English statements usually follow the basic pattern subject + verb + object. The subject names who or what does the action, the verb names the action, and the object receives it. In The teacher explains the lesson, the teacher is the subject, explains is the verb, and the lesson is the object. This order is the clearest way to make a simple statement in everyday English, and it matches the word order taught in Sentence Structure and Word Order.

Time words and place words often come after the main idea of the sentence. A common pattern is subject + verb + object + time + place. In We ate dinner last night at home, the meal comes first, then the time, then the place. If there is no object, the time or place phrase can still come at the end, as in She works here on Mondays. Short time words can also appear at the beginning when the speaker wants to set the scene, as in On Friday, we leave early.

Time and place word placement

Example	Pattern
I today work from home.	Put a time word early in the statement when it tells when something happens.
We eat here every Friday.	Put a place word near the end when it tells where something happens.

Some verbs do not show an action. They link the subject to a description or identity. With be, the pattern is subject + be + adjective or subject + be + noun: The soup is hot and Maria is a doctor. Verbs like feel, seem, and become can work the same way when they describe a state or change: He feels tired and The room became quiet. The word after the verb tells what the subject is like, not what it does.

Linking verb description patterns

Example	Pattern
The soup is hot.	Use a linking verb to connect the subject with a description.
She feels happy today.	Use an adjective after a linking verb to describe the subject.

A transitive verb needs a direct object. The action moves from the subject to something else: She opened the door. An intransitive verb does not need a direct object, so the sentence can end after the verb: The baby slept. Many verbs can appear in both patterns, but the meaning changes. Compare The glass broke with He broke the glass. In Sentence Structure, the object is the noun that receives the action, and that noun appears only after a transitive verb.

Verb object patterns

Example	Pattern
He bought bread.	A transitive verb needs a direct object to complete the idea.
The baby slept well.	An intransitive verb does not need a direct object.

When a speaker gives, sends, tells, or shows something to someone, English often uses subject + verb + indirect object + direct object. The indirect object is the person who receives something, and the direct object is the thing itself: She gave her brother a ticket. Another common pattern uses a preposition: subject + verb + direct object + to or for + person, as in She gave a ticket to her brother. Use the first pattern when both objects are short and the person comes first in the message.

Giving and telling word order

Example	Pattern
She gave him a ticket.	Use subject plus verb plus indirect object plus direct object when you want to show who receives something.
I sent my friend a message.	The indirect object usually comes before the direct object in this pattern.

A prepositional phrase usually follows the noun, verb, or clause it describes. In The keys on the table are mine, the phrase on the table tells which keys. In We met after class, the phrase after class tells when the meeting happened. Keep the phrase close to the word it describes so the meaning stays clear. If a sentence has more than one phrase, place each one next to the part it modifies: She left her bag in the car before dinner.

Clear placement of prepositional phrases

Example	Pattern
The book on the table is mine.	Place a prepositional phrase close to the noun it describes.
We walked to the park.	Put a prepositional phrase after the verb when it shows location or direction.

Negative statements use an auxiliary verb + not + main verb. In She does not like coffee, does is the auxiliary and not makes the statement negative. With be, not follows the form of be: They are not ready. With modal verbs, the pattern is modal + not + base verb: We cannot stay or We will not stay. This word order is the standard way to make statements negative, and it connects directly to the sentence patterns used in Negatives.

Negative statement patterns with not

Example	Pattern
I do not like cold tea.	Put not after the auxiliary verb to make a statement negative.
She is not ready yet.	Use not with a helping verb in short negative statements.

A main clause can stand alone as a complete statement: I was late. A subordinate clause cannot stand alone and begins with a subordinator such as because, when, if, or although. After a subordinator, English uses normal subject + verb order: because I was late and when the train arrived. In a full sentence, the main clause and subordinate clause work together: I was late because the train arrived late. The placement of the clause changes how the reader follows the cause, time, condition, or contrast.

Clause order with subordinators

Example	Pattern
We stayed home.	A main clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.
I left because it was late.	After a subordinator, keep the clause connected to the main idea.

Relative clauses follow a noun and add information about it. They often begin with who for people, which for things, and that for people or things. In The woman who called you is my aunt, the clause identifies which woman. In The book that you lent me is excellent, the clause identifies which book. The relative clause stays close to the noun it describes, and the verb inside the clause keeps normal subject + verb order. This structure is useful for longer sentences and works closely with the clause patterns in Clauses.