In the textbook Japanese for Busy People I, the order of the
elements in a sentence is always the same (subject - when - with
whom - by what means - to where - verb) at least as far as I
have made it. Like so: スミスさんは あした かいしゃの ひとと おおさかししゃに いきます。
スミスさんは きのう ひとりで おおさかししゃに いきました。 スミスさんは きんようびに チャンさんと しんかんせんで
おおさかに いきました。 Is this order always the same in the Japanese
language or is it is a specificity of my textbook in order to
better synthesize each element that composes the sentence? From
what I understand, the first sentence could be translated into
English with variations in the order of the elements: Mr. Smith
is going to the Osaka branch office with a colleague tomorrow.
Tomorrow, Mr. Smith is going to the Osaka branch office with a
colleague. Mr. Smith is going with a colleague to the Osaka
branch office tomorrow. Can these variations occur in Japanese
as well? Or does the sentence have to have the order displayed
above? Please reply in kana, as I do not know any kanji.