Intermediate german
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142 Unit 19: Word order and sentence structure<br />
111<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8111<br />
9<br />
1011<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
2011<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
3011<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
4011<br />
1<br />
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41111<br />
Subject Finite verb Other elements<br />
Katja beginnt heute ihren Englischkurs.<br />
Unsere Freunde kommen nach dem Essen zu Besuch.<br />
Subject–verb inversion<br />
The finite verb also remains in second position when a sentence starts<br />
with an element other than the subject:<br />
First element Finite verb Subject Other elements<br />
Heute beginnt Katja ihren Englischkurs.<br />
Nach dem Essen kommen unsere Freunde zu Besuch.<br />
This change of word order is called the subject–verb inversion. Note that<br />
the first element can consist of one word like heute ‘today’, or several<br />
words such as nach dem Essen ‘after the meal’.<br />
Word order with two verbs<br />
When there are two verbs in a main clause, the second verb moves to the<br />
end while the finite verb still forms the second element. This pattern can<br />
be found in various structures, for instance in sentences with modal verbs,<br />
in the present perfect tense and in passive constructions:<br />
Subject Finite verb Other elements Second verb<br />
Katja kann heute ihren Englischkurs beginnen.<br />
Nach dem Essen sind unsere Freunde zu Besuch gekommen.<br />
Das Haus wurde vor 10 Jahren gebaut.<br />
Constructions with three verbs<br />
When three verbs are part of a main clause, the finite verbs stays in the<br />
second position and the other two verbs move to the end:<br />
Subject Finite verb Object and other Final verbs<br />
elements<br />
Ich habe leider nicht helfen können.<br />
Du wirst wohl mehr Sport treiben müssen.<br />
Note that sentences with three verbs usually contain a modal verb, which<br />
takes the infinitive form and appears in the final position. For more details,<br />
see Unit 7, pages 54–6.