HomeGrammarWord Order ExercisesWord Order Error Correction

Word Order Error Correction

A2-B2 Level

Question 1 of 200 correct

Question 1

Some sentences have one mistake, some have two, and others have no mistakes. Find the mistakes.

Sentence
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Click the box with the error, change it, and check!

Grammar review

This word order error correction exercise trains the sentence-level proofreading decisions learners need after basic gap-fill practice: keeping the object close to the verb, placing time and place phrases naturally, moving auxiliaries in direct questions, using statement order in embedded questions, and ordering simple adjective pairs before a noun.

Wrong: "Emma sent yesterday the report." Correct: "Emma sent the report yesterday."
Wrong: "Can you explain why did the train stop?" Correct: "Can you explain why the train stopped?"

Some sentences are already correct, so avoid moving words just because a sentence looks complex. First identify the sentence type: statement, direct question, embedded question, or noun phrase with adjectives. Then check whether the order matches that structure. This proofreading route also asks you to notice when a sentence is unusual but still possible, which is an important B1-B2 skill. Use the sentence meaning as your guide, then make one controlled change at a time instead of moving words by instinct.

Quick Rule

statement: subject + verb + object + place/time | direct question: helper verb + subject | embedded question: question word + subject + verb

  • 1.We discussed the timetable after lunch.
  • 2.Where is the nearest cash machine?
  • 3.Could you tell me where the nearest cash machine is?
  • 4.She often checks the figures before sending the email.
  • 5.They bought a small wooden table for the kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I proofread English word order mistakes?

Start by finding the verb and its object. In a normal statement, the object usually comes directly after the verb: "sent the email yesterday", not "sent yesterday the email". Then check any adverbs, place phrases, and time phrases. Many learner errors happen because a time expression is put between the verb and object. Finally, decide whether the sentence is a direct question or an embedded question. Direct questions invert the auxiliary and subject, but embedded questions usually keep statement order.

Why are embedded questions a common word-order trap?

Embedded questions look like questions in meaning, but they sit inside another sentence, so the internal order changes. A direct question such as "Where is the office?" becomes "Could you tell me where the office is?" The subject comes before the verb inside the embedded part. Learners often keep the direct-question order because it sounds question-like, but standard written English needs statement order after phrases such as "Do you know", "Can you tell me", "I wonder", and "I am not sure".

Can more than one word order be correct in English?

Yes, and that is why this page uses only high-confidence mistakes. English allows some adverbs to move for emphasis, and short time phrases can sometimes appear at the beginning of a sentence. A good proofreading item should not test a merely unusual but defensible order. In this route, the wrong chunks focus on clearer problems: separating the verb from its object, using direct-question order where statement order is required, placing helper verbs after the subject in direct questions, or reversing a simple adjective pair.