This might be easier to understand given an equivalent statement using our calendar. In English, sentences are written with the basic order subject, verb, object. In Mayan languages, the standard order is verb, object, subject. There is one verb that turns up in many contexts and is used in phrases that describe the action taking place. Symbols were often added to verbs as indicators of tense or type.
Affixes can alter the meaning of a verb.
Putting It All Together Glyph Blocks Within glyph blocks, syllable signs and logographs are generally ordered to be read from top to bottom and left to right. Text composed with these glyph blocks is most often arranged to be read in the same directions, but with the glyphs read in pairs as in the diagram given below. There is much more to the writing system than I can usefully cover here.