BASI

CSENTENCESTRUCTURE

Par
tsofSent
ences:
Subj
ect
,Pr
edi
cat
e,Obj
ect
,Indi
rectObj
ect
,Compl
ement

Ev
erywor
din a sent
ence ser
ves a speci
fi
c pur
pose wi
thi
nthe st
ruct
ure oft
hat
par
ti
cul
arsent
ence.Accor
dingt
orul
esofgr
ammar
,sent
encest
ruct
urecansomet
imes
bequi
tecompl
i
cat
ed.Fort
hesakeofsi
mpl
i
cit
y,howev
er,
thebasi
cpar
tsofasent
ence
ar
edi
scussedher
e.

Thet
womostbasi
cpar
tsofasent
encear
ethesubj
ectandpr
edi
cat
e.

SUBJECT

Thesubj
ectofasent
encei
stheper
son,pl
ace,ort
hingt
hati
sper
for
mingt
heact
ionof
t
hesent
ence.Thesubj
ectr
epr
esent
swhatorwhom t
hesent
encei
sabout
.Thesi
mpl
e
subj
ectusual
l
ycont
ainsanounorpr
onounandcani
ncl
udemodi
fyi
ngwor
ds,phr
ases,
orcl
auses.

Theman...

PREDI
CATE

Thepr
edi
cat
eexpr
essesact
ionorbei
ngwi
thi
nthesent
ence.Thesi
mpl
epr
edi
cat
e
cont
ainst
hev
erbandcanal
socont
ainmodi
fyi
ngwor
ds,
phr
ases,
orcl
auses.

Theman/bui
l
dsahouse.

Thesubj
ectandpr
edi
cat
emakeupt
het
wobasi
cst
ruct
uralpar
tsofanycompl
ete
sent
ence.I
n addi
ti
on,t
her
e ar
e ot
herel
ement
s,cont
ained wi
thi
nthe subj
ector
pr
edi
cat
e,t
hataddmeani
ngordet
ail
.Theseel
ement
sincl
udet
hedi
rectobj
ect
,indi
rect
obj
ect
,andsubj
ectcompl
ement
.Al
loft
heseel
ement
scanbeexpandedandf
urt
her
combi
nedi
ntosi
mpl
e,compound,
compl
ex,
orcompound/
compl
exsent
ences.(
SeeTI
P
Sheeton"
Sent
enceTy
peandPur
pose.
")

1
DI
RECTOBJECT

Thedi
rectobj
ectr
ecei
vest
heact
ionoft
hesent
ence.Thedi
rectobj
ecti
susual
l
yanoun
orpr
onoun.

Themanbui
l
dsahouse.

Themanbui
l
dsi
t.

I
NDI
RECTOBJECT

Thei
ndi
rectobj
ecti
ndi
cat
est
owhom orf
orwhom t
heact
ionoft
hesent
encei
sbei
ng
done.Thei
ndi
rectobj
ecti
susual
l
yanounorpr
onoun.

Themanbui
l
dshi
sfami
l
yahouse.

Themanbui
l
dst
hem ahouse.

SUBJECTCOMPLEMENT

Asubj
ectcompl
ementei
therr
enamesordescr
ibest
hesubj
ect
,andt
her
efor
eisusual
l
y
anoun,pr
onoun,oradj
ect
ive.Subj
ectcompl
ement
soccurwhent
her
eisal
i
nki
ngv
erb
wi
thi
nthesent
ence(
oft
enal
i
nki
ngv
erbi
saf
orm oft
hev
erbt
obe)
.

Themani
sagoodf
ather
.(f
ather=nounwhi
chr
enamest
hesubj
ect
)

Themanseemski
nd.(
kind=adj
ect
ivewhi
chdescr
ibest
hesubj
ect
)

Not
e:Asanexampl
eoft
hedi
ff
erencebet
weenpar
tsofspeechandpar
tsofasent
ence,
anouncanf
unct
ionwi
thi
nasent
enceassubj
ect
,di
rectobj
ect
,indi
rectobj
ect
,obj
ectof
apr
eposi
ti
on,
orsubj
ectcompl
ement
.

