Download 1 KEY ENGLISH GRAMMAR WORKSHEET # 7: WORD ORDER A

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KEY
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
WORKSHEET # 7: WORD ORDER
A. Explain grammatically the difference in meaning between
1.
a. He went forward to welcome her.
b. He looked forward to welcoming her.
a- He went forward in order to welcome her. (Han gick fram för att välkomna
henne.): to welcome her is an adverbial of reason, with to as the infinitive marker.
The infinitive marker is used with the infinitive.
b- He felt pleased and excited at the idea of welcoming her. (Han såg fram emot att
välkomna henne.): to welcoming her is a prepositional object, with to as a
preposition. After a preposition, use the ing-form or a noun phrase.
2.
a. I promise to make you happy.
s
p
--------- Od -------------
b. I promise, to make you happy. Svartvik/Sager §372
s
p
------- advl/reason ------
a- What do I promise? → to make you happy
b- Why do I promise? → (in order) to make you happy
Please note the comma, which indicates a pause.
B. Word order in sentences accompanying direct speech (reporting clauses / sägesatser):
Why is inversion (omvänd ordföljd) possible in sentence (1) but not in the others? Hint: 1)
Is the subject a noun or a pronoun? 2) Is there an object? 3) Is the predicate simple or
complex? §12.2.2
1. ”Let’s get on with it,” said Chris.
2. ”I don’t want to,” Kim had exclaimed.
3. ”You must,” her boy friend used to say.
4. ”I refuse!” he shouted.
5. ”What do you want to do then?” Chris asked Kim.
Inversion is possible in reporting clauses after direct speech unless:
- the predicate is complex (i.e. there is one or two auxiliary verbs): sentence (2) and (3)
- the subject consists of a personal pronoun: sentence (4)
- there is an object in the reporting clause: sentence (5)
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C. Place the adverbials in the following sentences in the basic, unstressed position. (There
are other, more emphatic positions, which should not be indicated in this task.)
§§7.6; 7.6.1; 7.6.2
1. often
2. never
3. always
4. usually
5. sometimes
6. always
7. never
8. often
9. sometimes
10. seldom
11. always
12. never
13. often
14. seldom
15. just
16. always
17. ever
18. never
19. at a snail’s pace
20. scarcely
21. completely
22. very much
23. entirely
24. generally, nearly
I X go to the pictures.
Carruthers has X seen pink elephants.
Henrietta is X a good student.
Josh X does his homework.
Jessica X forgets his name.
Smithers X used to call me by my first name.
In my opinion, he X ought X to have spoken at all.
I have X been there.
Willie X comes to see us on Sundays.
We X heard from him.
(Dan said that) he would X remember this.
(Ann claimed that) Dan had X confessed.
(Dan replied that) he had X done stupid things.
(Ann knew that) she had X felt so embarrassed.
(I thought that) I had X been unlucky.
(He hoped that) they would X be friends.
(She wondered if) he had X driven a car before.
(They were certain that) Dan would X have done that.
They seemed to be climbing the mountain X.
You will X have heard of Verity, I suppose.
She has been X restored to health X.
George (X) enjoys dancing X.
It cannot be (X) explained X by his lack of courage.
He is not X late. But last night he X was.
• In the medial position, the adverb is placed before the main verb or after the (first) auxiliary if
there is one. But if the main verb is a finite form of ‘to be’, then the adverb is normally placed
after the verb (as in a), unless there is an ellipsis (as in b):
(a) He is not generally late.
(b) …but last night he nearly was. (Cf. …but last night he was nearly late.)
• In the pre-medial position, the adverb is placed before the (first) auxiliary.
• In Swedish, the placement of the adverb varies depending on whether the clause is a main
clause (as in a) or a subordinate clause (as in b):
(a) De skulle alltid vara vänner. (main clause: medial position)
(b) Han hoppades att de alltid skulle vara vänner. (sub.clause: pre-medial position)
• In English, the basic, unstressed position of short adverbials is often the medial position—
regardless of whether the clause is a main clause or a subordinate clause.
(a) They would always be friends. (main clause: medial position)
(b) He hoped that they would always be friends. (sub.clause: medial position)
The pre-medial position is possible in the following situations:
(a) He hoped that they always would be friends. (pre-medial: emphatic, not neutral)
(b) He hoped that they always would. (pre-medial: used when there is an ellipsis)
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Note: Some adverbials of degree can be placed in a final or post-medial (= after the second
auxiliary) position, and ‘entirely’ is one of these adverbs (see C 23). Other such adverbs are:
-completely
-deeply
-gradually
-strongly
-badly
-fully
-partly
-thoroughly
See Svartvik/Sager §§427E, 436C. (For a full account, see paragraphs at the back of comp.)
