What Is a Sentence? Definition and Classification with Examples
Kinds of sentence / Types of sentence
What Is a Sentence? Definition and Classification
What Is a Sentence?
Definition of Sentence: A word or a group of words which makes a clear and complete meaning in a given context is called a sentence.
For example:
- Man is mortal.
- Who are you?
- Let us to go.
- Would that I were a king.
- What a beautiful bird it is! Etc.
Each of the above sentences expresses a complete sense of the mind. So, these are sentences.
Characteristics of sentences
A sentence should have three characteristics. Without these three characteristics, no sentence can be formed. They are:
- Complete sense of the sentence will be expressed.
- Words must be well organized.
- Words must be relevant.
1. Complete sense of the sentence will be expressed.
Example: See the following sentences…
We help.
She looks.
He wants.
The complete sense is not expressed by the above words. Because , after reading the words “who or whom help”, “how does he look?”, “What does he want?” etc. questions come to mind. Therefore, they cannot be called sentences.
But if we say..
We help the poor.
She looks pretty.
He wants some money.
Then the full meaning is revealed by the words. Now these can be called sentences.
2. Words must be well organized
For example: See the following sentences…
Help we poor the.
Looks she pretty.
Some wants he money.
The complete sense is not expressed by the above words. This is due to the randomness of the words. That is, here the words are not organized, and hence they are unable to express any clear meaning. So they cannot be called sentences.
But if we say,
We help the poor.
She looks pretty.
He wants some money.
Then the full meaning is revealed by the words. Now these can be called sentences.
3. Words must be relevant.
For example:
The horse is flying in the sky.
In the above sentence, the words are arranged in proper order, again conveying a meaning. But still it cannot be called sentence. Because, horses do not have the ability to fly in the sky.
But if we say,
The bird is flying in the sky.
Then the words acquires relevance, and is then called a sentence.
Elements of Sentence
A sentence has two parts.
- Subject.
- Predicate.
What Is A Subject? Definition and Examples
What is Subject?
Definition of Subject: The person or object about whom or which something is said is called the subject.
For example:
Andraw writes a letter.
The rains have set in.
He has a nice dress.
They are eager for fame.
Here, Andraw, The rains, He, They — these are subjects.
Note: In case of Imperative Sentence, the Subject is implied. For example: Sit down. (Subject = You)
What Is A Predicate? Definition and Examples
What is Predicate?
Definition of Predicate: The part which is said about the subject is called the predicate.
For example:
Andraw eats rice.
Here, ‘eats rice’ is Predicate.
Classification of Sentence
Types of sentence
There are four types of Sentence according to meaning.
- Declarative Sentence.
- Interrogative Sentence.
- Imperative Sentence.
- Exclamatory Sentence.
What Is A Declarative Sentence? Definition and Examples
What Is A Declarative Sentence?
Definition of Declarative Sentence: A sentence that makes a statement or an assertion is called Declarative Sentence.
For example:
Shirley is a teacher.
The earth will be in danger soon.
He has a nice dress.
They are playing in the field.
Formation of Assertive Sentence
Structure 1: Subject + ‘to be’ verb + extension.
For example:
Shirley is a teacher.
Andraw is a good boy.
They are classmates.
Note: ‘To be’ verb= am, is, are, was, were, being, been, be.
Structure 2: Subject + ‘to be’ verb + not + extension.
For example:
Shirley is not a teacher.
Andraw is not a good boy.
They are not classmates.
Structure 3 : Subject + ‘to have’ verb + extension.
For example:
He has a nice dress.
I have a Mobile.
He has many pens.
Note: To ‘Have’ verb have, has, had.
Structure 4: Subject + ‘action’ verb + extension.
For example:
The boy reads the novel.
They play Cricket.
Man lives in society.
Structure 5: Structure: Subject + auxiliary verb + principal verb + extension.
For example:
Mother cooking rice.
They are playing in the field.
It is raining now.
Structure 6: Subject + auxiliary verb + not + principal verb + extension.
For example:
The boys are not catching fish.
I am not riding a rickshaw now.
Structure 7: Subject + do not/does not/did not + verb + extension.
For example:
They did not know the way.
He does not like fishing.
Ananda did not have a dictionary.
What Is A Interrogative Sentence? Definition and Examples
What Is A Interrogative Sentence?
Definition of Interrogative Sentence: A sentence which asks question about a person or an object is called an Interrogative Sentence.
For example;
Can I see this book?
Have you got your new books?
Where are you come from?
Can I borrow your pen, please?
Formation of Interrogative sentence
Structure 1: “To be’ verb + sub + extension + (?)
Or, ‘To be’ verb + sub+not+ extension + (?)
For example;
Has he a nice pen?
Am I not your best friend?
Were they not happy there?
Structure 2: ‘To have’ verb + sub + extension + (?)
