Is it possible to build such an understandable system that would allow you to easily construct sentences in English and quickly understand all tense forms? Let's see.

First you need to figure out what generally accepted standards exist, and how you can avoid getting lost in the apparent complexity during training English language.

If you look in more detail at the structure of sentences in English, it becomes obvious that in order to quickly learn to express yourself concisely and clearly, you just need to train yourself to recognize the subject (who does?) and the predicate (what does he do?) in an English sentence.

In most cases, the subject comes before the predicate in sentences. The only exceptions are interrogative sentences. But in any case, you need to start simple. This way, you can easily learn how to write sentences in English.

Simplicity is the key to success

Let's start with the simplest. This will be the base from which you will need to build in the future. Understanding it will greatly simplify the work of automating the construction of sentences in our heads on the fly.

It is worth knowing that English sentences, unlike Russian ones, are characterized by simplicity, conciseness and brevity. Perhaps this is due to the English mentality, but that’s not the point now.

Long and very complex sentences You can still find it in English. They appear in legal texts or in fiction, i.e. where appropriate. However, in live communication, long sentences are extremely rare. But to start, you need to start from the simple.

Let's find out what a simple sentence is in English. Any sentence is constructed in order to describe the real life situation as clearly as possible.

In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to use words to describe the current situation and connect them so that the meaning is conveyed as succinctly as possible. If you manage to convey the meaning correctly, then in the head of the person to whom the information is transmitted you will get an image of the same picture.

In Russian, words are connected using endings. However, in English the situation is completely different; there is no change in multiple endings.

On the one hand, this simplifies the process of memorizing and studying, and on the other hand, it requires maximum clarity in sentence construction and correct use prepositions.

Golden rule

So, let's define the first and most important rule - direct word order! First it says who is doing it, then what it is doing. Any variations are available in Russian, for example:

• The boy catches fish.
• A boy catches fish.
• A boy catches a fish.
• A boy is fishing.

In English there is always only one word order - “A boy is catching some fish”.
Remember this golden rule, which is where you should start when learning English. Everything is tied to verbs (simple predicates). They will, of course, be in some form of one of the English tenses (from here you can immediately understand how to use the tenses), three moods and two voices. For beginners, the main thing is to understand the basics:

In English, sentence structure always follows a certain structure:

• Subject (who/what?),
• verb (what does it do?),
• object (who/what? addition),
• place (where?),
• time (when?).

For example: “I like to walk with my dog ​​in the park in the evening."

• like to walk;
• with my dog;
• in the park;
• in the evening.

Time

Many people who begin to learn a language are dizzy from the endless variety of temporary forms. If we take them all into account, we get 16. This is explained by the fact that the tense system is clearly different from the one used in the Russian language. Of course there is also general points, but the main trump card of the English times system is strict order, logic, and obedience to the laws of grammar and logic.

But times are not as scary as they are made out to be. If you master at least the six most commonly used ones, you will be able to feel confident in almost any communication situation - these are Present Simple, Past Simple, Future Simple, Present Continuous, Past Continuous, and Present Perfect.
Example:

• I go to work every day. - Present Simple (what happens regularly).
• I went to work yesterday. — Past Simple (statement of a fact in the past).
• I will go to work tomorrow. - Future Simple (statement of a fact in the future).
• I am going to work now. - Present Continuous (what is happening now).
• I was going to work when you called me. - Past Continuous (what happened at a certain point in time in the past).
• I have already gone to work. - Present Perfect (it is not known when the action took place, but there is its result in the present).

What is most important is the need to remember that each group of times has similar characteristics and educational norms semantic verb, as well as principles of use, and this is the key to quickly mastering all tenses.

Once you can draw parallels and feel the differences, you can use all tenses without much difficulty. Therefore, to begin with, just try to remember how English sentences of the Simple group are constructed, starting with Present. It is extremely convenient to learn and remember grammatical tenses by placing them in a table.

Easy-to-read tense tables are included in all textbooks used at EnglishDom.

So, don't be afraid of any difficulties. Everything starts simple, and everything ingenious is simple too. Having understood the basic principles of sentence construction, you can further adapt and train all tenses, moods and voices.

The main thing is that you can’t grab onto everything at once. Only after you have fully understood one rule, move on to another. Repeat what you've learned sometimes so you don't forget. But what should never be forgotten is the basic principles of constructing an English sentence. So, it’s always easy to start - train your skills on simple sentences, then, as you understand, make them more complex.

