Sentences
Types of Sentences
There are four types (kinds) of sentences;
 Declarative (statement): ends with a period.
That barn is rustic.
 Interrogative (question): ends with a question mark.
Where’s the mop?
 Imperative (command): ends with a period or exclamation
point.
Take this.
Sit down!
 Exclamatory (strong feeling): ends with an exclamation point.
This tastes terrible!
Phrase or Clause
Phrase: Does not contain a subject and verb.
down the street
living in Australia
Clause: Contains a subject and a verb
A. A dependent clause contains a subject and verb, but it does not
express a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot stand
alone as a sentence.
When Todd was little
B. An independent clause contains subject and verb and expresses a
complete thought. An independent clause can stand alone as a
sentence.
The air deodorizer is gone.
Sentence Patterns
Pattern 1
Pattern 2
Pattern 3
Noun(subject) + Action Verb(predicate)
Noun (subject) + Action Verb (predicate) + Noun (Direct Object)
Noun (subject) + Action Verb (predicate) + Noun (indirect object) + Noun
Pattern 4
Pattern 5
Noun (subject) + Linking Verb (predicate) + Predicate Adjective
Noun (subject) + Linking Verb (predicate) + Predicate Noun
(direct Object)
SIMPLE SENTENCE
A simple sentence is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.
Example:
S
V
Mrs. Turner teaches math.
A simple sentence may contain a compound subject.
Example:
S
S
V
Mrs. Mayweather and Mrs. High teach science.
A simple sentence may contain a compound verb.
Example: S
V
V
Mrs. Lloyd feeds and waters her horse every day.
A simple sentence may contain a compound subject and a compound
verb.
Example:
S
S
V
V
Mrs. Steele and Mrs. Layden arrive early and leave late.
COMPOUND SENTENCE
A compound sentence is made by joining two or more simple sentences
that are closely related.
A conjunction such as for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so may be used to join
the two sentences, and a comma MUST come BEFORE the conjunction.
Example:
S
V
S
V
Mr. Clark taught seventh grade for several years, but now he teaches eighth grade.
Two close related sentences can also be joined by a semicolon (;).
Example:
S
V
S
V
Mrs. Baker teaches AHMS students; she also teaches YMCA students.
COMPLEX SENTENCE
A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one
dependent clause.
The dependent clause may appear at the beginning of the sentence and
MUST contain a comma.
Example:
DC
IC
When summer started, many students left on vacation.
The dependent clause may appear at the end of the sentence and does
not use a comma.
Example:
IC
DC
Mr. Oliver loves to teach P. C. because he plays many sports.
The dependent clause may appear in the beginning of the sentence.
Example:
IC
DC
IC (continued)
Mr. Smith, who used to teach P.E., now runs the 5th - 6th grade center.
There may be more than one dependent clause in a complex sentence.
Example:
IC
DC
IC (continued)
The classrooms that are on the second floor are busy before and after
DC
school because they have computers.
COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE
A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent
clauses and at least one dependent clause.
The dependent clause may appear at the beginning, middle, or end of
the sentence.
Examples:
DC
IC
IC
After the bell rang, Mrs. Goldwood assigned homework, and the students
complained.
IC
DC
IC
Mrs. Wilhelm painted the picture before the class started, and Mrs. Anderson
watched her.
IC
IC
Mr. Schneider demonstrated a chemistry experiment, and the students
DC
laughed because the fire alarm sounded.
A compound-complex sentence may contain more than one dependent
clause.
Example:
DC
IC
IC
Before the bell rang, Mrs. Jones took roll, and the students giggled
DC
because she read the wrong list.
Fragments
Fragments:
A. A sentence may be missing a subject, which creates a fragment.
Example:
A skipping across the road.
B. A sentence may be missing a verb, which creates a fragment.
Example:
The owner of the blue bicycle.
C. Some fragments are missing both subject and verb.
Example:
Down the street.
D. An imperative sentence (command) is not a fragment. Some
commands may be only one word, but the subject is (You)
meaning “you is understood.”
Examples: Stop!
(You) Stop!
E. A sentence only contains the dependent clause of a complex
sentence, which creates a fragment.
Example: When I went to the store.
Run-ons
Run-ons
A. A run-on may consist of two independent clauses (sentences) run
together.
Example:
The grass is long we need to cut it.
B. A run-on may consist of two independent clauses joined by a
comma.
Example:
The grass is long, we need to cut it.
C. A run-on may consist of a group of sentences combined with too
many conjunctions.
Example:
The store owner unlocked the doors and he lifted
the shade and he welcomed the customers to the store.
D. A run-on may consist of a group of sentences combined with
commas.
Example:
Over summer vacation my friends traveled to
Denver, then they traveled to Oregon, last they traveled to
Montana.
Correcting Run-ons:
1. Use a period between the independent clauses (sentences).
Example:
The grass is long. We need to cut it.
2. Use a semicolon between the independent clauses (sentences).
Examples: The grass is long; we need to cut it.
Note: However, the two sentences must be closely related.
o WRONG: The grass is long; my favorite food is pizza.
3. Use a comma and a conjunction between the independent
clauses.
Examples: The grass is long, and we need to cut it.
4. Sometimes, the sentence can be changed.
Examples: We will cut the long grass.
Because the grass is long, we will cut it.