Or, ‘To have’ verb + sub + not + extension + (?)
For example;
Has he a car?
Have you a notebook?
Has sherly not a sister?
Structure 3: Modals + sub + principal verb + extension + (?)
Or, Modals + sub + not + principal verb + extension + (?)
For example;
Can I borrow your pen, please?
Shall I wait here?
Can I help you?
Structure 4: Do/Does/Did + sub + verb + extension + (?) Or, Do/Does/Did + sub + not + verb + extension + (?) Or, Don’t/Doesn’t/Didn’t + sub + verb + extension + (?)
For example;
Do you get up early in the morning?
Do you know the moral of the story?
Does she like orange?
Structure 5: Auxiliary verb + sub + principal verb + extension + (?)
Or, Auxiliary verb + sub + not + principal verb + extension + (?)
For example;
Was andraw writing a letter?
Were the boys playing in the garden?
Am I not reciting a poem?
Structure 6: Question word + auxiliary verb + sub + principal verb + extension + (?)
Or, Question word auxiliary verb + sub+not+principal verb + extension + (?)
For example;
Why did andraw not sleep well?
Where are you come from?
Where is the little stare school?
What Is A Imperative Sentence? Definition and Examples
What Is A Imperative Sentence?
Definition of Imperative Sentence: A sentence that expresses order, request, advice, prohibition, command, proposal etc. is called an Imperative Sentence.
For example;
Let me go home.
Help the poor.
Listen and say.
Do not waste your time.
Please, don’t insist.
Formation of Interrogative sentence
Rule 1: Subject of Imperative Sentence is Second person. Which is usually implied.
For example:
(You) Bring the book.
(You) Change the book.
(You) See the picture.
Rule 2: If the subject is first person or third person, it starts with let.
For example:
Let us to go.
Let him do his homework.
Let the children play there.
Rule 3: Please or kindly sit at the end or beginning of the sentence to mean request.
For example:
Please, give me a glass of water.
Please, lend me your book.
Leave me alone, please.
Rule 4: Will you, would you or could you are often used to express requests in questions.
For example:
Could you help me. please?
What Is A Exclamatory Sentence? Definition and Examples
What Is A Exclamatory Sentence?
Definition of Exclamatory Sentence: A sentence that expresses a sudden feeling or emotion of mind, joy, surprise, sorrow, wonder, happiness etc. is called an Exclamatory Sentence.
Note: Note of Exclamation (!) should always be used with Interjection.
For example:
Alas! How happy we were there!
What a beautiful bird it is!
What a lovely lake it is!
Formation of Exclamatory Sentence
Structure 1: (!) + subject + verb + extension.
For example:
Alas! How poor the boy is!
Alas! The sick man died.
Fie! You are a liar.
Structure 2: How + adjective + subject + verb + (!)
For example:
How charming the scenery is!
How beautiful the bird is!
How beautiful the rose is!
Structure 3: How + adverb + subject + verb + (!)
For example:
How fast the train runs!
How sweetly the bird sings!
Structure 4: What a (n) + adjective + noun/noun phrase + subject + verb + (!)
For example:
What a funny joke it was!
What a fool you are!
What a beautiful bird it is!
Kinds of sentence
There are three types of sentences according to structure.
1. Simple.
2. Complex.
3. Compound.
? Definition and Examples
What Is A Simple Sentence?
Definition of Simple Sentence: A simple sentence is a sentence that consists of only one subject and only one finite verb.
For example:
Andraw wants to go there.
I like to play football.
She sings well.
In the above sentence, Each sentence has only one subject and one verb. So, the sentences are simple sentence.
What Is A Complex Sentence? Definition and Examples
What Is A Complex Sentence?
Definition of Complex Sentence: A Complex sentence is a sentence that consists of a principal clause and one or more sub-ordinate clauses.
For example:
He knows what I think.
The above sentence is a Complex Sentence. Because the sentence has more than one clause. The sentence has two parts ‘He knows’ and ‘what I think.’
Here ‘He knows’ is the principal clause or main clause. On the other hand, ‘what I think’ is a sub-ordinate or dependent clause.
More example of complex sentence
Though he is poor. He is honest.
I know what his name is.
We eat so that we may live.
When it was raining, he woke up.
? Definition and Examples
What Is A compound sentence?
Definition of compound sentence: A Complex sentence is a sentence that consists of more than one principal clause connected by one or more co-ordinating conjunctions.
Example: He is poor but he leads an honest life.
In the above sentence two principal clauses (‘He is poor’ and ‘he leads an honest life’) are joined by a conjunction. Here ‘but’ is the co-ordinating conjunction which joins two independent clauses. So, it is a compound sentence
Some more examples of compound sentence-
Not only Shirley but also Ashley went there.
Either Harry or Nelson is honest.
He is poor but honest.
Study and you will succeed.
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