SENTENCE

SENTENCE

Definition: 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.

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.

Example:

He is a good boy (statement), Is he a good boy? (Question), What a nice weather! (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. Verb is called the heart of a sentence.

Example:

Do it. (In this sentence, a subject ‘you’ is hidden but verb ‘do’ is visible)

“[A sentence is] a group of words, usually containing a verb, that expresses a thought in the form of a statement, question, instruction, or exclamation and starts with a capital letter when written.”

In other words, a complete English sentence must have three characteristics:

• First, in written form, a sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period (i.e., a full stop) [.], a note of interrogation (i.e., a question mark) [?], or a note of exclamation (i.e., an exclamation mark) [!].
• Second, it must express a complete thought, not fragmented.
• Third, it must contain at least one subject (hidden/visible) and one verb comprising an independent clause. (An independent clause contains an independent subject and verb and expresses a complete thought.)

A sentence is a word or group of words that must expresses a complete idea or sense or meaning and that may consists of a subject and a verb. A set of words that is complete in itself is called a sentence. A sentence is the basic unit of language which expresses a complete thought. It does this by following the grammatical rules of syntax. … A complete sentence has at least a subject and a main verb to state (declare) a complete thought. Short example: Walker walks.

Also it may have an object or a complement and the words must be order properly.

Example:

– We practice English every day. (Here we is subject, practice is verb, English is object and everyday is adverb)

PARTS OF A SENTENCE

Basically there are two parts of a sentence:

• Subject and
• Predicate

Subject: A subject of a sentence is a person or thing about which something is said or written.

Predicate: And the Predicate that says what the Subject does.

Subject	Predicate
The sky	Is blue.
I	Like blue sky.
Bangladesh	Is a beautiful country  .

In the above example ‘We’ is subject and ‘practice English everyday’ is Predicate. A sentence usually starts with a subject and then predicate comes.

N. B.: In some case like order, advice or request subject is not mentioned. It is user stood.
Example:
- (You) keep quite.
- (You) Take care of your health.
- (I) thank you.
And sometimes sentence starts with the predicate and then subject comes.
Example:
- Long live Bangladesh
- Down went the Titanic.

Kinds of Sentence:

Functionally, Sentences can be classified into five categories, according to their meaning or function.

They are:-

1. Assertive Sentence.
2. Interrogative Sentence.
3. Imperative Sentence.
4. Optative Sentence.
5. Exclamatory Sentence.

Assertive Sentence:

An assertive sentence is a simple/general statement or assertion, either affirmative or negative.

An assertive sentence (declarative sentence) simply expresses an opinion/feeling, or makes a statement, or describes things. In other words, it declares something. This type of sentence ends with a period (i.e., a full-stop).

Examples:

• I want to be a good cricketer. (a statement)
• I am very happy today. (a feeling)

Pattern:
Subject + verb + object/complement/adverb/adjective
Example:
-English is an International Language. (Affirmative)
-We do not do bad things. (Negative)
-Everybody should know English. (Modal auxiliaries)

Interrogative Sentence:

An interrogative sentence asks question about a person or thing(s). It always ends with a note of interrogation a.k.a. question mark (?).

An interrogative sentence asks a question. Interrogative sentences must end with a note of interrogation (i.e., question mark)

Examples:

• When are you going to submit your assignment?
• Do you know him?

There are two ways to form an interrogative sentence.

I. Beginning with helping verbs (am, is, are, was, were, have, has, had) or modal auxiliaries (shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, etc.).
Example:
- Do you have your assignment ready?
- Does he speak English?
- Did she work abroad?
- Should I go there?
- Can you hear the sound?
- Don’t you want any food? (Negative)

II. Beginning with some specific words like who, which, what, when, where, why, how, whom, how much, how many, etc. [These are known as ‘WH’ questions.]
Example:
- How is your business going on?
- Who fixed the computer?
- Whom do you support?
- What are you expecting from me?
- What time is it now?
- How many people have died there?

Imperative Sentence:

A sentence that expresses a request, command, order, advice, suggestion, etc. is an imperative sentence.
In an imperative sentence, the subject is usually unexpressed; it is understood rather.

