Actors usually come before the object; perfective transitive clauses often mark the actor with ਨੇ.

In basic English clauses, the actor is usually before the verb and can trigger subject-verb agreement.

Punjabi events are typically verb complexes with main verb, aspect marker and auxiliary.

English events are centered on verbs, often supported by auxiliaries for tense, aspect, voice, or questions.

Targets normally appear before the verb; animate or specific targets are often marked with ਨੂੰ.

English usually identifies the affected target by position after the verb, with pronoun case still visible in forms like him and her.

Punjabi participants are noun phrases or pronouns; gender, number, oblique forms and postpositions often matter.

English participants are usually expressed as noun phrases or pronouns, often with articles and number marking.

States commonly use ਹੈ/ਹਨ/ਸੀ; existence and location use ਹੋਣਾ-type patterns.

English usually requires the verb 'be' for states, locations, existence, and many descriptions.

Identity uses a copula but no article before professions or classes.

English identity and classification commonly use 'be', often with an article before singular count nouns.

Punjabi often places the topic early; particles such as ਤਾਂ can contrast or frame the topic.

English has topic-comment patterns, but ordinary subject-verb-object order is more common than strong topic marking.

Recipients are commonly marked with ਨੂੰ or pronoun forms such as ਮੈਨੂੰ and ਉਸਨੂੰ.

English marks recipients with double-object order or with prepositions such as to and for.

Experiences often use dative experiencers with ਨੂੰ/ਮੈਨੂੰ rather than an English-style actor subject.

English often puts the experiencer as the subject, but some patterns use objects or prepositional phrases.

Instruments are usually marked with ਨਾਲ; related meanings like company also use ਨਾਲ and need context.

English usually expresses instruments with prepositions, especially with.

Time points and spans use adverbs or postpositional phrases such as ਕੱਲ੍ਹ, ਸਵੇਰੇ and ਦੋ ਵਜੇ.

English uses time adverbs and prepositions such as at, on, in, for, and since to locate events in time.

Time direction is shown by verb forms and auxiliaries, but aspect is often just as important as tense.

English finite verbs normally show present or past tense; future is usually expressed with auxiliaries or context.