Formor
einf
ormat
ionont
hest
ruct
ureandf
ormat
ionofsent
ences,seet
hef
oll
owi
ng
TI
PSheet
s:

Sent
enceTy
pesandPur
poses

2
Sent
enceFr
agment
s

I
ndependentandDependentCl
auses:
Coor
dinat
ionandSubor
dinat
ion

Pr
eposi
ti
onsandPr
eposi
ti
onal
Phr
ases

Ot
herPhr
ases:
Ver
bal
,Apposi
ti
ve,
Absol
ute

CommaSpl
i
cesandRun-
onSent
ences

TheEi
ghtPar
tsofSpeech

Nouns

Pr
onouns

Ver
bs

Adj
ect
ives

Adv
erbes

Conj
unct
ions

I
nter
ject
ions

CLAUSE
Acl
ausei
sagr
oupofr
elat
edwor
dthatcont
ainsasubj
ectaswel
lasav
erb.

Acl auseisameani ngfulcombinat

ionofwor ds,asi
tcan,alone,expr
essacompl
ete
thought.Aclausecanbeasi mpl esent
ence.Hence,cl
auseisalsosometi
mesdefi
ned
asgr oupofwordshavingasubjectandpredi
cate.

I
tcanal
sobesai
dthateachsent
enceconsi
stsofatl
eastonecl
ause.

Readt
hef
oll
owi
ngsi
mpl
eexampl
esofacl
ause:

Hel
aughed.

Iam sl
eepi
ng.

3
Hesi
ngssong.

Thedar
kisbar
king.

Theabov
eexampl
esr
eveal
thatacl
ausecanbeasi
mpl
esent
ence.

Acl
ausecanalsobeapar tofacompoundorcompl
exsent
encewhi
chconsi
stsof
mor
ethanonecl
ause.Readt
hefol
l
owingexampl
es:

Shei
scr
ying.(
onecl
ause)

Thepat
ientdi
ed.(
onecl
ause)

Iwai
tedf
orhi
m,buthedi
dn’
tcome.(
twocl
auses)

Hei
sgoi
ngt
ocol
l
ege,
becausehewant
stomeethi
sfr
iend.(
twocl
auses)

Mysisterl
i
kesBi
ology,
butIl
i
kePhy
sicsbecauseIwantt
obecomeanengi
neer.(
thr
ee
cl
auses)

Aclausebydefi
nit
ionisacombinat
ionofwor
dshavi
ngbothsubj
ectandver
b.Hence,a
par
tofasimplesentencecanal
sobev i
ewedasacl
ause.Readt
hefol
lowi
ngexamples:

Theyar
elaughi
ngataj
oker
.

Isawhi
mint
hest
reet
.

Shecooksf
oodi
ntheki
tchen.

Not
e.Cl
auseshav
etwomaj
ort
ypes,
cli
ckt
oread:
'Mai
nCl
ause&Subor
dinat
eCl
ause'

POPULARPOSTS

Mai
nCl
ause&Subor
dinat
eCl
ause

Rest
ri
cti
ve&Non-
rest
ri
cti
veCl
ause

Ty
pesofSubor
dinat
eCl
ause

Phr
ase

Ty
pesofPhr
ase

Phr
aseandCl
ause-Di
ff
erence

Phr
asal
Ver
b

4
Pr
eposi
ti
onal
Ver
b

Subj
ect
-Ver
bAgr
eement

Dangl
i
ngModi
fi
er

Dangl
i
ngPar
ti
ci
ple

Mai
nCl
ause&Subor
dinat
eCl
ause

Aclausei
sacombinat
ionofrelat
edwordscontaini
ngasubj
ectandav
erb.I
tcanbea
si
mplesent
enceorapartofacompoundsentence.

Exampl
es:

Shel
aughed. (
onecl
ause)

Iwai
tedf
orhi
m,buthedi
dn’
tcome.(
twocl
auses)

Cl
auseshav
etwomaj
ort
ypes:

1.I
ndependentCl
ause(
Mai
nCl
ause)

2.DependantCl
ause(
Subor
dinat
eCl
ause)

Under
standi
ng‘
Mai
nCl
auses&Subor
dinat
eCl
auses’

Readt
hef
oll
owi
ngsent
ence:

Isawamanwhowascr
ying.

