ABSTRACT
For the non-native speaker word order and structure of the Arabic sentence often seem confusing because they follow a format different from English syntax. Although the components of the sentence, such as subject, object and verb, are the same as in English, they are arranged in a different order, which requires you to revise your habitual practices. It is strange to say the verb before the subject, but you have to remind yourself to do this again and again! As a rule of thumb the information that is already known and is thus definite comes first, and the stuff that is new and is indefinite comes last. When both parts are known or new, then the subject comes before the object. The verb–subject–object word order is more common in MSA, while colloquial Arabic frequently sees subject–verb–object. <inline-graphic content-type="black-white" xlink:href="<a href="https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315731315/d9368ae6-ac8f-4474-a7ed-fb4ffb32278a/content/tip_B.jpg" target="_blank">https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315731315/d9368ae6-ac8f-4474-a7ed-fb4ffb32278a/content/tip_B.jpg</a>" xmlns:xlink="<a href="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" target="_blank">https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink</a>"/>Tip
Don't trust Arabic punctuation marks. The English system of separating clauses or phrases by periods, commas or semicolons is not applicable to Arabic. Instead other markers and conjunctions are used.