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

The construction of sentences in English is very different from Russian. Firstly, the English language has a defined order of words in a sentence; secondly, to construct a sentence, the presence of a subject and predicate is required. Later in the article we will look at examples of sentence construction and some features.

From the article you will learn:

Constructing sentences in English: video

Let's start discussing the rules of constructing sentences in English with a video lesson.

Below you will find example sentences in English and you can check how well you understand the lesson.

Constructing sentences in English: examples

For example, in Russian we say:

This is a wonderful book. This boy is tall.

These sentences are constructed correctly, but they lack a verb that would serve as a predicate. In these sentences the predicate is a compound nominal. Certain linking verbs appear in English: to be and to have. Therefore, these sentences are translated as follows:

It is a wonderful book. This boy is tall.

If we literally translate the resulting sentences into Russian, they will sound like “This is a wonderful book” and “This boy is tall.” In Russian we don’t say “the boy is big,” we say “the boy is big,” but the word “is” is still implied. If you are constructing a simple English sentence and you do not have a full verb, check whether to be or to have should be omitted.

Fixed word order in English

Now let's talk about word order in English sentences. Russian offer can be called free. You can build it any way you want and the meaning will not be lost. But in English, rearranging words will lead to a complete change in meaning. Compare:

Masha was eating a pear. - Masha ate the pear.

Masha ate a pear. — A pear ate Masha.

In the second English version, when rearranged, it turns out that the pear ate Masha, and not vice versa. The meaning has changed dramatically. In a declarative sentence, the word order is direct (the subject comes first, followed by the predicate), strictly fixed .

When constructing sentences in English, they first go subject And predicate :

The girl sings. - The girl is singing.

I tell you in the article ““ which parts of speech can serve as the subject in English.

The attribute must always come before the noun:

The beautiful girl sings. — Beautiful girl sings.

Or at the end of the sentence:

The songs were beautiful. — The songs were wonderful.

The addition comes after the grammatical stem:

The beautiful girl sings songs… or The beautiful girl sings sad songs.

A beautiful girl sings songs... or A beautiful girl sings sad songs.

Circumstances in English they can go either at the beginning , or at the end :

In the evening the beautiful girl sings sad songs … or The beautiful girl sings sad songs in the evening.

In the evening, a beautiful girl sings sad songs... or A beautiful girl sings sad songs in the evening.

There is/there are construction

The subject, like the predicate, can be expressed not only in one word, but also in entire phrases.

There are also certain constructions that change the construction of sentences in English. For example, the design there is/there are.

This construction involves the placement of words there is/there are in first place, then the subject and circumstance, which will always come at the end of the sentence.

There is a big pear-tree in my garden. — There is a big pear tree in my garden.

There are tasty fruit on the table. — There are delicious fruits on the table.

We always start translation from the end. Choice there is/there are depends on the number of the first noun that follows the construction.

There is a big plate, many kettles and an apple on the table. — There is a large plate on the table, a lot of teapots and an apple

There are new toys, a small bear and a fork in the box. — The box contains new toys, a small teddy bear and a fork

Imperative mood in English sentences

The imperative mood in English sentences coincides with the infinitive of the verb.

Run! - Run (those)!

Play! - Play!

In this case there is no subject. Such proposals are usually addressed to a second person units And plural numbers.

Show me your book! - Show (those) your book!

Come to visit us today. - Visit us today.

Forbidden form in sentences

The forbidden form is formed by adding the word Don't to the beginning of the sentence.

Don't do that! - Don't do this!

Don't stand up! - Don't get up!

The polite form is formed by adding the word “ please”.

Give me your book, please! - Give me your hand, please!

How often in exams and various tests we are faced with the need to correctly compose a phrase from a set of words. If in Russian it makes almost no difference whether you start a sentence with a subject or a predicate, then in English there are certain principles, the observance of which is mandatory. A correctly organized structure of an utterance is the key to competent speech.

From the first days of learning English, you need to remember the strict sentence structure and word order. A clear sequence makes it easier to understand and hear speech. IN writing language is presented not as a set of words, but as a structured utterance.

