Word order and the imperative

English word order is fixed: subject – verb – object (S-V-O). The order shows who does what, because there are no case endings: The dog bit the man ≠ The man bit the dog.

• The subject comes before the verb even when the sentence starts with another element (no inversion): Yesterday I went to Bern (not “Yesterday went I”). In Switzerland people speak four languages.
• The verb stays together in subordinate clauses too: I know that he has bought a car.
• Usual order of the end of a sentence: place before time: I went to the cinema yesterday.
• Two objects: person + thing (I gave her the book) or thing + to + person (I gave the book to her). With pronouns: give it to her.
• A sentence always needs a subject; use it for weather and time: It's raining. It's late.

Inversion (formal / C1) after negative or restrictive words at the start: Never have I seen such a mess. Not only did he arrive late, but… Hardly had we arrived when it started to rain.

Imperative: base verb, no subject: Sit down. Don't touch it. Let's go! (we) / Let's not wait. More polite: Could you close the door, please?