Theabovesentencehast woclauses:‘
Isaw aman’and‘ whowascryi
ng’
.Thef
ir
st
cl
ause‘Isaw aman’gi v
esacompl etemeaningandcanal onest
andasacompl
ete
sent
ence.Suchaphraseiscal
l
edMai norI
ndependentcl
ause.

Ontheotherhand,t
hesecondcl ause‘
whowascr yi
ng’doesnotgi veacompl
ete
meani
ngandcannot(
asalone)standasacompletesentence.I
tdependsont
hemain
cl
auset
ogiveacomplet
emeaning.Suchacl
auseiscal
led

Subor
dinat
eorDependentcl
ause.

Mai
norI
ndependentCl
ause:

Mai
nclauseorIndependentcl
ausei
sthatcl
ausewhi
chexpr
essesacompl
etemeani
ng.
I
tal
onecanstandasasent ence.

5
Exampl
es

Isawamanwhowascr
ying.

Thepr
ofessoraskedmanyquest
ionsbutnoonecoul
danswer
.

Imetaf
ri
endwhohel
pedmeal
ot.

Theycont
act
edt
hecust
omerwhohadnotpai
dthebi
l
l.

Hedoesnotl
i
ket
hepeopl
ewhosmoke.

Wemetamanwhocoul
dspeakmanyl
anguages.

Shel
ovesherhusband,
whonev
ert
ell
sal
i
e.

Subor
dinat
eorDependentCl
ause:

Subordinatecl
auseorDependencecl ausei
sthatcl
ausewhi
ch( asal
onepart
)cannot
expressacompl et
emeaning.I
talonecannotst
andasasentencebecausei
tdepends
ont heot herclause(i
ndependentcl
ause)togiveacompletemeaning.Itser
vesa
subordi
nat er
oleinthesent
ence.

Exampl
es:

Isawamanwhowascr
ying.

Thepr
ofessoraskedmanyquest
ions

butnoonecoul
danswer
.

Imetaf
ri
endwhohadhel
pedmeal
ot.

Theycont
act
edt
hecust
omerwhohadnotpai
dthebi
l
l.

Hedoesnotl
i
ket
hepeopl
ewhosmoke.

Wemetamanwhocoul
dspeakmanyl
anguages.

Shel
ovesherhusband,
whonev
ert
ell
sal
i
e.

DependentCl
auseshav
efur
thert
hreet
ypes:

1.NounCl
ause

2.Adj
ect
iveCl
ause

6
3.Adv
erbCl
ause

Tor
eadt
het
ypesofsubor
dinat
ecl
auses,
cli
ckon"
TypesofSubor
dinat
eCl
ause"

POPULARPOSTS
Ty
pesofSubor
dinat
eCl
ause

Rest
ri
cti
ve&Non-
rest
ri
cti
veCl
ause

Whati
saCl
ause

Phr
ase

Ty
pesofPhr
ase

Phr
aseandCl
ause-Di
ff
erence

Phr
asal
Ver
b

Pr
eposi
ti
onal
Ver
b

TENSE
Tensesplayacruci
alr
olei
ntheEngli
shlanguage.I
tdenotest
hetimeanacti
ontakespl
ace,
whethersometi
mei nt
hepast,
inthepresentorwil
ltakesometi
meinthefut
ure.

From agener
alv
iewoft
enses,
thi
smodul
ewi
l
lgoont
odi
scusseacht
ensei
ndet
ail
wit
h
examples.

PASTTENSE

i
.Si
mpl
ePastTense-

I
ndi
catesanacti
ont
ookpl
acebef
oret
hepr
esentmomentandt
hathasnor
eal
connect
ionwi
th
t
hepresentt
ime.

Forexample,
"Hedancedint
hefuncti
on.
"(Theact
iont
ookpl
acei
nthepast
,isf
ini
shedandi
s
complet
elyunrel
atedt
othepr
esent)

"
Hef
lewt
oLondony
est
erday
."

