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The Nine Elements of English Grammar

English Grammar

The nine elements of English grammar are:     


  • Noun A noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. It can be singular or plural, concrete or abstract. Examples: dog, house, love, idea.

  • Pronoun A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun in a sentence. Examples: he, she, they, it, who.

  • Verb A verb is a word that expresses an action, state, or occurrence. Examples: run, talk, think, eat.

  • Adjective An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. Examples: happy, blue, tall, delicious.

  • Adverb An adverb is a word that describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Examples: quickly, very, well, quietly.

  • Preposition A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. Examples: in, on, at, to.

  • Conjunction A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses. Examples: and, but, or, because.

  • Interjection An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses strong emotion. Examples: wow, oh no, ouch, hooray.

  • Article An article is a word that is used to indicate whether a noun is specific or general. There are two types of articles: definite (the) and indefinite (a/an). Examples: the dog, a house.


Word Order


English grammar word order refers to the arrangement of words in a sentence to convey meaning. 


In English, the basic word order is subject-verb-object (SVO). This means that in a declarative sentence, the subject comes first, followed by the verb, and then the object. For example: The cat (subject) chased (verb) the mouse (object).


However, there are other word orders that can be used in English to convey different meanings or to emphasize different parts of a sentence.


Some common examples include:


  • Subject-Object-Verb (SOV)


This word order is often used in languages like Japanese and Turkish. In English, it can be used for emphasis or to create a more poetic or archaic tone. For example: My heart (subject) I give (object) to you (verb).


  • Verb-Subject-Object (VSO)


This word order is often used in questions or to create a sense of urgency. For example: Did (verb) you (subject) see (object) the movie?


  • Subject-Verb-Adverb (SVA)


This word order is often used for emphasis or to create a sense of suspense. For example: Slowly (adverb) and steadily (adverb) he (subject) approached (verb) the door.


  • Adjective-Subject-Verb (ASV)


This word order is often used to emphasize the description of the subject before the action is taken. For example: Beautiful (adjective) flowers (subject) bloom (verb) in the spring.


Overall, the word order in English has a significant impact on the meaning and tone of a sentence, and understanding grammar is crucial to mastering English and communicating effectively in a variety of situations.


For more information and to improve your English skills, contact us.

David Fisher English For Israel

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