Table of Contents
Introduction
This blog post explores sentence structure in English. We will discuss the fundamental components of sentences, the various types of clauses, sentence types, and common mistakes that often creep into our writing.
Let’s dive in!
What is a Sentence?
At its core, a sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought. It typically contains a subject and a predicate. The subject is who or what the sentence is about, and the predicate contains the action or state of being.
Example:
- The curious cat explored the mysterious garden.
- Subject: The subject is the curious cat. This is the entity the sentence is about.
- Predicate: The predicate is “explored the mysterious garden”. It contains the action or the state of being, describing what the subject (the cat) is doing.
Parts of a Sentence Structure
Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)
The main parts of a sentence are a subject, a verb, and an object. This structure is often referred to as SVO.
Here is an example:
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| John | ate | pizza |
Sometimes a sentence may contain two objects: a direct and an indirect object.
| Subject | Verb | Indirect Object | Direct Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| He | gave | her | a book |
Not all sentences have objects. Consider the following example:
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| They | Laughed |
NOTE:
Verbs that necessitate an object are categorized as transitive verbs (e.g., give, eat, etc). Conversely, those that do not require objects are termed intransitive verbs (e.g., laugh, run, etc).
In summary, a sentence comprises a subject, a verb, and an optional object, the inclusion of which depends on the transitivity or intransitivity of the verb.
Exceptional Sentence Structure (The Imperative)
There is a unique type of sentence that diverges from the typical structure we’ve discussed. Imperative sentences, which convey commands or requests, do not adhere to the conventional inclusion of both subject and object. Here is an illustrative example:
Example: Go!
In this instance, notice the absence of a specified subject or object. Imperative sentences, like the one above, directly express an action or command without explicitly naming who is performing it or what is being affected.
Before discussing the 4 types of sentences in English, let’s understand what a clause is.
4. Types of Clauses
What are clauses? Clauses are groups of words containing a subject and a predicate. Basically, there are two types of clauses:
- Independent Clauses: Can stand alone as complete sentences.
- Example: The sun is shining.
- Dependent Clauses: Cannot stand alone; they rely on independent clauses.
- Example: Because it was raining.
- This is a dependent clause. It requires an additional independent clause to convey a meaning as in “Because it was raining, they stayed indoors.”
- Example: Because it was raining.
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | Stands alone | She sings. |
| Dependent | Needs an independent clause for meaning | Because it’s raining (dependent), they stayed in (independent). |
4 Types of Sentences
There are 4 types of sentences: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.
Simple Sentences
Simple sentences consist of one main (or independent) clause.
- Example: The cat purrs.
Compound Sentences
Compound sentences contain at least two main (or independent) clauses, connected by coordinating conjunctions such as and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so.
- Example: She studied hard, but she didn’t pass.
Complex Sentences
Complex sentences have at least one main (or independent) clause and at least one dependent (or subordinate) clause.
- Example: Although it was raining, he went for a run.
Compound-Complex Sentences
Compound-complex sentences consist of at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
- Example: She likes to read, but her brother prefers watching TV when it’s raining.
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | One independent clause | He walks in the park. |
| Compound | Two independent clauses joined by a conjunction | She ran, and he walked. |
| Complex | One independent clause and one dependent clause | While I was sleeping, the phone rang. |
| Compound-Complex | At least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses | She danced, and he sang, while they laughed. |
Common Sentence Mistakes
Sentence structure mistakes to avoid in your writing:
- Fragments (Incomplete Sentences):
- Incomplete: After the storm.
- Complete: After the storm, we assessed the damage.
- Run-ons (Multiple sentences joined without proper punctuation):
- Run-on: I like coffee I also enjoy tea.
- Corrected: I like coffee, and I also enjoy tea.
- Choppy Sentences (Overuse of short, abrupt sentences):
- Choppy: She walked into the room. She saw the book. She picked it up.
- Improved: As she walked into the room, she noticed a book and picked it up.
- Parallel Structure Issues (Lack of consistency in sentence structure):
- Inconsistent: She enjoys hiking, swimming, and to ride bikes.
- Consistent: She enjoys hiking, swimming, and biking.
More on sentence structure here.
Conclusion
To summarize, a sentence is a fundamental unit of communication that typically consists of a subject, a verb, and often an object, encapsulating a complete thought. There are four main types of sentences: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. In your writing, it’s crucial to avoid common sentence structure mistakes such as fragments, run-ons, choppy sentences, and issues with parallel structure.