Not
e

a.t
hev
erb'
fl
ew'
isani
rr
egul
arv
erbwhi
chdoesnott
ake'
ed'
int
hepastt
ensel
i
ker
egul
arv
erbs.

b.t
hef
orm ofSi
mpl
ePastTensei
s-v
erb+ed

7
i
i
.PastPer
fectTense-

I
ndi
cat
esanact
ioni
nthepastt
hathadbeencompl
etedbef
oreanot
hert
imeorev
enti
nthepast
.

Forexampl
e,"
Hehadexer
cisedbef
orei
tst
art
edt
orai
n."

"
Hehadsl
eptbef
oreIcamebackf
rom t
hemar
ket
."

Not
e

a.Thef
orm ofPastPer
fectTensei
s-had+v
erb(
pastpar
ti
cipl
efor
m ort
he3r
dfor
m oft
hev
erb)

ReadMor
e:Under
standi
ngofAr
ti
cleswi
l
limpr
ovey
ourl
anguageski
l
ls

i
i
i.PastCont
inuousTense-

I
ndicatesanacti
ongoingonatsomet i
meint
hepastoranact
ioni
nthepastt
hati
slongeri
n
dur
ationthananotheract
ioni
nthepast.

Forexampl
e,"
Itwasget
ti
ngdar
ker
."

"
Thel
i
ghtwentoutwhi
l
ethey
wer
ereadi
ng.
"

Not
e

a.Thef
orm ofPastCont
inuousTensei
s-was/
wer
e+v
erb+i
ng

i
v.PastPer
fectCont
inuousTense-

Indi
catesanact
ioni
nthepastt
hattookpl
acebef
oreanot
hert
imeorev
enti
nthepastand
conti
nuedduri
ngthesecondev
ent/
timepoi
nti
nthepast.

Forexampl
e,"
Att
hatt
ime,
hehadbeenwr
it
inganov
elf
ort
womont
hs.
"

"
Hehadbeenexer
cisi
ngwhenIcal
l
ed.
"

Not
e

a.Thef
orm ofPastPer
fectCont
inuousTensei
s-had+been+v
erb+i
ng.

PRESENTTENSE

i
.Si
mpl
ePr
esentTense-

I
ndi
catesanacti
onthatisgener
all
ytrueorhabi
tual.Thati
s,i
ttookpl
acei
nthepast,cont
inue
t
otakeplacei
nthepresent,
andwillt
akeplacei
nt hefutur
e.Thist
ensei
susedtodenote

-
ahabi
tual
act
ion-f
ori
nst
ance,
"Hewal
ktoschool
.
"

-
gener
alt
rut
hs-f
ori
nst
ance,
"Thesunr
isesi
ntheeast
","
Honest
yist
hebestpol
i
cy.
"

8
-
afut
ureev
entt
hati
spar
tofaf
ixedt
imet
abl
e-f
ori
nst
ance,
"Themat
chst
art
sat9o'
clock.
"

Not
e

a.Thef
orm ofSi
mpl
ePr
esentTensei
s-v
erb(
inf
ini
ti
vewi
thout'
to'
andagr
eeabl
ewi
tht
he
subj
ect
)

i
i
.Pr
esentPer
fectTense-

I
ndi
catesanacti
onthathasbeencompletedsomet
imebef
oret
hepr
esentmoment
,wi
tha
r
esul
tthataf
fect
sthepresentsi
tuat
ion.

Forexampl
e,"
Hehasf
ini
shedt
hewor
k."

"
Hehassl
ept
."

Not
e

a.Thef
orm ofPr
esentPer
fectTensei
s-has/
hav
e+v
erb(
pastpar
ti
cipl
efor
m or3r
dfor
m oft
he
ver
b)

ReadMor
e:EasyReadi
ngCompr
ehensi
onPassages

i
i
i.Pr
esentCont
inuousTense-

I
ndi
cat
esanact
iont
hati
staki
ngpl
aceatt
hemomentofspeaki
ng.

