Introduction: Understanding what is sentence in English is essential for mastering grammar. A sentence in English is a group of words that expresses a complete thought, usually containing a subject and a predicate. It helps convey ideas clearly and effectively. In this post, we will discuss what a sentence in English, is its definition, types, and examples to help you improve your grammar and communication skills.
What is sentence in english?
A sentence is the largest unit of any language. In English, it begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, or a question mark, or an exclamation mark. A sentence is generally defined as a word or group of words expressing a thorough idea by giving a statement/order, asking a question, or exclaiming.
Ideally, a sentence requires at least one subject and one verb. Sometimes the subject of a sentence can be hidden, but the verb must be visible and present in the sentence.
The verb is called the heart of a sentence.
Then again, some examples of phrases are:
- Going for a shower
- the national flower of India
- on the shelf
- Tidy your study room immediately!
- What are you eating?
- The bakery opens at ten o’clock.
- John wrote a letter to his grandfather.
- What a beautiful picture!
- Shally loves English classes.
- Is this your pup?
More Examples
The tea is hot.
Subject: tea / Verb: is
The mouse squeaks.
Subject: mouse / Verb: squeaks
Subject and Predicate
Every complete sentence contains two parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject is what (or whom) the sentence is about, while the predicate tells something about the subject.
What is a Subject
The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that acts or is being described. It typically comes at the beginning of a sentence and tells us who or what the sentence is about.
- The cat sleeps on the chair.
- John enjoys playing soccer.
- The car needs a repair.
- She finished the assignment early.
- My friends are going to the concert.
- The book was on the table.
- We love Italian food.
- The magician is wearing a colorful hat.
- Dogs live in kennels.
The cat sleeps on the chair.
sleeps on the chair (predicate) the cat (subject).
John enjoys playing soccer.
enjoys playing soccer (predicate) John (subject).
Look at this simple example:
| sentence | ||
|---|---|---|
| subject | predicate | |
| verb | ||
| You | speak | English. |
The above example sentence is very short. Of course, a sentence can be longer and more complicated, but basically,
there is always a subject and a predicate. Look at this longer example:
| sentence | ||
|---|---|---|
| subject | predicate | |
| verb | ||
| Ram and Tara | speak | English when they are working. |
What is a Predicate
The predicate of a sentence explains what the subject does or describes something about the subject. It includes the verb and everything that follows, providing important information about the action or state of the subject.
- The dog barked loudly.
- My sister is studying for her exams.
- The sun sets in the west.
- The flowers are blooming beautifully.
- They played soccer after school.
- The teacher explained the lesson clearly.
- John went to the grocery store.
Subject VS Predicate |
|
| Subject | Predicate |
| Part of the sentence that tells what or whom the sentence is about | Part of the sentence that tells what the subject in the sentence is doing |
| The subject can only be an object i.e. noun or pronoun | The predicate will contain verbs to tell what the subject is doing. |
Types of Subject:
Examples:
|
Types of Predicate:
Examples:
|
How many kinds of sentences – (What is sentence in english)
Declarative Sentences
A declarative sentence is the most basic type of sentence. Its purpose is to relay information, and it is punctuated with a period.
Simple declarative sentences can make basic statements, such as:
- The boy walked home.
- I love honey.
- My mother is a nurse.
Declarative sentences can also be compound sentences, such as in these examples:
- He wants to eat cookies, but he doesn’t know how to make them.
- We plan to visit Florida, and we’re spending a day at Disneyworld.
- Jason doesn’t know how to ski, so he’s taking lessons.
Complex sentences can also be declarative:
- I ordered a latte when I got to the coffee shop.
- While cats are more independent, dogs love being around people.
- Steven found a new job because he enjoys working from home.
You Can see this topic: The past tense
what is Interrogative Sentence (question)
Interrogative sentences ask a question. They ask us something. They want information, and they always end with a question mark.
The usual word order for the interrogative sentence is:
- (wh-word +) auxiliary + subject + verb…
Interrogative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:
| positive | negative |
|---|---|
| Do you like coffee? | Don’t you like coffee? |
| Why did you go? | Why didn’t you go? |
what is Imperative Sentence (command)
Imperative sentences give a command. They tell us to do something, and they end with a full stop/period (.) or exclamation mark/point (!).
The usual word order for the imperative sentence is:
- base verb…
Note that there is usually no subject—because the subject is understood, it is YOU.
Imperative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:
| positive | negative |
|---|---|
| Stop! | Do not stop! |
| Give her coffee. | Don’t give her coffee. |
What is Exclamatory Sentence (exclamation)
Exclamative sentences express strong emotion/surprise—an exclamation—and they always end with an exclamation mark/point (!).
