wondered: how handicapped were the people who could not see the way he could?
Josh wondered how ...
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0
votes
1
answer
44
views
Use paint in a sentence
Sentences like: I painted the door blue. Has a the sentence structure of SVOC.
Now in the following sentence:
I'll paint the stone a ladybird.
Is this sentence also right? I am asking because this ...
- 691
0
votes
1
answer
36
views
The word order of a comparative phrase seems strange
I have seen the following paragraph in some article:
One can imagine a computer simulation of the action of peptides in the hypothalamus that is accurate down to the last synapse. But equally one can ...
- 417
0
votes
3
answers
49
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Placing long phrases at the end of sentences/clauses
I have seen the following sentence in some article:
Where some understanding exists of how brain processes produce mental phenomena-for example, pain, thirst, vision, smell-it is clear that specific ...
- 417
0
votes
2
answers
19
views
Word order in the phrase
in accordance with animal protection law number 5199
in accordance with law number 5199 of animal protection
in accordance with law number 5199 on animal protection
Which word order should be used ...
- 777
0
votes
1
answer
94
views
"the payment cash" or "the cash payment"
He said they will accept the payment ((that is)) cash on the delivery.
He said they will accept the cash payment on the delivery.
Which phrase would be better? Should I “cash” before payment or ...
- 777
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
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1
answer
46
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"Do you know where Eiffel Tower is?" or "Do you know where is Eiffel Tower?" [duplicate]
Can we swap the word order in these two sentences to get the same meaning:
1)Do you know where Eiffel Tower is?
2)Do you know where is Eiffel Tower?
Similarly can we swap the words in this sentence:...
- 1
2
votes
1
answer
76
views
Shouldn't "Only during totality...is it safe to look" be "...it is safe to look"?
In the book "Horizons: exploring the universe-Cengage learning (2018)", it said:
Only during totality, when the photosphere is completely hidden, is it safe to look at the Sun
directly.
So ...
- 155
0
votes
1
answer
59
views
Which one of these sentences is correct/more idiomatic?
So, I'm not sure which one of these sentences is more grammatically correct.
The last one had just been sold before I got there.
The last one had been sold just before I got there.
I'm 99% sure both ...
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