Basics: Building Ideas from Words to Sentences

 Effective American English Is Usually Simple

There are three elements to any language:

• Vocabulary or words: the raw materials
• Grammar: the rules and structure
• Culture or context: the place where the language is used

There are two participants:

• The person/people speaking (or writing)
• The person/people listening (or reading)

Build Your Ideas

Grammar is the rules for word order in sentences (words linked together). Use grammar to make messages easily understood and meaningful. Grammar rules can be broken to call attention to the information or make a joke. Make sure that the meaning is not lost and the result is not written off as an error. 

Simple Sentence Structure

Much of American English communication occurs in "simple" sentences. Basic American English sentences have:

• Subject: who or what the sentence is about.
• Verb: what the subject is doing.
• Object (of the verb): what the subject is acting on.

Simple English sentences usually follow the "Subject-Verb-Object" word order pattern. 

Cats eat fish.

Start with the subject (usually a noun). Add descriptive words (adjectives) before the subject.

Fat cats eat fish.

Add descriptive words before the verb (adverb).

Fat cats usually eat fish. 

Add adjectives or other descriptive words before the object.

Fat cats usually eat tuna fish.

Ask Questions

To ask a question, put a verb before the subject. Add "do" or "does" before the subject (and add a question mark if writing), and/or add a "question word" (who, what, when, where, why, how).

Do fat cats usually eat tuna fish?

When do fat cats usually eat tuna fish?

Will fat cats usually eat tuna fish?

Want to go deeper?

Simple Sentences: Meaning and Example

Tense: When Something Takes Place

Keep tense simple to start: present, past, future. There are plenty more tenses, but these three serve in most situations.

• The cat eats fish.
• The cat ate fish.
• The cat will eat fish. The cat is going to eat fish.

Simple Present Tense is used to talk about: 

• Things that are usually true.
• Situations that are true at the time (although they may change).
• Habits, or things which happen regularly.

Simple Past Tense is used to talk about: 

• Things that have happened.

Simple Future Tense is used to talk:

• Things that may/will happen.
• Things that are going to happen (plans).

Now take the words and build ideas using the grammar to form the structure.

Want to go deeper?

12 Rules to Master English

Create Sentences

Write and speak sentences (capture your conversations and ideas using the dictation function on your phone). Watch and listen for common word patterns. Check word order and look for missing words.

Want to check your work?

Grammarly provides a free AI tool that critiques sentences and offers alternatives.

Play With Your Words

Have fun! No one is looking. No one is listening. Just mess around. It is important to "make mistakes" and observe yourself. Do not be critical of your skill. 

• Play with the word order. 
• Rhyme endings. 
• Create sentences using words that start with the same letter sound.
• String words together just for fun. Nonsense combinations help develop an ear for (create an instinctive understanding) what is common and flows.
• Sing your sentences.
• Make poetry (rhyme, syllables, phrasing). 

Have more fun!

Pun Generator

Word Play: 18 Fun Ways to Play with Words