What does syntax mean in English?

Answer 1

Syntax is how words are used to structure a sentence correctly. In English,our sentence structures tend to be very simple.

For example, most English sentences have a basic syntax of NOUN + Verb + OBJECT.

Example: I pet the cat.

Once you start to build more detail, the rules in English are pretty consistent for the order:

(Adjective) Noun + (Adverb) Verb + (Adjective) Object.

Example: The young girl gently touched the kitten.

OR

(Adjective) Noun + Verb (Adverb) + (Adjective) Object.

Example: The old cat hissed loudly the old dog.

You could also change the syntax, without changing the meaning of the above sentence.

The old cat loudly hissed the old dog.

Syntax is only one aspect of grammar, and it specifically addresses how sentences are structured.