Forexampl
e,"
Shei
swal
ki
ng.
"

"
Iam st
udy
ing.
"

Not
e

a.t
hef
orm ofPr
esentCont
inuousTensei
s-i
s/am/
are+v
erb+i
ng

i
v.Pr
esentPer
fectCont
inuousTense-

I
ndi
cat
esanact
iont
hatst
art
edi
nthepastandi
scont
inui
ngatt
hepr
esentt
ime.

Forexampl
e,"
Hehasbeensl
eepi
ngf
oranhour
."

Not
e

a.Thef
orm ofPr
esentPer
fectCont
inuousTensei
s-has/
hav
e+been+v
erb+i
ng

ReadMor
e:Whati
sFut
ureTense?
GetExampl
esandPr
act
iceExer
cise

FUTURETENSE

i
.Si
mpl
eFut
ureTense-

9
I
ndi
catesanactionthatwi
l
ltakepl
aceaf
tert
hepr
esentt
imeandt
hathasnor
eal
connect
ion
wi
ththepresentti
me.

Forexampl
e,"
Shewi
l
lvi
sitherai
l
inggr
andmot
hersoon.
"

"
Hewi
l
lwal
khome.
"

Not
e

a.t
hef
orm ofSi
mpl
eFut
ureTensei
s-wi
l
l/shal
l+v
erb

i
i
.Fut
urePer
fectTense-

I
ndi
cat
esanact
ioni
nthef
utur
ethatwi
l
lhav
ebeencompl
etedbef
oreanot
hert
imeorev
enti
n
t
hefut
ure.

Forexampl
e,"
Byt
het
imewear
ri
ve,
hewi
l
lhav
est
udi
ed.
"

Not
e

a.Thefor
m ofFut
urePer
fectTensei
s-wi
l
l/shal
lhav
e+v
erb(
pastpar
ti
cipl
efor
m or3r
dfor
m of
thever
b)

i
i
i.Fut
ureCont
inuousTense-

I
ndi
cat
esanact
ioni
nthef
utur
ethati
slongeri
ndur
ati
ont
hananot
heract
ioni
nthef
utur
e.

Forexampl
e,"
Hewi
l
lbewal
ki
ngwheni
tst
art
stor
ain.
"

Not
e

a.Thef
orm ofFut
ureCont
inuousTensei
s-wi
l
l/shal
lbe+v
erb+i
ng

i
v.Fut
urePer
fectCont
inuousTense-

I
ndicat
esanact
ioni
nthef
utur
ethatwi
l
lhav
ebeencont
inui
ngunt
ilanot
hert
imeorev
enti
nthe
f
uture.

Forexampl
e,"
Hewi
l
lhav
ebeenexer
cisi
nganhourat2:
00.
"

Not
e

a.Thef
orm ofFut
urePer
fectCont
inuousTensei
s-wi
l
l/shal
lhav
ebeen+v
erb+i
ng.

10
 Subj
ect
-Ver
bAgr
eement
Thesubj
ect-
ver
bagreementref
erstotherul
esofEngli
shgr
ammarf
orusi
ngcor
rect
ver
baccor
dingtosi
ngul
arorpl
ural
subj
ecti
nasentence.

Basicr
ule:Asingul
arv
erbi
susedforasi
ngul
arsubj
ectwher
easapl
uralv
erbi
sused
forapl
uralsubj
ecti
nasent
ence.

Exampl
es:

Dav
idhasshi
ft
edt
oanewhouse.

Dav
idandSar
ahav
eshi
ft
edt
oanewhouse.

Dav
id,
alongwi
thhi
swi
fe,
hasshi
ft
edt
oanewhome.

1.I
nthef
irstsent
ence,
singul
arhel
pingv
erb‘
has’
isusedbecauset
hesubj
ect‘
Dav
id’
is
si
ngul
ar.

2.I
nthesecondsent
ence,
thepl
uralhel
pingv
erb‘
hav
e’i
susedf
orpl
uralsubj
ect‘
Dav
id
andSar
a’.

3.Inthethir
dsent ence,thoughtherear et
wopersonsbuttheuseof‘
al
ongwi th’
separ
atesthesubject‘Dav
id’tobet reat
edassi
ngul
ar,t
hati
swhyasingul
arhel
ping
verb‘
has’i
susedforthesubject‘
David’

Ther
ulesofsubj
ect
-ver
bagr
eementar
easf
oll
ows:

Rul
e–1.I
fnounsorpr
onounsj
oinedbyand,
useapl
ural
ver
b.

