English can be wonderfully expressive – and delightfully confusing. One moment it’s all subject-verb-object, and the next you're wondering why the sentence suddenly sounds upside down.

If you've ever hesitated while writing a sentence like “Although he was tired, he…” – you're in the right place. This guide will help you make sense of English sentence structure, especially when it comes to word order in subordinate clauses and where on earth the verb should go.

1. The Golden Rule: Subject – Verb – Object (SVO)

English loves clarity. The standard sentence structure is simple and elegant:

Subject + Verb + Object

Example:
She reads books.
(S = She, V = reads, O = books)

This structure works for most main clauses and is what native speakers default to without thinking. If you’re ever unsure, SVO is your safest bet.

Another example:
They watched a movie.
→ “They” is the subject, “watched” is the verb, and “a movie” is the object.

2. Fronting for Emphasis: But the Verb Still Follows the Subject

Sometimes we put something at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis or flow – a time marker, a place, or an adverb.

Example:
Yesterday, she called her friend.

Even though “yesterday” comes first, the verb “called” still follows the subject “she.” That’s a key part of English logic: the verb follows the subject, no matter what comes before.

3. Subordinate Clauses: Tiny Sentences Within Sentences

Here’s where things get more exciting.

A subordinate clause is a part of a sentence that cannot stand alone. It depends on the main clause to complete its meaning.

They often begin with conjunctions like:

• because
• although
• if
• when
• since
• while
• that

 Example:
Although he was tired, he finished the report.

Notice that even in the subordinate clause (Although he was tired), the verb “was” follows the subject “he.”

 Rule: English usually keeps its word order (SVO) even in subordinate clauses.

Another example:
She left early because she wasn’t feeling well.
- "She wasn’t feeling well" is a subordinate clause, and the word order is still SVO.

4. Questions: Now the Verb Moves

English questions like to flip the verb and subject. This is one of the few cases where standard word order is broken.

• Are you coming to the meeting?
• Have they arrived yet?
• Does she know the answer?

In yes/no questions, the auxiliary verb (are/have/does/etc.) comes first, followed by the subject.

In WH-questions, the question word comes first, followed by the verb:

• Why did you leave early?

So yes, English makes a little mess of itself in questions—but only temporarily.

5. Verbs in Relative Clauses

A relative clause gives us extra information about a noun using who, which, that, whose, etc.

 Example:
The man who fixed my car was very helpful.
→ Subject: “who”; Verb: “fixed”

Again, we’re still in SVO territory. The sentence may get longer, but the verb sticks close to the subject.

6. Word Order in Reported Speech

In reported or indirect speech, English goes back to its comfortable SVO structure.

Direct:
She said, “I’m busy.”
Reported:
She said that she was busy.

Even with the conjunction that, the word order doesn’t change. This differs from languages like German, where the verb often moves to the end.

7. What This Means for Interpreters

English is relatively kind to interpreters. Since the verb usually appears early, interpreters can start translating sooner than in some other languages—like German, where the main verb might not appear until the very end of a long subordinate clause.

Want to learn more about how interpreting works in real time?
Check out our blog on the two types of interpreting and what it takes to keep up in fast-paced, multi-language settings.
 

Mastering English Word Order Made Easy

• English prefers subject-verb-object, no matter how complicated the sentence becomes.
• Even subordinate clauses follow this rule.
• Exceptions (like questions) follow consistent patterns.

In short: if you can spot the subject, the verb is probably right behind it—and then comes the rest. Easy? Not always. Predictable? Almost.

Now go forth and order your words like a pro!