Big red bus? or Red big bus?

Quite djen

And that's why I put after 'poetic licence'
Perhaps I should have put

a drop of golden sun
(not physically possible)

Greta, I thought our authority was the Queen.

What's bad writing about finding a rhyme to teach a group of children of all ages about music?
I don't understand that. Not clumsy at all.

Jam and bread isn’t poetic licence. It’s a clumsy attempt to find a rhyme. Just bad writing.

Interesting topic. The problem is that there is no authoritative language academy that regulates the English language. The French have their Academie francaise, the Swedes have Språkrådet, The Germans have Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung. I think the English rely on 'common usage'. This, of course, often leads to a multitude of errors, misconceptions and general confusion.

And maybe in Austria they say jam and bread.

it's called poetic licence! It has to rhyme with 'thread'

I’ve always been a bit offended by the line in The Sound of Music: ‘Tea, a drink with jam and bread’. No one ever says jam and bread. It’s bread and jam.

I bet lots of people split infinitives all the time without realising.

Is it okay to really want to.....?
Is it okay to really wonder about....?
Is it okay to actually think that....?

You can’t split infinitives ( as Star Trek does) by saying ‘to boldly go’ etc.it would be ‘to go boldly.’

I do. I proudly split infinitives all the time

Chrissie I think that, if you start another thread, you could get more responses.

I don't recommend masks, the moisture could breed germs. An essential oil called 'Thieves' has been recommended and I use that occasionally on flights. Whether it is beneficial or not I do not know.

In Italy they say BIANCO E NERO while we say black and White. Also, in Italian, adjectives can precede or follow a noun with great flexibility.

After a recent flight both my friend and I contracted noro virus. I am flying to Spain next week and have antiseptic wipes to take and First Defence nasal spray. My friend recommends wearing a mask. I can see the sense of this but think I would be embarrassed. What do you think? Chris

Not all native speakers get word order right. My grandson sometimes doesn't; he has autism.
Just in case you think that all people who get word order wrong are non-native.

You can’t split infinitives ( as Star Trek does) by saying ‘to boldly go’ etc.it would be ‘to go boldly.’

Day6 probably the most important ingredient should come first - perhaps your American visitor thought that chips are more important than the fish which was an after-thought!

Ale and steak pie anyone?

Boggles.....Syntax seems to vary widely depending on language. I don't know sign language but it seems to work around the world, regardless of spoken language of origin. It must be quite a challenge to learn to sign in a different language.

Thanks grandMattie and Day6. I get the sense that (rules aside) the one that rolls off the tongue more easily, is likely the best choice.

A bit of an aside, but we had an American lad staying with us a few years ago who insisted on telling us how much he enjoyed the "chips and fish" supper we provided for him one evening!

We corrected him and he asked why? He had a point.

You'll find in sign language too it's ' I have a jumper blue' or 'trousers red' Just thought I'd mention it.

sorry sorry, the reverse - quickly walked is hasty, etc.

No idea - but the first phrase seems to indicate haste; the second a habitual mode of movement and the third seems a bit clunky.

I often have trouble with the placement of adverbs, (i.e. walked quickly towards the aisle...or quickly walked towards the aisle... or walked towards the aisle, quickly).

Does it make any difference where they go or is there a hard and fast rule that governs the placement of adverbs?

Well done all of you, and thank you!
What about the hyphen? DH's favourite example is "extra marital sex is a good thing". If the hyphen is between extra and marital...

As a teacher of English as a second language I have to say that teaching word order is one of my favourite lessons.

It’s the dog that is dreadful, so it would be ‘he was scared by
A big dreadful dog’....well, sounds right to me.