What are common mistakes with L'ordre des mots?

Placing adverbs or negation incorrectly; literal translation of L1 word order. 🇬🇧 English speakers: SVO is the same! But adverb placement and negation placement differ. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian has very free word order. French SVO is more rigid. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech has relatively free word order due to cases. French requires stricter SVO.

L'ordre des mots: règles, exemples et exercices | French Grammar A1

L'ordre des mots

A1 — Structure de la phrase

Basic SVO word order in French sentences

Can construct basic French sentences with correct word order

Basic SVO word order in French sentences

Examples

Marie mange une salade au restaurant. — Marie eats a salad at the restaurant.
Je parle bien français. — I speak French well.
Ce soir, nous allons manger au restaurant avec des amis. — Tonight, we're going to eat at the restaurant with friends.

Structure de la phraseA1

L'ordre des mots

Basic SVO word order in French sentences

Learning Goal

Can construct basic French sentences with correct word order

Exam Skills:Production écriteProduction orale

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Marie mange une salade au restaurant.

Marie eats a salad at the restaurant.

Je parle bien français.

I speak French well.

Ce soir, nous allons manger au restaurant avec des amis.

Tonight, we're going to eat at the restaurant with friends.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

L'ordre des mots de base en français est SVO (Sujet - Verbe - Objet), comme en anglais :

Sujet	Verbe	Objet/Complément
Je	mange	une pomme.
Elle	aime	le chocolat.
Nous	habitons	à Paris.

Ordre typique : Sujet + ne + (pronom objet) + verbe + pas + complément.

Adverbes courts (bien, mal, souvent, toujours) vont après le verbe : Je parle bien français.

Temps + Lieu : Je mange au restaurant ce soir. Ou : Ce soir, je mange au restaurant. (temps en début de phrase pour emphase)

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Placing adverbs or negation incorrectly; literal translation of L1 word order. 🇬🇧 English speakers: SVO is the same! But adverb placement and negation placement differ.

Common Error Patterns

Incorrect word order in statement

French basic order: Subject + Verb + Object. Adverbs after verb. Time expressions at end or beginning.

Marie mange une salade au restaurant.

Marie eats a salad at the restaurant.

S(Marie) + V(mange) + O(une salade) + Place(au restaurant). Standard SVO.

Je parle bien français.

I speak French well.

Short adverb 'bien' goes right after the verb, before the object.

Ce soir, nous allons manger au restaurant avec des amis.

Tonight, we're going to eat at the restaurant with friends.

Time expression (ce soir) fronted for emphasis, then standard SVO follows.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

Frequently asked questions

When is L'ordre des mots used?: L'ordre des mots de base en français est SVO (Sujet - Verbe - Objet), comme en anglais :
How is L'ordre des mots formed?: Ordre typique : Sujet + ne + (pronom objet) + verbe + pas + complément. Adverbes courts (bien, mal, souvent, toujours) vont après le verbe : Je parle bien français. Temps + Lieu : Je mange au restaurant ce soir . Ou : Ce soir , je mange au restaurant . (temps en début de phrase pour emphase)
What are common mistakes with L'ordre des mots?: Placing adverbs or negation incorrectly; literal translation of L1 word order. 🇬🇧 English speakers: SVO is the same! But adverb placement and negation placement differ. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian has very free word order. French SVO is more rigid. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech has relatively free word order due to cases. French requires stricter SVO.