The usual word order for the exclamative sentence is:
- What (+ adjective) + noun + subject + verb
- How (+ adjective/adverb) + subject + verb
Look at these examples:
- What a liar he is!
- What an exciting movie it was!
- How he lied!
- How exciting the movie was!
Types of sentence structure ( What is sentence in English )
There are mainly 4 types of sentences. But the sentences can be divided into 7 types in total. We will discuss all types of sentences on this page.
- Simple sentence
- Compound sentence
- Complex sentence, and
- Compound-complex sentence.
what is Simple sentence
A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb, and it may also have an object and modifiers. However, it contains only one independent clause.
Key: Yellow, bold = subject; green underline = verb, blue, italics = object, pink, regular font =prepositional phrase
simple sentence example :
- She wrote.
- She completed her literature review.
- He organized his sources by theme.
- They studied APA rules for many hours.
More Example:
- I always wanted to become a writer. (One clause – one verb)
- The train was late.
“The train” = subject, “was” = verb - Mary and Samantha took the bus.
“Mary and Samantha” = compound subject, “took” = verb - I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station.
“I” = subject, “looked” = verb
what is compound Sentence
A compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses. These two independent clauses can be combined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction or with a semicolon.
Key: independent clause, bold; comma or semicolon, regular font; coordinating conjunction = underlined
compound sentence structure
what is a compound sentence example
- She completed her literature review, and she created her reference list.
- He organized his sources by theme; then, he updated his reference list.
- They studied APA rules for many hours, but they realized there was still much to learn.
Here are a few examples:
- I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station, but they arrived at the station before noon and left on the bus before I arrived.
- Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, and they left on the bus before I arrived.
- Mary and Samantha left on the bus before I arrived, so I did not see them at the bus station.
what is complex sentence
A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Dependent clauses can refer to the subject (who, which) the sequence/time (since, while), or the causal elements (because, if) of the independent clause.
If a sentence begins with a dependent clause, note the comma after this clause. If, on the other hand, the sentence begins with an independent clause, there is not a comma separating the two clauses.
Key: independent clause , bold; comma , regular font; dependent clause = italics
Dependent clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions. Below are some of the most common subordinating conjunctions:
- after
- although
- as
- because
- before
- even though
- if
- since
- though
- unless
- until
- when
- whenever
- whereas
- wherever
- while
What is sentence in english
A complex sentence joins an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses.
The dependent clauses can go first in the sentence, followed by the independent clause, as in the following:
- Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, I did not see them at the station.
- While he waited at the train station, Joe realized that the train was late.
- After they left on the bus, Mary and Samantha realized that Joe was waiting at the train station.
Conversely, the independent clauses can go first in the sentence, followed by the dependent clause, as in the following:
- I did not see them at the station because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon.
- Joe realized that the train was late while he waited at the train station.
example of complex sentences
- Although she completed her literature review, she still needed to work on her methods section.
- Note the comma in this sentence because it begins with a dependent clause.
- Because he organized his sources by theme, it was easier for his readers to follow.
- Note the comma in this sentence because it begins with a dependent clause.
- They studied APA rules for many hours as they were so interesting.
- Note that there is no comma in this sentence because it begins with an independent clause.
- Using some complex sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety.
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Compound Complex Sentence
Sentence types can also be combined. A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.
Key: independent clause , bold; comma or semicolon , regular font; coordinating conjunction = underlined; dependent clause = italics
- She completed her literature review, but she still needs to work on her methods section even though she finished her methods course last semester.
- Although he organized his sources by theme, he decided to arrange them chronologically, and he carefully followed the MEAL plan for organization.
- With pizza and soda at hand, they studied APA rules for many hours, and they decided that writing in APA made sense because it was clear, concise, and objective.
- Using some complex-compound sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety.
- Pay close attention to comma usage in complex-compound sentences so that the reader is easily able to follow the intended meaning.
Here are 5 examples of compound-complex sentences;
1. If the ozone layer collapses, the global community will suffer.
2. While I was cooking he was still playing games on the computer.
3. Although I miss him so much, I cannot go to him because I do not have money.
4. Although I worked hard, I got a very low grade on the exam and stayed in the classroom.
5. Don’t leave the restaurant until the dishes here are washed.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, understanding What is sentence in english is fundamental for effective communication and grammar mastery. A sentence forms the building block of language, helping to convey clear and complete thoughts. By learning its structure, types, and examples, you can create meaningful expressions and improve your writing and speaking skills. Whether you’re a student or a language enthusiast, mastering the basics of sentences lays a strong foundation for advanced grammar and communication proficiency. Keep practicing to enhance your skills!
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