The Sentence

The SentenceGrammar Boot Camp

What is a sentence?

Working in pairs, write a working definition of a sentence.

Now let’s look at what a serious dictionary has to say.

Dictionary Definition

Sentence- a grammatical unit of one or more words that

 expresses an independent statement , question, request, command, exclamation, etc., and that typically has a subject as well as a predicate, as in John is here.  or Is John here?  In print or writing, a sentence typically begins with a capital letter and ends with appropriate punctuation; in speech it displays recognizable, communicative intonation patterns and is often marked by preceding and following pauses.

Definition

Let’s try for something simpler.

A group of words expressing a complete statement, inquiry or command.

Which of these is a sentence?

1. The dog ran.2. The dog.3. Ran down the road.4. Last week, the dog.5. Sit!6. What is the time?7. Mr. Jones’s red fire engine.8. Anyone who has a heart.9. The answer, my friend.10. I hope you had the time of your life.

Subject + Predicate

Subject: What we are talking about Predicate: The action associated with the

subject This phrase contains the verb and other

information.

So which are sentences?

1. The dog ran. subject + predicate = sentence

2. The dog. Subject only = fragment

3. Ran down the road. Predicate only = fragment.

4. Last week, the dog. Subject only = fragment

5. Sit! Implied subject + predicate = sentence

So which are sentences?

6. What is the time? Subject + predicate = sentence

7. Mr Jones’s red fire engine. Subject only = fragment

8. Anyone who has a heart. Subject only = fragment

6. The answer, my friend. Two possible subject = fragment.

7. I hope you had the time of your life. Subject + predicate = sentence.

Fragments

Sometimes you will use fragments in your writing.

But they are not full sentences. Use them with care.

A fragment for emphasis

Example: I walked into the room and the dog was on the bed. The dog. The bed.

A fragment for partial thoughts

“I decided to go to the shop for...” he said, “I can’t remember what for.”

Four kinds of sentences

Simple sentences Compound sentences Complex sentences Compound-complex sentences

But first we need to understand about clauses.

Clauses

The building blocks of sentences. Independent clause

▪ Can stand alone as a complete sentence.▪ The dog raced down the road.▪ The tennis balls were smashed across the court.

Dependant clause▪ Only part of a sentence; it cannot stand alone.

▪ To follow the ball.▪ After colliding with the racquet.

Simple Sentence

One independent clause. Just one thought.

Indiana sat down on her bed. Can contain more than one subject or

object. Indiana and Emmylou slept on the floor and

the couch.

Your turn

Write two simple sentences.

Compound Sentence

A sentence that has two or more independent clauses. Usually joined by a conjunction.

▪ example:. unless, because, but, rather than. Conjunctions create a relationship. This is an excellent way to demonstrate the

connection between events and information.

Compound Sentences

Basic: Indiana smells nice.

Basic: Indiana just had a bath.

Compound: Indiana smells nice because she just had a bath.

Compound Sentences

Basic: Emmylou was frightened by the thunder.

Basic: Emmylou jumped into my lap. Compound: Emmylou jumped into my lap

because she was frightened by the thunder.

Compound and the Semi-Colon

You can also make a compound sentence using a semi colon.

This is useful when you don’t want to, or don’t need to, explain the connection between the ideas.

Example:. Emmylou jumped into my lap; she was frightened by the thunder.

Conjunctions

Let’s take a quick detour and look at some conjunctions.

Conjunctions

There are lots of words used as conjunctions but only a few simple types. Conditional Reason Choice Contrast Location Result Time

Conjunctions: Conditional

Shows a conditional link between clauses. Unless Provided that If Even if

Indiana will stay on the couch unless she hears the fridge door open.

Conjunctions: Reason

One clause is the reason for the other. Because As As If

Indiana sat on the floor because Emmylou was on the couch.

Conjunctions: Choice

Demonstrates choices or options. Rather than Than Whether Or

Indiana likes to sleep inside rather than sit outside.

Conjunctions: Contrast

Contrasts one clause with another. Rather than Than

Emmylou runs faster than Indiana.

Conjunctions: Location

Shows location connection. Where Whereas

Last week it was raining in Williamstown where I was riding my Zen bike.

Conjunctions: Result

One clause is a result of the other. In order that So So that That

I left out the book so that Emmylou could eat most of it.

Conjunctions: Time

Show a time connection between the clauses. While Once When Since Whenever After Before Until As Soon As.

Conjunctions: Time

Notice how the meaning is slightly different each time. Indiana barks while it is dark outside. Indiana barks once it is dark outside. Indiana barks when it is dark outside. Indiana has been barking since it became dark outside. Indiana barks whenever it is dark outside. Indiana barks after it is dark outside. Indiana barks before it is dark outside. Indiana barks until it is dark outside. Indiana barks as soon as it is dark outside.

Your turn

Write your own compound sentence with:a) a reason conjunction,b) a result conjunction,c) a conditional conjunction,d) a semi-colon in place of a conjunction,e) a contrast conjunction, andf) a time conjunction.

Time to get back to our sentences

Complex Sentence

A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependant clause.

Although Indiana is not very bright, she is a wonderful pet.

Although Indiana is not very bright (dependant clause), she is a wonderful pet (independent clause).

Complex Sentences

Identify the independent and dependent clauses in this complex sentences. Since I was starving, I went out for a drink and

a pizza. After seeing the movie, I decided that I would

not bother watching For Your Consideration again on DVD.

Although I was very tired, I could not sleep.

Your turn

Write two complex sentences.

Compound-Complex Sentence

A sentence that has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependant clause.

These are the most complicated sentences but perfectly simple really.

Identify the two independent clauses and the dependant clause in the following examples.

Compound-Complex Sentence

Indiana went to the shops although Emmylou, being terribly tired, stayed home to snooze.

I wanted to stay in bed but I decided, after a brief mental struggle, to get up and go to work.

We could study sentences for ever, it is tempting, or play at little, by this I mean just one, game of silent ball.

Quick Quiz

What type of sentence is each of these?a) Because it was raining, I went inside.b) I was playing video games and the rain

stopped.c) I looked outside, just to be sure, and saw that

the rain had started again.d) The rain fell down.

Quick Quiz

e) The rain fell some more and I moved onto a new video game.

f) It was great but...g) The roof fell in.h) The power shorted out because of all the

water, as you’d expect.i) So I went back to bed.

Time for some answers...

Quick Quiz - Answers

a) Because it was raining, I went inside. (complex)

b) I was playing video games and the rain stopped.

(compound)c) I looked outside, just to be sure, and saw that

the rain had started again. (compound-complex)

d) The rain fell down. (simple)

Quick Quiz - Answers

e) The rain fell some more and I moved onto a new video game.

▪ (compound)f) It was great but...

▪ (fragment)g) The roof fell in.

▪ (simple)h) The power shorted out because of all the water, as

you’d expect.▪ (compound-complex)

i) So I went back to bed. (fragment, dependant clause).

Now it’s your turn

Write.a) Four simple sentences.b) Three compound sentences.c) Two complex sentences.d) One compound-complex sentence.