Word order in an English sentence

Believe me, having mastered the basics of interaction between the members of a sentence, you can confidently say that soon you will be able to speak. Yes, at first with simple phrases of two or three words, but gradually expand your vocabulary and diversify your speech. So, the rules of construction:

Subject + predicate + object + adverbial

Subject + predicate + object + adverbal modifier

The boy showed the mark-book yesterday. (The boy showed the diary yesterday)

subject tale additional circumstances

Well, that's not all. One phrase may contain several circumstances or additions. How to put everything in its place not only from the lexical side, but also from the grammatical side? Let's look at an example:

• The construction of sentences in English is based on the fact that if there are several additions, then they alternate as follows:

indirect add. (to whom?) + direct (what) + with preposition (to whom?)

She wrote her friend a letter. But: She wrote a letter to her friend. — She wrote a letter to her friend. = She wrote a letter to her friend. (there is no grammatical difference in Russian)

As can be seen from the example, if an indirect object is without a preposition, then it precedes the direct one, and if a preposition is used, it comes after it.

• According to the word order in an English sentence, circumstances are arranged like this:

mode of action (goal, reason) (how?) + place (where? where?) + time (when?)

He was running quickly to his house at 6 o’clock yesterday. — He ran home quickly at 6 o'clock yesterday.

If there is a need to logically highlight a circumstance of place or time, then it can be brought to the fore.

In Moscow he visited many museums last year. — In Moscow he visited many museums last year.
Last year he visited many museums in Moscow. — Last year he visited many museums in Moscow.

• There is also such a member of the sentence as definition. This free bird always stands in front of the word to which it refers. Sometimes one definition is not enough to fully characterize a subject, so it is necessary to use several. How, what and where to put?

1. Article or possessive pronoun(or noun in Possessive Case), numerals + adjectives: my beautiful yellow hat , Tom's ugly big old Italian hunting boots, the first difficult examination question.
2. Adjectives in the following order: Emotional attitude → fact: a nice sunny day - a beautiful sunny day.
3. Facts, if there are several of them, are arranged in the following sequence: size → age → color → where from → from what. You won’t necessarily find all the characteristics in a sentence, these can be two or three adjectives (adjectives are most often used as definitions), which means that by skipping one of the elements of the diagram, you put everything in the right order. Let's look at examples: a nice small black plastic bag, a new black plastic bag.

A famous Scottish poet was born in 1750. - characterizes the subject - emotion. coloring + where from (Famous poet born in 1750)

So, when faced with the question, how to make sentences in English, look at every word. First of all, it is necessary to find the main members (who performs the action, what, or on what, then what happens, the action itself) and put them in first place. Then, minor members in accordance with the diagram.

But I would also really like to note questions that are not exactly a violation, but a slight change in order. Thus, the subject and predicate firmly hold their places and do not give them up to anyone, just like the adverbial and complement. But, an interrogative sentence can begin with an auxiliary verb, modal or with a special word.

Did he lives in Minsk? — Did he live in Minsk?

Do do you have a computer? — Do you have a computer?

Can will you take me to the museum? -Can you take me to the museum?

What kind of book are you reading now? — What book are you reading now?

Cases of violation of direct word order in an English sentence

Of course, not without difficulties! The above scheme most likely works for 80% of affirmative statements. But there are some features that are worth remembering.

A grammatical phenomenon such as inversion , turns everything upside down. What is it? In cases where the structure of a sentence in English is broken, the reverse order of the subject and predicate is noted. But there is a certain, limited set of such situations.

1. In units of speech with turnover there is / there are The subject comes after the predicate.

There is a round table in the middle of the room. — There is a round table in the middle of the room.

2. If the phrase begins from direct speech (with “”), and indirect follows it, the subject also changes places with the verb.

“I haven’t painted for ages”, said my friend. “I haven’t painted for ages,” said my friend.

3. In statements starting with "here", but only on condition that the subject is expressed by a noun. But, if in its place after here a pronoun is used, then the direct order is preserved.

Here are the gloves you are looking for. - These are the gloves you are looking for.

Here comes our teacher. - Here comes our teacher.

BUT: Here it is. - Here it is. Here he comes. - Here he comes.

4. If a sentence begins with adverbs or conjunctions such as never (never), rarely (rarely), little (little), in vain (in vain), scarcely (barely), not only (not only), hardly (barely), then there is an inversion. Most often, disruption of order is used to add emotional coloring to a statement, and these words, which are brought to the fore, strengthen and emphasize the meaning.

In vain doesshedye her hair — She dyes her hair in vain.

