Type of Sentence, Basic Type of Sentence, What are sentence?
Sentences:
Simple, Compound, and Complex
Experienced writers use a variety
of sentences to make their writing interesting and lively. Too many simple
sentences, for example, will sound choppy and immature while too many long
sentences will be difficult to read and hard to understand.
This page contains definitions of
simple, compound, and complex sentences with many simple examples. The purpose
of these examples is to help the ESL/EFL learner to identify sentence basics
including identification of sentences in the short quizzes that follow. After
that, it will be possible to analyze more complex sentence varieties.
Simple
Sentence
A simple sentence, also called an
independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete
thought. In the following simple sentences, subjects are in yellow, and verbs
are in green.
1.
Some students like to study in the mornings.
2.
Juan and Arturo play football every afternoon.
3.
Alicia goes to the library and studies every day.
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The three examples above are all
simple sentences. Note that sentence 2 contains a compound subject, and sentence
3 contains a compound verb. Simple sentences, therefore, contain a subject and
verb and express a complete thought, but they can also contain compound
subjects or verbs.
Compound
Sentence
A compound sentence contains two
independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The coordinators are as follows:
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (Helpful hint: The first letter of each of the
coordinators spells FANBOYS.) Except for very short sentences, coordinators are
always preceded by a comma. In the following compound sentences, subjects are
in yellow, verbs are in green, and the coordinators and the commas that precede
them are in red.
1.
I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English.
2.
Alejandro played football, so Maria went shopping.
3.
Alejandro played football, for Maria went shopping.
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The above three sentences are
compound sentences. Each sentence contains two independent clauses, and they
are joined by a coordinator with a comma preceding it. Note how the conscious
use of coordinators can change the meaningof the sentences. Sentences 2 and 3,
for example, are identical except for the coordinators. In sentence 2, which
action occurred first? Obviously, "Alejandro played football" first,
and as a consequence, "Maria went shopping." In sentence 3,
"Maria went shopping" first. In sentence 3, "Alejandro played
football" because, possibly, he didn't have anything else to do, for or because "Maria went shopping." How
can the use of other coordinators change the relationship between the two
clauses? What implications would the use of "yet" or "but"
have on the meaning of the sentence?
Complex
Sentence
A complex sentence has an
independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence
always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or when (and many others) or a relative
pronoun such as that, who, or which. In the following complex
sentences, subjects are in yellow, verbs are in green, and the subordinators
and their commas (when required) are in red.
1.
When he handed in his homework, he forgot to give the teacher the last page.
2.
The teacher returned the homework after she noticed the error.
3.
The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.
4.
After they finished studying, Juan and Maria went to the movies
5.
Juan and Maria went to
the movies after they finished studying.
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When a complex sentence begins
with a subordinator such as sentences 1 and 4, a comma is required at the end
of the dependent clause. When the independent clause begins the sentence with
subordinators in the middle as in sentences 2, 3, and 5, no comma is required.
If a comma is placed before the subordinators in sentences 2, 3, and 5, it is
wrong.
Note that sentences 4 and 5 are
the same except sentence 4 begins with the dependent clause which is followed
by a comma, and sentence 5 begins with the independent clause which contains no
comma. The comma after the dependent clause in sentence 4 is required, and
experienced listeners of English will oftenhear a slight pause there. In sentence 5,
however, there will be no pause when the independent clause begins the
sentence.
Complex
Sentences / Adjective Clauses
Finally, sentences containing
adjective clauses (or dependent clauses) are also complex because they contain
an independent clause and a dependent clause. The subjects, verbs, and
subordinators are marked the same as in the previous sentences, and in these
sentences, the independent clauses are also underlined.
1.
The woman who called my mom sells cosmetics.
2.
The book that Jonathan read is on the shelf.
3.
The house which Abraham Lincoln was born in is still standing.
4.
The town where I grew up is in
the United States.
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Adjective Clauses are studied in
this site separately, but for now it is important to know that sentences
containing adjective clauses are complex.
Declarative
A declarative sentence
"declares" or states a fact, arrangement or opinion. Declarative
sentences can be either positive or negative. A declarative sentences ends with
a period (.).
Examples
I'll meet you at the train station.
The sun rises in the East.
