Practise the 25 word-order and editing tasks below. For word order, use every word in the bank once to make a sentence. The listed arrangements let you compare alternatives. More than one order may be grammatical; the explained key gives a neutral model and notes important alternatives.
For editing, make the change needed for standard written English and any stated context. If a sentence is acceptable as written, say so. Do not assume every sentence contains an error.
This is informal practice, not a comprehensive grammar assessment or a standardised placement test. The collection label does not establish a validated proficiency level.
Questions
- Word order: to / library / goes / the / every / she / Saturday
- A) She goes to the library every Saturday.
- B) Every Saturday goes she to the library.
- C) To the library she goes every Saturday.
- Word order: often / movies / we / go / to / the
- A) We go to the movies often.
- B) Often we go to the movies.
- C) To the movies we often go.
- Word order: plays / the / piano / beautifully / he
- A) He beautifully plays the piano.
- B) The piano plays he beautifully.
- C) He plays the piano beautifully.
- Editing: She can speaks four languages fluently.
- Editing: He have been waiting for over an hour.
- Editing: They was happy to see their grandparents.
- Editing: Maria is afraid of she will fail the test.
- Editing: I would like some informations about the course.
- Editing: Use a superlative to compare with all books read: This is the more interesting book I have read.
- Editing: Me and my brother are going to the park.
- Word order: interesting / was / extremely / the / lecture
- A) The lecture was interesting extremely.
- B) Extremely interesting the lecture was.
- C) The lecture was extremely interesting.
- Word order: they / have / not / had / dinner / yet
- A) They have not yet had to eat dinner.
- B) They have not had dinner to eat yet.
- C) They have not had dinner yet.
- Editing: Each students need to bring their own pencil.
- Editing: Use the usual formal written choice for a plural count noun: There are less people here than I expected.
- Editing: Me am going to start a new job next week.
- Editing: I thinks that’s the best solution to the problem.
- Editing: She don’t know how to solve the puzzle.
- Word order: she / usually / jogs / in / the / park / in / the / morning
- A) She usually jogs in the park in the morning.
- B) In the morning she usually jogs the park.
- C) The park she jogs in usually in the morning.
- Word order: to / decided / they / stay / home / at
- A) They decided to stay at home.
- B) To stay they decided at home.
- C) Stay at home they decided to.
- Editing: Each of the boys has their own room.
- Editing: Her and her friend are planning a trip.
- Editing: There is many reasons to celebrate today.
- Editing: We was excited about the upcoming event.
- Editing: I must to finish my assignment by tomorrow.
- Word order: visit / to / grandparents / are / we / going / our
- A) We are going to visit our grandparents.
- B) To visit our grandparents we are going.
- C) Our grandparents we are going to visit.
Model answers, corrections and explanations
Show all 25 models and explanations
- She goes to the library every Saturday. (A) — A is a neutral model using every word. C fronts the destination and can be grammatical for emphasis. B is not the ordinary statement order practised here.
- We go to the movies often. (A) — A, B and C can all be grammatical. Often can occur at the front, in the middle or at the end; C also fronts the destination. Do not mark every alternative wrong simply because it differs from A.
- He plays the piano beautifully. (C) — C is a common neutral order. A can also be grammatical, with beautifully before the main verb. B is not an ordinary neutral statement about him playing the piano.
- She can speak four languages fluently. — After can, use the base form speak, not speaks.
- He has been waiting for over an hour. — The present-perfect auxiliary agrees with he: has.
- They were happy to see their grandparents. — In standard written English, use were with they.
- Maria is afraid that she will fail the test. — Afraid can introduce a that-clause. Of cannot directly introduce the finite clause she will fail; afraid of failing is another possible construction.
- I would like some information about the course. — Information is uncountable here; it does not take a plural -s. Use pieces of information to count separate items.
- This is the most interesting book I have read. — The added instruction asks for a superlative comparison, so use most interesting. A comparative can be appropriate in a different context involving two things.
- My brother and I are going to the park. — Use the subject form I in this standard written compound subject. Reordering the two people is not the essential grammatical correction.
- The lecture was extremely interesting. (C) — C is a neutral model. Extremely normally precedes the adjective it modifies. B uses marked fronting of the adjective phrase; it is not the neutral order requested as the model.
- They have not had dinner yet. (C) — The corrected bank contains exactly these six words. A uses extra to/eat and changes the meaning to not yet having been required to eat; it is not an arrangement of this bank.
- Each student needs to bring their own pencil. — Each takes a singular count noun and a singular verb: student needs. Singular their can refer back to each student; a gendered pronoun is not a required correction.
- There are fewer people here than I expected. — The instruction asks for the usual formal written choice with plural count noun people. Less people occurs informally; this item practises the formal preference for fewer.
- I am going to start a new job next week. — Use the subject form I before am in standard written English.
- I think that's the best solution to the problem. — Use think with I in the present simple, without third-person -s.
- She doesn't know how to solve the puzzle. — Use does not (contracted as doesn’t) with she; the following main verb stays in its base form know.
- She usually jogs in the park in the morning. (A) — The corrected bank includes two occurrences each of in and the. A uses all of them once. B omits one in; C does not form the intended complete statement.
- They decided to stay at home. (A) — A is a neutral model with decided followed by to stay. Other fronted arrangements are marked or change how at home relates to decided; the model is not a ban on fronting in other contexts.
- Each of the boys has their own room. (Acceptable as written.) — Has agrees with each. Singular their is established usage and need not be replaced automatically. His is another possible wording where appropriate, not a compulsory correction.
- She and her friend are planning a trip. — Use subject-form she in this standard written compound subject, rather than object-form her.
- There are many reasons to celebrate today. — Reasons is plural, so the standard written form is there are.
- We were excited about the upcoming event. — Use were with we in standard written English.
- I must finish my assignment by tomorrow. — Must takes the base verb finish without to.
- We are going to visit our grandparents. (A) — A is a neutral model. B and C front material for a different focus and can be grammatical in a suitable context; they are not automatically errors.
After checking, explain the change or word order in your own words. Then write a new sentence using the same pattern. Return to the practice directory or use the grammar lesson directory for another topic. You can also browse the grammar articles.
References: British Council: adverbial position; personal pronouns; MLA: singular they; fewer and less.