Download Kinds of Sentences

Grammar Notes: The Sentence
1
Sentence versus Sentence Fragment
A sentence is a word group that contains a subject and a verb, and expresses a complete thought.
Sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a period, question mark or exclamation point.
Example: The entire sixth grade class spent the day at Camp Thunderbird.
An independent clause can stand by itself; it is a word group that has a subject and a verb, and
expresses a complete thought. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.
Example: Students listened attentively to morning announcements.
A sentence fragment is a word group that looks like a sentence but either does not contain both a
subject and a verb, or does not express a complete thought.
Example 1: Visited my grandparents over Spring Break.
The subject is missing. Who visited the grandparents?
Example 2: Mr. Long and the Spirit Choir.
The verb is missing. What are Mr. Long and the Spirit Choir doing?
A subordinate clause—also called a dependent clause--has a subject and a verb but does not express a
complete thought and does not form a complete sentence. It will instead make a reader want
additional information to finish the thought.
Example 1: After Madison sneezed all over the tuna salad
Madison = subject; sneezed = verb. What happened? Did Madison throw it down the
garbage disposal or serve it on toast to her friends?
Example 2: Once David smashed the spider
David = subject; smashed = verb. What happened? Did David get in trouble? Did
David anger a nearby spider lover?
Remember this important point: A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence because it
does not provide a complete thought. The reader is left wondering, "So what happened?" A word
group that begins with a capital letter and ends with a period must contain at least one main clause.
Otherwise, you will have written a fragment, a major error.
Grammar Notes: The Sentence
2
Subject
 The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about; the subject may appear at the beginning,
middle or even the end of the sentence.
 The subject is the "do-er" or the "be-er" of the sentence.
 The simple subject is the main word(s) that tells whom or what the sentence is about with no
other descriptions.
Example: Many excited children enjoyed the first week of school.
 The complete subject is the word(s) that tells whom or what the sentence is about along with
other words that specifically describe the simple subject.
Example: Many excited children enjoyed the first week of school.
CLUE— If you are not sure what the subject of the sentence is you can ask this question: “Who or
what is doing or being described by the verb?” The word that answers that question is the subject.
 The simple subject is usually (not always) found at the start of a declarative sentence.
 The simple subject will not be part of a prepositional phrase.
Example: After reading the book, Clara took a nap. (Clara is the subject. Book is part of the
prepositional phrase “after reading the book” and is not the subject.)
 Frequently, in imperative sentences, the simple subject, "you," is implied—the understood you.
Example: Catch the ball! (“You” is understood to be the subject.)
If you are not sure what the subject is follow this process.
 find the verb – is it action/linking
 if it is an action verb, ask yourself: “Who or what” is doing the verb?
Example: After the race, Chris jogged around the block to cool down.
Who or what is jogging? Chris = subject
 if it is an linking verb, ask yourself: “Who or what” is the verb describing?
Example: After the race, Ryan looked exhausted at the finish line.
Who or what is looking exhausted? Ryan = subject
Grammar Notes: The Sentence
3
Predicate
 The predicate tells something about the subject. It usually tells what the subject is doing or how
the subject is.
 The predicate does the work of the "do-er" or the "be-er" of the sentence.
 The simple predicate (or verb) = the main verb + any helping verbs.
- The dog is chasing the little cat.
- John has been studying all day.
- Casey has never liked chocolate. (Don’t include adverbs in the verb phrase!)
 The simple predicate shows a physical or mental action (action verb) or it describes a state of
being (linking verb).
 When additional words help describe the simple predicate, this is known as a complete
predicate. So, the complete predicate consists of every word in the sentence except the
complete subject!
Examples of simple predicates:
1. Michael hurt his hand.
2. He thought of an idea.
3. She was a nice lady.

Examples of complete predicates:
1. An angry man tried to run me off the road.
2. The diver explored the wreckage of the sunken ship.
3. My sister cleaned the entire kitchen after dinner.
To find the simple predicate, ask yourself what is happening in the sentence? Look for the
action or a verb that is telling about the subject.

The simple predicate usually follows the subject in a declarative sentence.

The simple predicate often comes placed before the subject in an:
o Interrogative sentence, for example: Was it your mother's purse?
o Look out!, or in a phrase or clause at the beginning of a sentence to add special emphasis
(Even more interesting was the fact that she knew it would probably rain).
Learning how to identify subjects and predicates will help you understand sentences
and avoid sentence fragments and run-ons in their writing.
Grammar Notes: The Sentence
4
Kinds of Sentences

A declarative sentence makes a statement and ends with a period.

An imperative sentence gives a command or makes a request. Most imperative
sentences end with a period. A strong command ends with an exclamation point.

An interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark.

An exclamatory sentence shows excitement or expresses strong feelings and ends
with an exclamation point “!”.