Incorrect: Sumitra cut her son with a knife while talking to vegetables.
Can a mother cut her son with a knife? Is it possible and does it not seem eerie. Thus, correct sentence should be:
Correct: Sumitra cut vegetables with a knife while talking to her son.
Wrong arrangement of words has made a woman murderer. Therefore, order of words is very important in a sentence. Following rules will help you in bringing accurate arrangement of words in a statement:
Position of Pronouns in English:
While a person is speaking of himself as well as others, he ought to first mention the second person, then the third person and ultimately the first person. (231 manner)
Incorrect: These three cups of coffee are for Aakash, me and you.
Correct: These three cups of coffee are for you, Aakash and me.
Position of indefinite article:
Regulation: While a noun is accompanied by such or what, the indefinite article stands just after these words.
Incorrect: What great a bike it is!
Correct: What a great bike it is!
Regulation: While an adjective is accompanied by so, as, too or else how, the indefinite article stands between the adjective as well as the noun.
Incorrect: It took a so long time to complete this project.
Correct: It took so long a time to complete this project.
Regulation: The indefinite article appears before great many.
Incorrect: Lalit was confronted with great many a problem.
Correct: Lalit was confronted with a great many problems.
Position of Qualifying Words:
Regulation: A qualifying word ought to be placed nearest to the word or phrase it qualifies.
Followings are given three statements. Just see how the position of only defines their different meanings:
- Only I met her.
- I only met her.
- I met her only.
In statement (i) only emphasizes I. It denotes, “Besides me, nobody else met her.”
In statement (ii) only emphasizes met. It denotes, “I met him but did nothing else with her.”
In statement (iii) only emphasizes him. It denotes, “I met her and I did not meet anybody else.”
