Basic Statements

Level 1

Many everyday statements put the doer before the action and its object: I want coffee. Singlish also permits topic-comment patterns, so this is a useful starting frame rather than an exceptionless rule.

How It Works

Start with the person or thing doing something, then say the action and what it concerns. I want coffee identifies the speaker, the wanting and the coffee. This shared frame is useful without requiring a special local word.

Singlish also has statements built around a topic rather than a simple doer. This book, I read already puts the book first because it is what the conversation concerns. Learn the basic frame without turning it into a rule that every sentence must follow. A state can also be expressed without a spoken action verb.

Examples (4)

  1. I want coffee.

    I want coffee.

  2. Mei reads the message.

    Mei reads the message.

  3. They bring their own cups.

    They bring their own cups.

  4. We take the bus.

    We take the bus.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Basic StatementsLevel 1

Learn This First

Identify the person being referred to before following their role in a statement.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

And 3 more in the full list.