JohnandDav
idar
egoi
ngt
oazoo.

Heandhi
sfr
iendhav
efi
nishedt
hewor
k.

Amal
eandaf
emal
ewer
esel
ect
edf
ort
hej
ob.

Rul
e-2.I
ftwoormor
esi
ngul
arnounsorpr
onounsar
ejoi
nedbyei
ther
/oror

nei
ther
/nor,
asi
ngul
arv
erbwi
l
lbeused.

Nei
therDav
idnorSar
aisi
nter
est
edi
nmusi
c.

Ei
therheorhi
sbr
otherhaswr
it
tent
hispoem.

Dav
id,
JohnorSar
ahast
oanswert
hequest
ion.

11
Rule-3.Ifsi
ngul
arandpluralnounsar
econnect
edbyorornor
,thev
erbwi
l
lbeused
accor
dingtothenounnear
esttoit.

Ei
thert
heboyort
hegi
rl
shav
ecl
eanedt
her
oom.

Ei
thert
hegi
rl
sort
heboyhascl
eanedt
her
oom.

Nei
therhenorhi
sfr
iendswer
eat
tendi
ngt
hecl
asses.

Nei
therhi
sfr
iendsnorhewasat
tendi
ngt
hecl
asses.

Rul
e-4.Ifasi
ngul
arnouni
sconnect
edt
oapl
uralnounbywor
d‘of’
,asi
ngul
arv
erbwi
l
l
beused.

Thel
i
stofgui
del
i
neswer
epr
epar
ed(
Wrong)

Thel
i
stofgui
del
i
neswaspr
epar
ed.(
Cor
rect
)

Agr
oupofst
udent
sar
etr
ainedf
ort
hecompet
it
ion.(
Wrong)

Agr
oupofst
udent
sist
rai
nedf
ort
hecompet
it
ion.(
Cor
rect
)

Rule-5.Somet i
mes,asingularnounisconnect
edt oothernounswi t
hwor dssuchas
togetherwi
th,aswellas,alongwith,i
naddit
ionto,besides,accompani
edby .Sucha
phraseisnottr
eatedaspartofthesubj
ect
.Asingularv
erbwi l
lbeusedinsuchcases.

John,
accompani
edbyhi
sfr
iends,
isgoi
ngt
oaci
nema.

He,
alongwi
thot
herst
udent
s,wasawar
dedapr
ize.

She,
aswel
lasherbr
other
,hasappl
i
edf
orav
isa.

Rul
e-6.Acollect
ivenounexpressesmoret hanoneper
sonbutitwil
lbetr
eat
edas
si
ngul
arandsi
ngul
arverbwi
llbeusedfori
t,suchascommit
tee,
team,
famil
yandsoon.

Ourt
eam i
spl
ayi
ngwel
l
.

Thecommi
tt
eehaspr
epar
edar
epor
t.

Hi
sfami
l
ywasconcer
nedabouthi
sst
udi
es.

Rul
e-7.I
nsent
encesst
art
ingwi
th

t
her
eorher
e,t
hev
erbwi
l
lbeusedaccor
dingt
othewor
dst
hatf
oll
owi
t.

Ther
ear
emanypeopl
eint
hemar
ket
.

12
Ther
eisahugenumberofpeopl
eint
hemar
ket
.

Her
ear
esomei
nst
ruct
ionsf
ort
heexam.

Her
eisal
i
stofi
nst
ruct
ionsf
ort
heexam.

Rul
e- 8.Thewor
dssuchasever
y,each,ei
ther
,neit
her,none,any,nobody
,noone,
somebodyandever
yonear
esi
ngular
.Hence,asingularver
bwi l
lbeusedf ort
hese
words.

Noneoft
hem wasr
eadyt
otakear
isk.

Ev
ery
onewasl
aughi
ng.

Eachoft
hesef
rui
tsi
sdel
i
cious.

Somebodyi
sknocki
ngatt
hedoor
.

13