Word Order

English is generally considered to be a language with a relatively fixed word order. In

practice, this means that the positions of the subject S, the main verb V, and the object O are
fixed in relation to each other. In normal statements, which form the bulk of technical and
scientific writing, these items occur regularly in the order S-V-O.

subject (S) verb (V) object (O)

Many flexible objects and structures undergo large deformations.

The problem in technical and scientific writing is that parts of a sentence, particularly the
subject, can become too long and complex, and therefore the basic structure may not be
always clear.
The subject
 With longer subjects, it is very important to keep together the words that form the subject.

The formulas for the uniaxial and hydrostatic stress-strain relationship given by Eqs. 49 and 50 are
based on a model consisting of an infinite number of elasto plastic elements connected in parallel.

 However, you should avoid overlong subjects. It is difficult for the reader to process a
long structure without losing the sense of the sentence as a whole. In such cases, it is
much better to re-formulate the sentence. One way of doing this is to turn the verb into a
noun, which then forms the subject of the sentence. This new subject is short and the new
verb, which is often in the passive, is introduced as early as possible and is not left
dangling at the end of the sentence.

overlong subject In this article, the results of the studies into the role of different parts of the
society in applying several types of economic incentives for waste
management are summarized.
improved sentence In this article, a summary is given of the results of studies into the role of
different parts of society in applying various types of economic incentives for
waste management.

The verb
 The verb should be positioned as close to the subject as possible. The mistake of placing
the verb at the end of the sentence after an over-long subject has been mentioned above.

No damage was observed in the specimen due to the uniaxial compressive stress.

 The regular pattern S-V is inverted when you want to signal the existence or presence
of something new by using there is / are / was / were, etc.

There has been relatively little examination of the effect of mode on subcritical crack growth .

 Similarly, the subject - verb word order is changed when you start a sentence with It
is / was … that … to show emphasis.

The objects in a sentence

 The direct object comes as close as possible to the verb, and normally before
prepositional or adverbial phrases.
We have sent a new type of laser to the research, development, and testing office in Seattle.

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The position of adverbial phrases
The most flexible elements in a sentence are the various kinds of adverbs and adverbial
phrases. They are the most movable as they can occur at the start, in the middle or at the
end.

With the star-shaped flyer plate, cracks are observed to have formed at the middle of each free edge
of the sample.
Various numerical methods were recently developed for engineering problems.

 The first element in the sentence attracts most attention. It is usually the subject
but if another sentence element is to be emphasized, it comes first. A comma is
often used to separate this structure from the rest of the sentence.

In industry, large databases are maintained on manufacturing processes.

When purchasing a monitor, the number, or density, of pixels is a good guideline.

 The position of the time reference at the beginning of the sentence does not
necessarily mean that this structure is emphasized. The time reference can be used
as a convenient introduction in order to avoid breaking the flow with too many
interruptions.

This year again, our research group will introduce new methods developed within the project CZ
521896.

 When the place reference comes first, the use of the passive can be used.

In a Dirichlet-type of problem, T is specified; T M and F M are computed from relative sizes and
positions of the holes.

 It is best to avoid using more than one adverbial phrase at the beginning of a sentence.

With respect to the base parametrization, three model types are included in this study.

Points to check in your own writing

 Have I avoided long noun phrases, with verbs left dangling at the end of a long
sentence? Can I rewrite the sentence to make it more readable?
 Have I used a variety of adverbial phrases at the start of sentences, to give the
right emphasis to my ideas?
 Most importantly, have I used the best word order to convey my points clearly to
the reader?

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Requirements of Sentence
A sentence must start with a capital letter.
• A sentence must end with a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point.
• A sentence must have a subject.
• A sentence must have a verb.
• A sentence must conform to subject-verb-object word order (or inverted word order for questions or
emphasis).
• A sentence must express an idea that can stand on its own (called the main, or independent, clause).

A sentence is the most fundamental and versatile tool available to writers. Sentences generally flow from
a subject to a verb to any objects, complements, or modifiers, but they can be ordered in a variety of
ways to achieve emphasis. When shifting word order for emphasis, however, be aware that word order
can make a great difference in the meaning of a sentence.
EXAMPLE
He was only the service technician.
He was the only service technician.

COMPONENTS OF SENTENCE

The most basic components of sentences are subjects and predicates

Subjects
The subject of a sentence is a noun or pronoun (and its modifiers) about which the predicate of the
sentence makes a statement. Although a subject may appear anywhere in a sentence, it most often appears
at the beginning.(“The wiring is defective.”)
Grammatically, a subject must agree with its verb in number.
_ These departments have much in common.
_ This department has several functions.

The subject is the actor in sentences using the active voice.

_ The Webmaster reported an increase in site visits for May.

A compound subject has two or more substantives (nouns or noun equivalents) as the subject of one verb.
_ The doctor and the nurse agreed on a treatment plan.

Predicates
The predicate is the part of a sentence that makes an assertion about the subject and completes the
thought of the sentence.
_ Bill has piloted the corporate jet.

TYPES of predicate

The simple predicate is the verb and any helping verbs (has piloted).
The complete predicate is the verb and any modifiers, objects, or complements (has piloted the corporate
jet).
A compound predicate consists of two or more verbs with the same subject.
_ The Company tried but did not succeed in that field.

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Structure. A simple sentence consists of one independent clause. At its most basic, a simple sentence
contains only a subject and a predicate.
_ The power [subject] failed [predicate].

TYPES OF SENTENCES
A declarative sentence conveys information or makes a factual statement. (“The motor powers
the conveyor belt.”)
An interrogative sentence asks a direct question. (“Does the conveyor belt run constantly?”)
An imperative sentence issues a command. (“Restart in MSDOS mode.”)
An exclamatory sentence is an emphatic expression of feeling, fact, or opinion. It is a
declarative sentence that is stated with great feeling. (“The files were deleted!”)
Constructing Effective Sentences

The subject-verb-object pattern is effective because it is most familiar to readers.

In “The company increased profits,” we know the subject (company) and the object (profits) by their
positions relative to the verb (increased).

An inverted sentence places the elements in unexpected order, thus emphasizing the point by attracting
the readers’ attention.

_ A better job I never had. [direct object-subject-verb]

_ More optimistic I have never been. [subjective complement-subject-linking verb]
_ A poor image we presented. [complement-subject-verb]

Use uncomplicated sentences to state complex ideas. If readers have to cope with a complicated sentence
in addition to a complex idea, they are likely to become confused. Just as simpler sentences make
complex ideas more digestible, a complex sentence construction makes a series of simple ideas more
smooth and less choppy.

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