5.4 Syntax
The word, ‘syntax’, refers to word order in the text. Sometimes the writer chooses to highlight a particular noun or phrase for a particular reason, so inverts the usual word order in a phrase/sentence, for example, ‘London, I remember.’ The usual word order is: subject, verb, object, plus any circumstances. For example: His mother (subject) dropped (verb) the precious vase (object) in the hallway (circumstances). If the writer chose to highlight ‘the precious vase’, he/she would write: The precious vase his mother dropped in the hallway was cracked. 'The precious vase’ which is really the object has been promoted to the first position in the text and allows room for the writer to add more detail.