COMMUNICATION SKILLS

WEEK 6

SENTENCES
 Definition

• A sentence is a group of words that has a

subject and a predicate and makes a complete
thought.
 Sentence
• Example:
Subject Predicate
• a. Amina beat the lady

• b. The man deceived the girl

• c. They will go home

 Types of Sentences

• Two main criteria can be used in classifying

sentences.
• a) structure

• b) function
 Sentence Type: Structure

• The presence of one or both of these two

types of clauses, and their relation to each
other, determines the types of sentence

• Therefore, based on structure sentences can

be classified by the number of clauses they
contain and how those clauses are joined.
 Sentence Type: Structure
• This method of classification results in four
types of sentences:
• i. Simple

• ii. Compound

• iii. Complex

• iv. Compound-complex
Structural Type of Sentence: Simple
• A simple sentence is composed of only one
independent clause. Simple does not
necessarily mean short.

• Although a simple sentence does not include

any dependent clauses, it may have several
embedded phrases, a compound subject, and
a compound predicate.
Structural Type of Sentence: Simple
• No matter how long a sentence is, as long as it
is made up of only one independent clause,
grammatically speaking, it is simple sentence.
 Structural Type of Sentence: Simple
Examples of Simple Sentences
• a. In spite of his disability, Ali visited all three
accident victims at the hospital near my house
during the long vacation.

• b. They came.

• c. The people cried aloud.

 Examples of Simple Sentences

• d. In the mean time, the architects brought us

a new model of the palace to the satisfaction
of everyone present at the meeting.
Structural type: Compound Sentences
• A compound sentence contains two or more
coordinated independent clauses but no
dependent clause.

The independent clauses may be joined by a

• a. a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but, yet,
so, for, nor)
• b. conjunctive adverb (however, therefore etc)
• c. a semicolon
Structural type: Compound Sentences
• Examples:
• a. Ali behaved badly, and his mother supported
him.

• b. She is pretty; however, her brother is ugly.

• c. His daughter is a doctor; his son is a nurse.

NB: All the examples are made up of two parts
which are both independent clauses.
Structural type: Compound Sentences

• The three important features about a

compound sentence are that:

• (a) the two clauses which combine to produce

the sentence should be independent.
Structural type: Compound Sentences
• Compound sentence (important features)
• (b) these independent clause can be linked together
through the use of the coordinators, conjunctive
adverbs or only a semicolon

• (c) When a coordinator is used, it is preceded by a

comma. The conjunctive adverb is preceded by a
semicolon and followed by a comma.
Structural type: Complex Sentences
• A complex sentence contains one
independent clause and one or more
dependent clauses.

• These clauses are linked to each other by

subordinators (that, since, when, if, because)
and relative pronouns (who, which,
whom,whose).
 Structural type: Complex Sentences
• A complex sentence contains one independent
clause and one or more dependent clauses.

• These clauses are linked to each other by

subordinators (that, since, when, if, because) and
relative pronouns (who, which, whom,whose)
 Structural type: Complex Sentences
• A sentence is complex:
• a. if there is one independent clause

• b. if there is at least one dependent clause which

begins with a subordinator or a relative pronoun

• c. if the dependent clause is functioning as either

a subject, or an object, or a complement or an
adjunct within the whole sentence.
Structural type: Compound-Complex
Sentences
• Compound-Complex Sentence
• A compound-complex sentence contains two
or more coordinated independent clauses and
at least one dependent clause.

• The independent clauses in this type of

sentence should be linked by the coordinators
and, but, or, etc.
 Structural type: Compound-Complex
Sentences
• a. They travelled to Tema.
• b. They toured the Bola Beach.
• c. before they went back to Britain

• Before they went to Britain, they went to Tema, and

they toured the Bola Beach.

• Will you give me the book, and teach me that topic

if I come tomorrow?
More examples of compound-complex
• He closed all the doors, but he could not sleep
because many people were shouting.

• As the teacher enters the class, the pupils will be

seated, or the prefect will be teaching them.

• She discovered a new world of international

finance; however, she worked hard investing other
people’s money since she had no time to invest any
of her own.
Structural type: Compound-Complex Sentence
• This type of sentence has features of both a
compound sentence and a compound-complex
sentence.

• All what is needed is to have the independent

clauses joined by the coordinators.

• Also, there should be, at least, one dependent

clause. Once these conditions are fulfilled, we have
a compound-complex sentence.
Sentence Type: Purpose/Function

• When you write a sentence, your purpose

helps you decide which sentence type to use.
 Sentence Type: Purpose/Function
1. Declarative
• If you want to provide information, you usually use
a declarative sentence. It usually ends with a full
stop.
• A declarative sentence is also known as a statement

• i. Thomas walked into the class.

• ii. You should drive carefully.
• iii. Charity begins at home
Sentence Type: Purpose/Function
2. Interrogative
• If you want to ask a question, you usually use
an interrogative sentence.
• It usually ends with a question mark.
• sentences are also known as questions.

• Are you going to the party?

• What has Francis done?
Sentence Type: Purpose/Function
3. Exclamatory
• An exclamatory sentence emphasizes a point
or expresses strong emotion/strong feelings

• It is usually has an initial phrase introduced by

what and how.

• It is a more forceful version of a declarative

sentence.
Sentence Type: Purpose/Function

3.Exclamatory
• Aren’t those girls beautiful!

• What a beautiful dress you are wearing!

• How gracefully she danced!

 Sentence Type: Purpose/Function
4. Imperative
• An imperative sentence is used to make a request
or give an order. An imperative sentence can be
called a command.
• It usually ends with a full stop.

• However, an imperative sentence could be

transformed into a question form in making a
request more polite.
 Sentence Type: Purpose/Function
4. Imperative
• An imperative sentence can also take an
exclamation mark if it has an emotive tone such as
anger.
• Sleep here.
• Stand up for the Rector.
• Could you close the door?
• Could you turn on the fan?
• Shut up!
• Sit down!
State the structural type of the following sentences:
Uncle Sam has eaten the mango.
While they slept, the baby crept out of bed.
Gladys seems rather funny today.
Each day, Comfort gets into her car and drives home
Just as we arrived, the crowd yelled their happiness as if we
were gods.
Do you like listening to the radio, or watching the television?
She ate my food, and drank Ama’s water after two days o
fasting
l
QUESTIONS?
 NEXT WEEK:
CAPITALISATION, PUNCTUATION AND
COMMON SENTENCE ERRORS
END OF LECTURE