In the English language, declarative sentences make a statement, provide a fact, offer an explanation, or simply convey information. They can be positive or negative.
In English grammar, there is a particular word word order in declarative sentences: subject – predicate – object.
Example
Explanation
Pizza is the best.
This declarative sentence expresses a fact.
Positive and Negative Declarative Sentences
Rule 1: The usual word order for declarative sentences is subject – verb (predicate) – object – place – time.
Here is an overview of the basic word order for both positive and negative declarative sentences:
| Subject | Verb | Object | Place | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | She | rides | a bike | in the park | on Sundays |
| Negative | He | does not ride | a bike | in the park | on Sundays |
| Subject | Verb | Object | Place | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | She | rides | a bike | in the park | on Sundays |
| Negative | He | does not ride | a bike | in the park | on Sundays |
Verbs with Two Objects
Rule 2: If a sentence has more than one object, the indirect object usually goes before the direct object.
Example
Explanation
She gave me the apple.
Me is an indirect object and comes in front of the direct object the apple.
Note: When the indirect object has a preposition, it goes after the direct object.
Example
Explanation
She gave the apple to me.
Me is an indirect object but comes with a preposition to, so it's placed after the direct object the apple.
Dependent Clauses
Rule 3: A dependent clause forms a complex sentence together with a main clause. The word order in dependent clauses is the same, but the clause begins with a conjunction.
Example
Explanation
He does not ride a bike in the park on Sundays because it is full of other people during the weekends.
Because is a conjunction that begins the dependent clause that follows the same word order as the main clause.
Note: We can place the time or dependent clause at the beginning of the sentence to make the wiring more interesting without disrupting the following word order.
Example
Explanation
On Sundays, she rides a bike in the park.
The sentence begins with the time (on Sundays) but the rest of the sentence follows the strict word order subject - verb - object.
Because it is full of other people during the weekends, he does not ride a bike in the park on Sundays.
This sentence starts with a dependent clause, but both in it and in the main clause the word order is the same.
Quiz
1/4
Is the word order correct? To the cinema, I am going tomorrow.
0
correct answers.