Word order: verb + object, place, time; frequency adverbs

A basic English sentence follows the order subject + verb + object. The verb and its object normally stay together — don't put very much, well, every day… between them.

• I like coffee very much.

  not: I like very much coffee

• She speaks English very well.

  not: speaks very well English

• I read the news every morning.

💡Don't put very before a verb: “I very like it” is wrong. Say I really like it, I like it very much, or I love it.

When there is both a place (where?) and a time (when? how long? how often?), the usual order is verb (+ object) + place + time.

• We went to Da Nang last summer.

  place → time

• My family moved to Hanoi in 2018.

• Last year, we went to Hue.

  time can also go at the start

Adverbs of manner (well, carefully, fast) usually go right after the verb or object, before place and time: She sang beautifully at the party last night.

💡You can put the time at the start of the sentence, as many languages do. But normally don't put it between the verb and its object or place: say I went to Hue last year, not “I went last year to Hue”.

Some short adverbs usually go in the middle of the sentence, next to the verb: frequency adverbs (always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never) and also, already, still, just, even, probably, really. Where they go depends on the verb:

• Before have to: I always have to get up early.
• Probably goes before a negative auxiliary: I probably won't come. (I'll probably not come is also possible, but not “I won't probably come”.)
• Sometimes and usually can also start the sentence: Sometimes I work from home.
• All and both follow the same rule: We all love pho. My sisters are both nurses.
• In questions, the adverb goes after the subject: Do you often cook? Have you ever been to Sa Pa?

• Lan often drinks green tea in the afternoon.

• My brother is never on time.

• I speak English, and I can also speak a little French.

• We have already booked the tickets.

• My sisters are both nurses.

💡Never is already negative, so it goes with a positive verb: I never eat meat — not “I don't never eat”. Standard English uses only one negative word.

• ✗I very like this song.

  ✓I really like this song. / I like this song very much.

  very doesn't go before a verb.

• ✗She speaks very well English.

  ✓She speaks English very well.

  The verb and object stay together.

• ✗We go usually to the market on Sundays.

  ✓We usually go to the market on Sundays.

  Frequency adverbs go before an ordinary verb.

• ✗He drinks every morning coffee.

  ✓He drinks coffee every morning.

  Object first, then time.

• ✗They arrived last night at the hotel.

  ✓They arrived at the hotel last night.

  Usually place comes before time.

• ✗I have always to get up early.

  ✓I always have to get up early.

  The adverb goes before have to.