Grammar Lesson. How to make Sentences in English. Word Order in English.

Summary

In this video lesson, the speaker covers the basics of sentence structure in English, focusing on how to construct simple and complex sentences. The lesson explains the key parts of a sentence—subject, verb, object, adjectives, and adverbs—and provides practical examples. It also delves into word order rules, including placement of time and place in sentences. Additionally, the video introduces question formation and the use of auxiliary verbs, along with tips on forming wh-questions. This guide is perfect for students looking to improve their sentence-building skills and understand essential grammar rules.

Takeaways

• 😀 A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought and must start with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark.
• 😀 The subject of a sentence is the person, thing, or idea performing the action or being discussed.
• 😀 A verb follows the subject and describes what the subject is doing, like 'is sleeping' or 'runs quickly'.
• 😀 A simple sentence combines a subject and a verb, like 'The dog barks.'
• 😀 Sentences can be longer and more complex, often including an object that receives the action, like 'The boy kicks the ball.'
• 😀 Adjectives describe nouns and typically come before the noun they describe, like 'The tall boy'.
• 😀 Adverbs describe verbs and can be placed before or after the verb, like 'He runs quickly.'
• 😀 In English, the typical sentence structure is Subject + Verb + Object, and time comes after place in the sentence.
• 😀 When forming questions in English, auxiliary verbs (like 'is', 'did', 'are') change the order of words.
• 😀 Wh-questions (e.g., 'Who', 'What', 'Where') help gather more information and follow a specific word order: question word + auxiliary verb + subject + verb.
• 😀 The word order for English sentences is Subject + Verb + Object, followed by Place and Time if relevant.

Q & A

What is a sentence in English?

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation mark.

What are the main parts of a sentence?

The main parts of a sentence are the subject, the verb, and sometimes the object. The subject is the person or thing performing the action, while the verb describes the action. The object receives the action.

Can a sentence be long and complex, and how is this related to objects?

Yes, sentences can be long and complex. Not all sentences need an object, but if one is present, it typically comes after the verb and is the recipient of the action.

How do adjectives function in a sentence?

Adjectives describe nouns, providing more detail about them. They usually appear before the noun they describe, as in 'The beautiful girl' where 'beautiful' is the adjective describing 'girl'.

Where do adverbs typically appear in a sentence?

Adverbs can describe how, when, where, or how often an action occurs. They can appear before or after the verb, for example, 'He runs quickly' or 'The teacher speaks clearly'.

What is the rule for placing time in a sentence?

When referring to time, it generally comes after the place in a sentence. For example, 'I drive to work every morning' (not 'I drive every morning to work'). Time can also sometimes be placed at the beginning of the sentence.

What is an auxiliary verb, and why is it important in forming questions?

An auxiliary verb is a helping verb used with the main verb to indicate tense. It's essential for forming questions in English. For example, in 'Did you watch TV yesterday?', 'Did' is the auxiliary verb.

How do you form questions in the Past Simple tense?

In the Past Simple tense, questions are formed using the structure 'Did + subject + base form of the verb.' For example, 'Did you go to the store?' is correct, while 'Did you went to the store?' is incorrect.

When do we use 'wh-questions' in English?

We use 'wh-questions' to ask for specific information, such as 'Who' for a person, 'What' for a thing, 'Where' for a place, 'When' for time, 'Why' for reasons, and 'How' for methods or processes.

What is the structure for forming 'wh-questions' when the question word is the subject?

When the question word is the subject, we do not use an auxiliary verb. For example, 'Who wants a drink?' is correct, while 'Who does want a drink?' is incorrect.