Never in his life has hegone abroad. — He had never traveled abroad in his life.

Seldom can he come to see us. “He can rarely visit us.”

5. In short remarks, for example, such as So did I, Neither do I (And I too).

Every morning I take a shower. - So do I. - I take a shower every morning. Me too.

She didn't read this book. — Neither did I. — She didn’t read this book. Me too.

In principle, everything is very specific in syntactic constructions. Having many rules and just as many exceptions, constructing statements is not difficult if you strictly follow the instructions. So, remember that composing sentences in English strictly follows a pattern. Follow it, and then you will succeed!

Everyone has probably already understood that Basic English is the simplest English for beginners. Having memorized 850 words, you just need to learn how to put them into understandable and correct sentences. And this is where the fun begins.

In Russian, you can calmly say: “Take an apple.” In this case, there is no need to specify which one (and it’s clear: the one that is offered). And meticulous Englishmen will definitely insert one short but meaningful word in front of the apple: either “a” or “the”. That is, articles. Thanks to these words, all speakers immediately understand that this means any apple on the table or the same one with a red barrel and a happy worm inside.

The article “a” (or “an” before a word that begins with a vowel) is called the indefinite article. This means that you are undecided what you mean. But to be serious: such an article denotes ANY object. For example: “Take an apple” can be translated as “Take any apple (and which one is up to the limit of your conscience).”

The article “the” is definite. That is, it is clear that what is clearly meant is this apple and no other. “Take the apple” will be translated as “Take THIS apple (and move away from the table).”

There is only one pitfall: you cannot put the article “a” in front of some words. The fact is that it has evolved from the numeral one (one), therefore it is placed only before countable nouns. This means that you cannot say a meal, because food is always singular.

2. Plural and ending -s (-es)

Plurals in English are very easy to indicate: just add an s to the end of the word, and everything is fine: boys, mothers, oranges.

3. Forms of the verb to be

You have probably witnessed more than once attempts by foreigners to speak in Russian: “I am John.” Who he is going to eat or why he separately reports about his existence seems incomprehensible to us. Because in Russian a sentence can easily consist of even one noun or verb: “Morning. It was getting light." The British don't know this. They don't have sentences without a subject or predicate. They would definitely add: “There is morning. It was getting light."

Therefore, it is important to always remember: do you want to translate a sentence from Russian, but it does not have a subject? Add a pronoun. Do you want to translate a sentence from Russian, but there is no predicate? Add a verb. Most often this is one of the forms of the verb “to be”.

There are three forms in total:

Am- only for pronoun I (I)
Is- for any other word in the singular
Are- for any other word in the plural.

For example, I want to tell you: “I am Vanya.” What do you need to insert between you and Vanya? I don’t know what you were thinking about, but I’m thinking about the form am. It turns out: I am Vanya.
Guess for yourself what to put in the following sentences: “He is Vasya”, “They are Katya and Masha”. Right. In the first case - is, in the second - are.
Now you can combine words-pictures and qualities with might and main: The apple is red. Balls are new.

4. Word order in an affirmative sentence

The British are very pedantic. Their sentences are constructed in a strict sequence: first the subject, then the predicate. You cannot get chairs in the morning and money in the evening. In Russian we can say: “I’m tired.” In English, this will be perceived as an interrogative sentence, because the word order is broken.

So, let's learn how to make correct English sentences: I see a flag. You like the trousers.

5. Auxiliary verbs

For some reason, those who begin to learn English are very afraid of auxiliary verbs. In vain. They just help us build the kind of proposal we need.

In Basic English the scope of these verbs was limited may, will, be, do, have:

. may helps to formulate a request. For example, you were tired of sitting at a conference, raised your hand and innocently asked: May I go? If they nod your head, you can safely pack your suitcase and go home.

. w ill can also in some way mean a request. Let's say Will you open the window, please? But in fact, most often this verb is used to form the future tense. For example, You will be there at 5.

. be We have already discussed in point 3.

. do helps form questions and negative sentences (which we’ll talk about next time).

. have forms perfect tense, and also means forced action. For example, I have to go(I have to go). In addition, this verb is very often used to make a polite request: Have a seat, please. Will you have a drink?(Please sit down. Will you drink something?)

In principle, even such knowledge is already enough to communicate at a quite decent level with foreigners and at the same time be understood. But there are no limits to perfection. That's what we'll do next time, but you can and should take grammar tests now.