Types of Sentences

Types of Sentences

In English language, there are two classifications of sentences. The first one is based on the structure of sentences. It includes four types: the simple, the compound, the complex, and the compound- complex. The second one is based on the intended meaning. It includes: the declarative, the imperative, the interrogative, and the exclamatory one. I. The Simple Sentence:
A , ri mple sentencq consi sts of only one lndependcrrt (prtncrpalT cl"aLlse; th;rt 1s, one
subJec! aIld one predicate, flee gi-mple qentence may have as suDJec[ nore than one noun or pro- noun and as predicate more than one vgrb. It may also have adjectives, adverbs, and phrases
as Eoriifiers. Ttre form of the verb is deter- mined by the nature of the subject-whether it is slngular crr pluraI, or first, second, or
third. person. Ttrus we say tthe speakstt but tt they speakft; tr am[, "he istt, t w9/vou,/they/aret .
That is what we mean when we say that the verb must agree with j-ts subject
_ The following sentences have two main parts-subject and Predicate :
Subj ect
The boy
A11 the boys All the boys
Predt cate
was runni.ng. were running.
were runrring down the hi]l.
part of each sentence above func-
The first
tlons as the subJect; the second part func- tions as the predieate. ltost slnple sentences
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fo].low thi s pattern.
2. lYre Compound Sentence:
A conpound sentence conslsts of t;wo or more lndependent clauseg. Each clause contalns
a subJect and a predicate of 1ts own. Each part ls therefore a sentence whl,ch 1s yrarc of a larger sentence. Each clause makes tiood
sense by ltself, and nelther of them is; infer- 1or to,, or deper\dent on, the other. Ordlnarl- }y, a co-ordlnating conJunstlon (e.g. turd, but, or, for) jolns the til{o parts.
A co- ordinatlng conjunctlon ls a joinlng
word that jolns two clauses of equal ralue. Ihe followlng sentences flave two co-or(l1nate clauses- clauses of equal rank:
Subj ect Predl cate
the moon waa brlght and
@)
Ue
b)
could see our wily (naafns one stateme&t to another: the
clause which folrows 1s nkrat we mlght expect . )
tre sky daJpkened, but no rain f,?11 -ro -

(Expnessing contrast betseen two statements: nhat follows 1s not what re expect. )
c) He had to act imre di ately or he would have been too late.
( T vro statements of equal value to choose from: 1f one is true or Pos- sible the other is not.)
d) He felt tired and thirstY, for it was very hot.
bl
(Gives a reason whl ch ls added al- most as an afterthought. )
He fert ill so he went to bed
(Addinr omethlng whlch follows as a eonsequence of the prevlous part )
tlre pattern for tlre compound sentence is: subject + predicate + coniunction + subiect + predicate.
Although the cl"auses whlch are co-ordlnate
to each other are of equa] gra$matical value 1t does not always follow that we can lntercbang;e them. fhe order in whlch they occur 1s usually
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lnportant. For example, 1f lre ooBbine the
two s1.mple sentences: nlhe student asked a questlon.r n the teacher answered it.tr To nake a compound sentence we must make Ithe student asked a questionr? the flrst cLause because that is the event that occurre(t first. Ttre coqrpound sentence w-ill- be ttThe stu(Lent asked a question and the .teacher answe::ed
it[. Sometlmes, however, the order is not important. For example, if we want to comblne the sentences: ttlily brother tives 1n Mol;u1rt. rrMy sister lives ln Klrkuk[. We can sa]r
either -
Ivly brother lives in I {osul and my sister 11ves ln Kirkuk.
or
My slster l1ves 1n Klrkuk .and ry brother lives in Mosul.
In thls case the meaning of the sentenr:e does not depend on the order of the clauses,
). Tbe Complex Sentenee :
A complex sentence consists of ont: 1n- dependent aIrd one or more secondary irl<:as. Dependent clauses are used as nouns,,atr adject-
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1ves, and as adverbs.
(al Itre teacher said Lhat the answer was correct.
ttre lndependent clause is ftre teacher
sald. t The subject 1s tt Tkre teacher t, a"nd the predicate is trsaid.il ftre dependent clause answers a question about the in- dependent clause. the teacher sald - What? ftle -dependent elause \frat tne answer was
correctrrtells us what the teacher said. It i,s e no\ljl clause.
(b) ftfs 1s the boJ yrho brought the papers.
ltre mai4 clause ls ttfhls is bhe boyrr. The subordlnate clause ttwho brought the papersrr
defines the boy - tells us whlch boy. It is an adJective clause.
(c) He rErn as fast as he cou1d.
fhe maln elause ls ttHe ran . tt Ttre subordin- ate clause rras fast as he eou1dtr tells us ho:{ he ran. It is an adverb cfause.
4. ttre Compound- compler Sentence:
A conpound- conplex sentence contalns two