A SENTECE

The sentence is generally defined as a word or a group of words that expresses a thorough

idea by giving a statement/order, or asking a question, or exclaiming.
A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question
mark or exclamation mark.
Usually, a sentence contains a subject and always contains a verb. It can also include a
predicate - what is said about the subject.

Subject Verb Predicate Predicate

This is a sentence.

PARTS OF A SENTENCE
Different from the labels of parts of speech, the parts of a sentence refer to the functions
words perform in sentences. A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea is labeled a
noun, a part of speech. As a part of a sentence, a noun can perform a variety of functions
and is labeled differently, according to the part it plays in the sentence.
1. Subject: The subject is a noun or pronoun and names who or what the sentence is
about. Often the subject is the performer of the action in the sentence.

For example:

Yolanda kicked the beach ball.

He swam in the lake.

Sometimes the noun is the subject of a linking verb, which tells the state of being.

For example:

The sand is hot and grainy.

2. Direct Object: The direct object, also a noun, receives the action of the verb. The
direct object follows an action verb.

For example:
The children shoveled the sand.
3. Indirect Object: The indirect object, in a sense, receives the direct object. It is the
person to whom or for whom an action is done or a thing is given. If you can put in
the word to or for mentally, then you have an indirect object. If the word to or for
actually appears, you have a prepositional phrase. The indirect object is always used
in conjunction with a direct object and is placed between the verb and the direct
object.

For example:

The mother gave the children the beach ball.

Children is an indirect object. We could mentally add to: The mother gave (to) the
children the beach ball. Ball, of course, is the direct object.

For example:

The mother gave the beach ball to the children.

Here, to the children appears as a prepositional phrase. Children also comes after
the direct object (ball). Therefore, Children is not an indirect object.

4. Subject Complements: There are two types of subject complements, noun

complements (also called predicate nominatives because they occur in the predicate,
or verb, part of the sentence) and adjective complements (which are also called
predicate adjectives).

The subject complement completes the meaning of the subject by renaming it or

modifying it after a linking verb.

For example:

Noun Complement (Predicate Nominative)

Ellen is a lifeguard.

Lifeguard renames Ellen and completes the meaning of the subject by telling us
that Ellen and the lifeguard are the same person.

For example:

Adjective Complement (Predicate Adjective)

Ellen’s hair is sunstreaked.

 Here, sunstreaked describes hair, which is the subject of the sentence. Sunstreaked
modifies hair.

5. Object of the Preposition: Every prepositional phrase begins with a preposition

and ends with a noun (or pronoun), which is known as the object of the preposition.

For example:

We are going to the beach.

In the prepositional phrase to the beach, beach is the object of the preposition to.

6. Predicate: The predicate is another name for the verb part of the sentence. It
consists of the verb and all of its modifiers.

For example:

The volleyball game will start at 4:00 p.m.

Sentence Kinds
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:
1. I'll meet you at the train station.
2. The sun rises in the East.
3. He doesn't get up early.

Imperative:
The imperative commands (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
1. Open the door.
2. Finish your homework.
3. 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
1. How long have you lived in France?
2. When does the bus leave?
3. Do you enjoy listening to classical music?

Exclamatory:
The exclamatory form emphasizes a statement (either declarative or imperative) with an
exclamation point (!).
Examples
1. Hurry up!
2. That sounds fantastic!
3. 3. I can't believe you said that!
Sentence Types
 Simple
 Compound
 Complex
 Compound - Complex
Simple Sentences:
Simple sentences contain no conjunction (i.e., and, but, or, etc.).
Examples
1. Frank ate his dinner quickly.
2. Peter and Sue visited the museum last Saturday.
3. 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.).
Examples
1. I wanted to come, but it was late.
2. The company had an excellent year, so they gave everyone a bonus.
3. 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
1. My daughter, who was late for class, arrived shortly after the bell rang.
2. That's the man who bought our house.
3. 3. 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
1. John, who briefly visited last month, won the prize, and he took a short vacation.
2. Jack forgot his friend's birthday, so he sent him a card when he finally remembered.
3. The report which Tom complied was presented to the board, but it was rejected
because it was too complex.