verb
1
BAD : It happened very strange something.
GOOD : Something very strange happened.
BAD : I was afraid it might happen to me something terrible.
GOOD : I was afraid that something terrible might happen to me.
BAD : It didn't happen what the teacher had predicted.
GOOD : What the teacher had predicted didn't happen.
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The subject of happen comes in front of the verb, in the usual way: 'Accidents happen every day along this stretch of the road.' 'Something unforeseen has happened.'
When you use it (preparatory subject) before happen , the sentence continues with a that clause: 'It happened that we had both booked seats on the same flight.' (= By chance we had both booked ... )
2
BAD : One day happened something very sad.
GOOD : One day something very sad happened.
BAD : Then happened something that made me very angry.
GOOD : Then something happened that made me very angry.
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The subject of the sentence comes in front of happen (NOT after it): 'Something unexpected has happened.' 'Something has happened that I think you ought to know about.'
3
BAD : I don't know what's happened with him. He should be here by now.
GOOD : I don't know what's happened to him. He should be here by now.
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Something happens to someone/something (NOT with ): 'What's happened to the clock? It's not working.'
4
See PROBLEM 3 (↑ problem )