The property Verb Object has the value "yes" when a verb can precede its object in a <a href="/glossary#neutral-context">neutral context</a>. The clause in this property is an active (non-passive) declarative (non-interrogative) clause. The object in this property is a noun phrase (we exclude pronouns). As with all word order properties, we restrict our attention to <a href="/glossary#productive">productive word order</a> patterns.

<br><br><b><a href="/glossary#object">Definition of Object</a></b><br><br>

<b>General Note on Word Order Properties</b>:
A "yes" value for Verb Object does not exclude a "yes" value for  Object Verb. In other words, a language could allow both orders in a neutral context.
<br><br>
<b>NA (Not Applicable)</b>: Since all languages have verbs and objects, no language will have the value NA for this property.<br>
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Examples:<br>
<br>
1.<br>
English is "yes" for the property Verb Object.<br>
<br>
I see the house.<br>
<br>
2.<br>
German is "yes" for Verb Object because of
sentences such as the following:
<br><br>
Hans sah die Tasse.<br>
Hans saw the mug<br>
“Hans saw the mug.â€<br>
<br>
3.
Similarly, German is "yes" for Object Verb because of sentences like these where the main verb follows the object:
<br><br>
Hans hat die Tasse gesehen.<br>
Hans has the mug   seen<br>
"Hans has seen the mug"<br>
<br>
In other words, German is "yes" for both Verb Object, and Object Verb.<br>
<br>
Note: in determining whether a language allows the order Verb Object or Object Verb, it is necessary to look at the order of the main verb and its object, not the order of the auxiliary verb and the object of the clause.<br><br>

 4.<br>
Japanese is "no" for the property Verb Object because this order is always ungrammatical, as illustrated in the following example:<br>
<br>
 *dareka-ga      otosi-ta    koppu-o<br>
  someone-Nom  drop-Past   cup-Acc<br>
  "Someone dropped a cup."<br>
(* stands for ungrammatical)
