2. Word order
Part of knowing what a possible sentence is knowing the right order of words/morphemes
Word order differences between English and Witsuwit’en
1. In English, the verb can be followed by a prepositional phrase. In Witsuwit’en, the verb is normally the last word in the sentence.
English: count for me
Witsuwit’en:
spe c’otw
for me you (sg.) count

3. Word order 2. In English, adjectives precede nouns. narrow rope
narrow rope
In Witsuwit'en, an adjective follows a noun:
t'o tet ‘fine babiche’
rope narrow

4. Witsuwit’en
PP  NP P
[lethAn t’Ats] st’E
skewer by it cooked

5. Word order
3. In English, the possessor noun normally precedes the possessed noun. 
my friend's house
but can follow the possessed noun:
the house of my friend
In Witsuwit'en, the possessor noun always precedes the possessed noun:
sq'aqhE pyX ‘my friend’s house’
my friend his/her house

6. Word order
4. Subject of sentence: instigates action (transitive verbs), undergoes action or state (intransitive verbs)
In both Witsuwit'en and English, subjects precede verbs:
Driftwood is floating around.
tz nt
driftwood it is floating around

7. Word order
(Direct) (undergoes action of verb) object only in sentences with transitive verbs.
In English, the direct object follows the verb.
We bought food.
In Witsuwit'en, the direct object precedes the verb:
t'a nets'ottqht
food we bought

8. Attested word order patterns
(S = Subject, O = Object, V = Verb):
SOV
Witsuwit'en
SVO
English
VSO
Irish
OSV
Apurinã (Arawakan, Brazil)
OVS
Parecís (Arawakan, Brazil) (also SOV)
VOS
Oro Win (Chapacura-Wanham, Brazil) (5 speakers)

9. Frequency of each type < Sample of 402 languages. Word order
SOV
180
45%
SVO
168
42%
VSO 37 9%
VOS 12 3%
OVS 5 1%
OSV 0%