Sentence order

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Chariot  #260536  Tue, 29 Aug 06 12:30 PM

He goes shopping with his girlfriend every Saturday.

I wonder if "with his girlfriend" can be placed after "every Saturday". Is is correct to say that time phrases are always placed at the end of sentences? Thanks a lot.

  
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Marius Hancu  #260572  Tue, 29 Aug 06 02:17 PM
I think this discussion applies:
Post:258086
  
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CalifJim  #260663  Tue, 29 Aug 06 07:57 PM
Sometimes you can change the order, and it would be all right to do so in this sentence, but it's not the usual order.

The usual order is place, and then time, if you're putting them at the end of the sentence.  This order is fairly strict but not absolutely required.  Prepositional phrases, like with his girlfriend, are a little more free to move about.

We are going to New York next month.
We are going with our relatives to New York next month.
We are going to New York with our relatives next month.  <
We are going to New York next month with our relatives.


I saw a friend of mine at the mall yesterday.
I saw a friend of mine with his girlfriend at the mall yesterday.
I saw a friend of mine at the mall with his girlfriend yesterday. <
I saw a friend of mine at the mall yesterday with his girlfriend.

(< shows my preference.)

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