Frequency words go before the main verb, but after be
Frequency words tell you how often: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never. They go before the main verb but after be (am, is, are, was, were): I always take notes, but I am always busy. Usually, often and sometimes can also open or close a sentence, so they have more freedom. In a statement, always and never do not: they stay in the middle, close to the verb.
- Right:I usually take notes by hand.
- Right:She is often in the lab.
- Right:We never study on Saturdays.
- Not:She drinks often tea.Instead:She often drinks tea.
- Not:Always I walk to class.Instead:I always walk to class.
- Not:He eats never breakfast.Instead:He never eats breakfast.
With a helper verb, the adverb follows the first helper
Helper verbs are words such as have, has, will, can and should. They work with a main verb, and the adverb sits between the two: has never seen, will always remember, can often help. After have, it also comes before been: I have always been curious about space. Do not wait until after the main verb, because has seen never and have been always are both wrong.
- Right:She has never seen the ocean.
- Right:You can always ask your advisor.
- Right:I have always been a morning person.
- Not:He has seen never snow.Instead:He has never seen snow.
- Not:We will forget never this trip.Instead:We will never forget this trip.
Also goes with the verb, and only goes with the word it limits
Also goes where frequency words go: before the main verb, after be, after the first helper. So write Priya also has a good point, not Priya has also a good point. But she has also written a paper is right, because has is a helper there. Only goes right before the word it limits: Only Sam passed means nobody else did. In everyday English it often sits before the verb: I only need one source.
- Right:Priya also has a good point.
- Right:She is also a tutor.
- Right:Only Sam passed the quiz.
- Right:I only need one more source.
- Not:He has also a car.Instead:He also has a car.
- Not:She plays also the violin.Instead:She also plays the violin.
- Not:Sam only passed, and nobody else did.Instead:Only Sam passed, and nobody else did.
Inside a time phrase, the small unit comes first
When a time phrase has two parts, the smaller unit normally comes first: around eight in the morning, eleven at night, noon on Friday. Never put the part of the day right in front of the number, because morning eight is not English. Early and late also go first: early next week, late at night. A day and an hour are more relaxed: at nine on Monday and on Monday at nine are both fine.
- Right:My flight leaves around six in the morning.
- Right:We meet at noon on Friday.
- Right:The results come out early next week.
- Not:I wake up at morning seven.Instead:I wake up at seven in the morning.
- Not:We stayed up at night late.Instead:We stayed up late at night.
In a statement, the subject comes before the verb
In a statement, the subject (the person or thing doing the action) comes first and the verb follows, even after that or because. So write I think that it is a good idea, not that is it a good idea. Is it is the order of a question. The same goes for there: I know that there is a quiz. When a time word opens the sentence, the subject still comes next: On Monday we start a new unit, not On Monday start we a new unit.
- Right:I think that it is a good idea.
- Right:We stayed inside because it was raining.
- Right:On Monday we start a new unit.
- Not:I believe that is it too late.Instead:I believe that it is too late.
- Not:We left because was it late.Instead:We left because it was late.
- Not:On Monday start we a new unit.Instead:On Monday we start a new unit.
Where this costs you marks on the TOEFL
Word order matters most in Writing. Ten of the 12 Writing items are Build a Sentence, where you put words in order, so a time phrase or an adverb in the wrong spot makes the sentence wrong. Time and place phrases are one of the patterns students on this site miss most often. In Write an Email and the Academic Discussion, a line like I like very much this idea is easy to understand, but it still reads as a grammar mistake. In the Interview the same habits come out under time pressure, which is why it pays to drill them until they are automatic.