He doesn't get up early.
The sun rises in the East.
He doesn't get up early.
Imperative
The imperative form instructs (or sometimes requests). The
imperative takes no subject as 'you' is the implied subject. The imperative
form ends with either a period (.) or an exclamation point (!).
Examples
Open the door.
Finish your homework
Pick up that mess.
Finish your homework
Pick up that mess.
Interrogative
The interrogative asks a question. In the
interrogative form the auxiliary verb precedes the subject which is then
followed by the main verb (i.e., Are you coming ....?). The interrogative form
ends with a question mark (?).
Examples
How long have you lived in France?
When does the bus leave?
Do you enjoy listening to classical music?
When does the bus leave?
Do you enjoy listening to classical music?
Exclamatory
The
exclamatory form emphasizes a statement (either declarative or imperative) with
an exclamation point (!).
Examples
Hurry up!
That sounds fantastic!
I can't believe you said that!
That sounds fantastic!
I can't believe you said that!
Basic Type of Sentence
Sentence Types
All of these sentence
types further fall into four basic sentence type categories in English.
·
Simple
·
Compound
·
Complex
·
Compound - Complex
Simple Sentences
Simple sentences
contain no conjunction (i.e., and, but, or, etc.).
Examples
Frank ate his dinner quickly.
Peter and Sue visited the museum last Saturday.
Are you coming to the party?
Peter and Sue visited the museum last Saturday.
Are you coming to the party?
Compound Sentences
Compound sentences contain two statements that are connected by
a conjunction (i.e., and, but, or, etc.). Practice writing compound sentences
with this compound sentence writing exercise.
Examples
I wanted to come, but it was late.
The company had an excellent year, so they gave everyone a bonus.
I went shopping, and my wife went to her classes.
The company had an excellent year, so they gave everyone a bonus.
I went shopping, and my wife went to her classes.
Complex Sentences
Complex sentences contain a dependent clause and at
least one independent clause. The two clauses are connected by a subordinator (i.e,
which, who, although, despite, if, since, etc.).
Examples
My daughter, who was late for class, arrived shortly after the
bell rang.
That's the man who bought our house
Although it was difficult, the class passed the test with excellent marks.
That's the man who bought our house
Although it was difficult, the class passed the test with excellent marks.
Compound - Complex Sentences
Compound -
complex sentences contain at least one dependent clause and more than one
independent clause. The clauses are connected by both conjunctions (i.e., but,
so, and, etc.) and subordinators (i.e., who, because, although, etc.)
Examples
John, who briefly visited last month, won the prize, and he took a
short vacation.
Jack forgot his friend's birthday, so he sent him a card when he finally remembered.
The report which Tom compiled was presented to the board, but it was rejected because it was too complex.
Jack forgot his friend's birthday, so he sent him a card when he finally remembered.
The report which Tom compiled was presented to the board, but it was rejected because it was too complex.
TYPES OF SENTENCE
A sentence is
a group of words that is used to say something, to ask something, or to tell
somebody to do something. It gives enough information for a person to form a
complete idea in his mind of the message that is being communicated to him.
There are five kinds of sentences as follow:
1) Declarative
Sentences: Sentences that
make statements.
Example:
- That isn’t the way
to do it.
- I have two brothers
and one sister.
- Canada and the
United States are neighbors.
2) Interrogative
Sentences: Sentences that ask questions.
Example:
- What are you doing?
- Where will you go
tomorrow?
- Can I see her?
3) Imperative Sentences: Sentences that give commands or make requests.
Example:
- Don’t be lazy!
- Mind your business!
- Come and have a cup
of tea.
4) Exclamatory Sentences: Sentences that are in the form of
exclamations.
Example:
- What a lovely day it
is!
- How marvelous!
- How pretty she is!
5) Optative Sentence: Some grammarians recognize a fifth
sentence type, the Optative Sentence. Optative sentences express
wishes.
Example:
- May you live a long
and happy life together.
- God save you!
- Peace be upon him.
ü Optative sentences
formed with May are found mainly in a very formal way.
ü Optative sentences
like God save you! uses a special form of the verb in which
there is no –s ending.
God save… (not God saves…)
ü Similarly, we
have Peace be upon him rather than Peace is upon him.
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