We use an imperative sentence to make a request or to give a command. Imperative sentences usually end with a period (i.e., a full stop), but under certain circumstances, it can end with a note of exclamation (i.e., exclamation mark).

Examples:                    

• Please sit down.
• I need you to sit down now!

Pattern:
Subject (Invisible) + verb + object / where
Example:
- Take care of you.
- Give me the pen.
- Do it now.
- Be honest.
- Come here
- Never tell a lie
- Do not laugh at other's helplessness.
- Let him go there.

Caution: You must do your duty. (It is an assertive sentence, not an imperative sentence.)

Optative Sentence:

Wish, desire, prayer, etc. are expressed by the Optative sentence.

Pattern:
May + Assertive
Example:
- May you live long.
- May Allah bless you.
- Wish you all the best.
- Long live Bangladesh. (Can be formed without ‘May’)

Exclamatory Sentence:

Exclamatory is a sentence which expresses strong/sudden feeling or emotion like surprise, pain, delight, anger, disgust, etc.

An exclamatory sentence expresses overflow of emotions. These emotions can be of happiness, wonder, sorrow, anger, etc.

Examples:

• What a day it was!
• I cannot believe he would do that!

Pattern:
Alas/ Hurrah/ Bravo/ What/ How etc. + Others
Example:
- Hurrah! Our cricket team has won the series.
- Alas! He has failed the competition.
- Bravo! You have done a great job.
- What a talented girl she is!
- How sweetly the cuckoo sings!
- What a wonderful land Bangladesh is!
-Were I a Super Hero!
- What a pity!
- Fantastic!
- What an idea!
- Put that down now!
- Leave the package at the door.
- Walk softly, please.

STRUCTURE OF A SENTENCE:

Structurally, sentences are of four types.

According to structure, sentences are of four types.

I. Simple Sentence.

II. Complex Sentence.

III. Compound Sentence.

IV. Compound-complex sentence

                                         

I. SIMPLE SENTENCE:

Simple sentence is structured with only one subject and one finite verb.

Simple sentence has only one independent clause.

A simple sentence must have a single clause (a single verb) which is independent, and it cannot take another clause.

Example:

I always wanted to become a writer. (One clause – one verb)

Pattern:

Subject + finite verb + complement

Example: - Bangladesh is a populated country

- Life is not a bed of roses

- Human is the superior in this planet.

II. COMPLEX SENTENCE:

A sentence consisting of one principal clause and one or more sub-ordinate clause(s) is a complex sentence.

A complex sentence also has more than one clause but of one them must be an independent clause and the other/others must be (a) dependent clause(es). There are also some particular connectors for the clauses of a complex sentence to be connected.

Example:

I know that you always wanted to be a writer. (Here, a dependent clause is followed by a connector and an independent clause. The other way around is also possible.)

Example:

- If you work hard, you will shine in life. (Here, ‘if you work hard’ is sub-ordinate clause and ‘you will shine in life’ is main or principal clause.)

Sub-ordinate clause begins with conjunctions like who, which, that, when, how, where, while, if, whether, because, since, as, though, although, till, until, unless, before, after, so that, whenever, wherever, whoever, whatever, etc.

Example: - I know where he lives.

- I do not know what his name is.

- While there is life there is hope.

- We eat so that we can survive.

III. COMPOUND SENTENCE:

A sentence having more than one principal clause, linked by one or more coordinating conjunctions, preceded by a comma, is called compound sentence.

A compound sentence must have more than one independent clause with no dependent clauses. Some specific conjunctions, punctuation, or both are used to join together these clauses.

Example:

I always wanted to become a writer, and she wanted to become a doctor. (Two independent clauses – two verbs)

Conjunctions that are used in compound sentences are and, but, or, for, nor, also, however, moreover, thus, so, therefore, else, still, as well as, accordingly, otherwise, yet, not yet, but also, either or, neither nor, on the contrary, etc.

Example:

- Respect others, and others will respect you.

- He loves us, but he does not show it.

IV. COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE

A compound-complex sentence (or complex–compound sentence) is a mixture of the features of compound and complex sentences in one sentence. So, it must contain at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

Example:

I know that you always wanted to become a writer, but I always wanted to become a doctor. (Here, one dependent clause is followed by a complex connector and two independent clauses with a compound conjunction between them.)