Build a Sentence
Build a Sentence: put words in the right order to form a grammatical reply — questions, indirect questions, negatives and adverb position.
In this lesson you will
- Apply English word order rules quickly
- Build direct and indirect questions
- Place adverbs and negatives correctly
Learn
You see a short message and must arrange words to form a correct reply. Accuracy with word order is everything.
Basic order: subject + verb + object + place + time: I left my notes in the library yesterday.
Questions: auxiliary before subject: Have you finished the reading? Indirect questions use statement order: Do you know where the lab is? (not where is the lab).
Adverbs of frequency go before the main verb but after be: I usually study late. She is always on time. Negatives: I haven’t seen it yet. I don’t think it’s open.
Examples
- Words: know / do / when / starts / you / the seminar → Do you know when the seminar starts?
- Words: already / I / submitted / have / it → I have already submitted it.
- Words: don’t / it / think / I / closed / is → I don’t think it is closed.
Vocabulary
word order
the sequence of words in a sentence
auxiliary
a helping verb (do, have, be, will)
indirect question
a question inside another sentence
adverb of frequency
always, usually, often, never…
reply
an answer
Practice
Put the words in the right order.
Lesson quiz
Put the words in the right order.
Review
Key points
- Subject–verb–object–place–time.
- Auxiliary before subject in questions.
- Statement order in indirect questions.
- Adverb and negative position.
What you learned
- ✓ I build correct sentences quickly.
- ✓ I form indirect questions.
- ✓ I place adverbs correctly.
Grammar reference: Question forms, Sentence structure and word order, Adverbs: manner and frequency