D. Explain what is wrong in the following sentences, and why Swedish students often make
this type of mistake:
1. * She told him things that he never had heard before. §7.6.2
→ She told him things that he had never heard before.
2. * They asked if he still was working for Smithson-Greene.
→ They asked if he was still working for Smithson-Greene.
3. * When he late one evening found her gone, he was very happy. §§7.6.3; 12.2.1
→ When he found her gone late one evening, he was very happy.
or
When, late one one evening, he found her gone, he was very happy.
Sentence (1) and (2):
The basic, unstressed position of many short adverbials is the medial position (after the (first)
auxiliary). This rule applies not only to main clauses, but to subordinate clauses as well. Swedish
learners tend to get it wrong because, in Swedish, these adverbials are placed in the pre-medial
position (= before the auxiliary) in subordinate clauses.
Sentence (3):
It is not possible to have a complex (i.e. long) adverbial after the subject when the subject is a
personal pronoun. Swedish speakers tend to get it wrong because, in Swedish, it is perfectly all
right to place complex adverbials after personal pronouns.
E. Start the sentences with the words in italics (kursiverad stil), and change the rest of the
sentence accordingly: §7.6.1.1
1. I will never make that mistake again.
2. Crime rarely pays so well as Mr Jones seems to think.
3. The nation has scarcely ever suffered such a recession.
4. He not only protested: he also refused to pay his taxes.
5. He spoke so monotonously that everyone left.
6. They followed him wherever he went.
1. Never will I make that mistake again.
2. Rarely does crime pay so well as Mr Jones seems to think.
3. Scarcely ever has the nation suffered such a recession.
4. Not only did he protest: he also refused to pay his taxes.
5. So monotonously did he speak that everyone left.
6. Wherever he went they followed him.
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Remember:
- Partial inversion is when part of the predicate (the AUXILIARY, the verb BE, or the verb
HAVE) is placed before the subject, like in questions: aux + subj + main v.
- If there is no AUXILIARY, BE or HAVE in the clause, then you need to add a form of DO (as in
sentences 2 and 4).
Also remember:
- Partial inversion is used when there is a clause-initial expression (usually an adberb) that
negates or restricts the meaning of the entire clause (hence, no inversion in sentence number 6).
- Partial inversion is also used when the clause begins with So + Adj/Adv (as in sentence 5).
F. Most of the following sentences contain errors that are often made. Correct the ones that
are wrong.
1. Became he a dentist?
→ Did he become
Remember: Partial inversion is also used for questions!
2. He told me to not worry. §7.6.4; 12.2.1
→ not to
Complex adverbials and the three short adverbs not, merely, only can never split the infinitive.
3. When I five years ago visited London, I didn’t realize how big it was. §§7.6.3; 12.2.1
→ When I visited London five years ago
Complex adverbials are never placed after personal pronouns when the pronoun is the subject.
4. Only after I had threatened to sue him he sent back the money he owed me. §7.6.1.1
→ did he send
Partial inversion is used because there is a clause-initial adverbial which restricts the meaning of
the entire clause. Remember that you must add the auxiliary DO if there isn’t already an auxiliary.
5. Roger said that he would never forget that day. §7.6.2
Remember: Short adverbials are placed in the medial position regardless of whether the
clause is a main clause or a subordinate clause. The pre-medial position (i.e. before the
auxiliary) is only used in emphatic sentences and when there is an ellipsis (=‘Roger said that
he never would’).
6. On no account you should believe such a ridiculous story. §7.6.1.1
→ should you
Partial inversion is used because there is a clause-initial adverbial which negates the meaning
of the entire clause.
7. You always have been the most important person in my life! §7.6.2
→ have always
Short adverbials are normally placed in the medial position: after the (first) auxiliary.
8. Never have I seen such a ridiculous person! §7.6.1.1
Correct!
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9. This museum have I not very often visited.
→ I have not visited this museum very often.
(It may also be possible to front the object and say: ‘This museum I haven’t visited very
often’—but that’s quite rare and very emphatic. Swedish speakers beware! It’s much less
common than in Swedish, so please avoid it. See Svartvik/Sager §444—not in your Comp.)
10. In the Pyrenees did he often go hiking for weeks at a time.
→ He often went hiking in the Pyrenees for weeks at a time.
If you have several adverbials in the same clause, this is the normal order:
1. adverbial of manner
2. adverbial of place
3. adverbial of time
(It may also be possible to front the adverbial (compare sentence number 9) and say ‘In the
Pyrenees he often went hiking…’—but again, that’s both rare and very emphatic. Not to be
recommended to non-native speakers! See Svartvik/Sager §444 —not in your Comp.)
11. ‘Is that really true?’ asked she. §12.2.2
→ she asked
No inversion possible (the subject consists of a personal pronoun).