Understanding sentence types and word order is fundamental to mastering English grammar. In the ЕГЭ English exam, you'll need to recognize different sentence structures and understand how word order affects meaning. This knowledge is essential for both the written and oral parts of the exam.
English sentences follow specific structural patterns that determine their meaning and function. The correct word order is crucial for conveying your intended message clearly. In the ЕГЭ, you may be asked to identify sentence types, correct word order errors, or construct sentences with specific structures.
Declarative sentences make statements or express opinions. They typically follow the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order and end with a period.
Examples:
In English, unlike some other languages, the word order is relatively fixed. Changing the order of elements can change the meaning of the sentence or make it grammatically incorrect.
Yes/No questions are formed by placing an auxiliary verb (be, have, do) or modal verb (can, will, should) before the subject.
Structure: Auxiliary/Modal + Subject + Main Verb + Rest of the sentence
Examples:
Wh-questions begin with a question word (what, where, when, why, who, how) followed by an auxiliary or modal verb, then the subject and main verb.
Structure: Question Word + Auxiliary/Modal + Subject + Main Verb + Rest of the sentence
Examples:
When the question word is the subject of the question, we do not use an auxiliary verb:
Who called you? (Not: Who did call you?)
What happened last night? (Not: What did happen last night?)
Imperative sentences give commands, instructions, or requests. They typically begin with a base verb form (without a subject) and end with a period or exclamation mark.
Examples:
Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions or feelings and end with an exclamation mark. They often begin with "What" or "How."
Examples:
In certain situations, English uses inverted word order (verb before subject):
Cleft sentences emphasize a particular part of the sentence by dividing it into two clauses. They typically begin with "It is/was" or "What":
Be aware of these common word order mistakes:
When multiple adjectives describe a noun, they generally follow this order:
| Order | Category | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Opinion/General impression | beautiful, nice, awful |
| 2 | Size | big, small, tall |
| 3 | Age/Condition | new, old, young |
| 4 | Shape | round, square, triangular |
| 5 | Color | red, blue, green |
| 6 | Origin/Nationality | French, Japanese, American |
| 7 | Material | wooden, plastic, cotton |
| 8 | Purpose/Type | sleeping (bag), racing (car) |
Example: A beautiful large old rectangular brown Italian wooden dining table
Identify the type of each sentence and explain any special word order features.
Analysis:
1. Interrogative sentence (Yes/No question) - Uses auxiliary "have" before the subject "you"
2. Exclamatory sentence - Begins with "What" and expresses strong emotion
3. Declarative sentence with inverted word order - Begins with negative adverbial "Never" which triggers inversion
4. Imperative sentence - Begins with the base verb form without a subject
5. Declarative sentence - Uses standard SVO order with adjectives in correct sequence (size before color)
Correct the word order errors in the following sentences.
Corrections:
1. Yesterday I went to the library. (Subject must come before verb in declarative sentences)
2. She is always late for meetings. (Adverb of frequency usually comes after the first auxiliary verb)
3. The big red car belongs to my neighbor. (Size adjective comes before color)
4. Where are you going? (In wh-questions, auxiliary verb comes before subject)
5. I have never seen such a beautiful sunset. (Negative adverb "never" comes between auxiliary and main verb)
In the ЕГЭ English exam, pay special attention to word order in complex sentences and questions. Remember that even small changes in word order can change the meaning or make a sentence grammatically incorrect.