INTRODUCTION
- Rohan: Have you done your homework?
- Rohit: Yes.
From the above discussion, we have come to know that a sentence may be single worded and multi-worded with verbs and without verbs. In spoken English single worded sentences and multi-worded sentences are often said. Multi-worded sentences may have verbs or may not have verbs.
But, in the written form of English, we tend to use full forms of sentences. Such sentences follow some structures and patterns.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE: SUBJECT AND PREDICATE
A sentence has two parts: subject and predicate. The part that tells the person or thing we are speaking about is called the subject. The part which tells something about the subject is called the predicate of the sentence.
Subject predicate
I write
They play cricket
His friends like to play cricket.
The boy always stands first in the exam.
In the above examples, ‘I’, ‘they’, ‘friends’, ‘boy’ are the main subject. They are called subject proper.
In general, the subject sits before the predicate. In some cases, to give emphasis on any specific part of a sentence, the whole or part of the predicate is used before the subject.
Money and fame have (p) I (s) none (p)
- Sweet are the uses of adversity. (Predicate Subject)
The subject remains hidden in an imperative sentence.
- Come in.
- Sit down.
Sometimes, in an assertive sentence, the subject remains hidden.
- Thank you. (Subject ‘I’ is hidden)
- Hope, you are well. (Subject ‘I’ is hidden)
In an interrogative sentence, a part of the predicate (verb or part of the verb) sits before the subject.
- Are you a student?
- Will you go to school?
In an optative sentence, a part of the predicate ‘may’ verb is used before the subject.
- May you live long.
KINDS OF SENTENCE
Section One:
Based on the meaning we have five types of sentences.
Meaning
ü
Assertive
ü
Interrogative
ü
Imperative
ü
Optative
ü
Exclamatory
1. Assertive
Sentence: this type of sentence makes an assertion or statement.
§
He plays football.
§
I am watering in the garden.
§
I am not sad.
2. Interrogative
Sentence: We use an interrogative sentence to ask a question.
§
Do you practice writing?
§
Does he not do his homework?
§
What have you done?
3. Imperative
sentence: this type of sentence expresses a command or an entreaty.
§
Do the sum.
§
Open the window.
§
Do not run in the sun.
4. Optative
Sentence: We use an optative sentence to express a wish or prayer.
§
May our president live long.
§
May he not be unhappy.
5. Exclamatory
sentence: to release sudden emotion or strong feeling, exclamatory
sentences are used.
§
Hurrah! We have made a good result.
§ Alas! His friend died.
So, we see that each type of
sentence has both positive and negative types.
A. Structure
of Assertive sentence
Affirmative:
An affirmative sentence is a kind of assertive sentence that affirms
something.
o
Subject + verb + extension: He goes to college.
He gave me a great gift.
Negative:
A negative sentence is also a kind of assertive sentence that denies
something.
o
Subject + Verb ‘to be + not + extension:
§
I am not unhappy. We are not lazy.
o
Subject + verb + ‘to have’ + not/no + extension:
§
I have no excuse. He has not done the job.
o
Subject + do not/does not/Did not + verb
(present form) + extension:
§
We do not like to tell lies. He does not do any
harm to us
o
They did not stop helping the poor.
o
Modal verbs (can, could, may, might,
should, would, shall, will), need, dare and semi-modal, am, is, are, was, were, or
defective verbs do not require do/does/did for negative sentence. We just need
to add not after them.
§
I may not finish my homework.
§
I can play football.
§
I shall visit Saint Martin soon.
B. Structure
of Interrogative Sentence
o
Do/Does/Did + Subject + verb + extension + (?):
§
Do you feel happy? Does he like to stay here?
Did he finish his homework?
o
Verb ‘to be’ / Verb ‘to have + Subject +
extension + (?):
§
Am I sad? Had he a pen?
o
Do/Does/Did + subject + Have + Extension + (?):
§
Do you have any problems? Do you have a car? Does
he have a pen? Did he have a book?
o
Wh (question word) + Auxilary verb + Subject +
Principal verb + Extension + (?):
§
When will you come? What is your brother’s name?
What has he done?
C. Structure
of Imperative Sentence
o
Subject (remains hidden) + Principal verb +
extension:
§
(You) Do your duty. (You) Open the window.
o
Do not + verb + extension:
§
Do not tell a lie. Do not make us bred.
o
Let (used to propose) + me/us/ him/her/them +
verb + Extension:
§
Let me do the work. Let us do it.
D. Structure
of Optative Sentence
o
May + verb + Subject + extension:
§
May you be happy in life. May God bless you.
E. Structure
of Exclamatory Sentence
o
How/what a/an + adjective/adverb + subject +
verb + (!):
§
How beautiful the scenery is! How big our
universe is!
o
Alas/ Hurrah/Fie etc. + Subject + verb +
extension/ Alas or Hurrah + assertive = exclamatory:
§
Hurrah! We have won the match. Alas! I am
undone. Fie! You are a liar.
Structural Sentence:
ü
Simple
ü
Complex
ü
Compound
SIMPLE SENTENCE
A simple sentence
consists of only one subject and one finite verb, expressed or understood. But
a simple sentence can have one or more than one non-finite verb.
Structure
1. Subject
+ finite verb
Rohan plays.
Rohit is
writing.
2. Present
participle + subject + finite verb
Going there, he
called in a doctor.
Working hard, he
obtained a good grade.
3. By
+ Gerund (verb + ing) + subject + Finite verb
§
By displaying good manners, he earned others’
respect.
§
By climbing the mountain, you can see everything
around you.
4. In
spite of / Despite of
Structure:
Principal clause + in spite of / Despite + possessive form of the subject of
the second clause + noun/being/ ing verb + adjective
He was hard
working. He did not succeed.
§
In spite of/despite of his working hard, he
did not succeed.
The plant is not
growing well. I take great care of it.
§
The plant is not growing well in spite of/despite of my taking great care of it.
5. Uses
of because of
Structure:
Principal Clause + because of + possessive form of the subject of the second
clause + noun/being/ ing verb + adverb
He made a good
result. He worked hard.
§
He made a good result because of his working hard.
Bolt won the 200-meter race. He could run fast.
§
Neela won the 100-meter race because of his
running fast.
6. In
case of + subject’s possessive form + verb with -ing (Adjective/Adverb) +
subject + verb
§
In the case of his being poor, he could not continue
his study.
§
In case of his being persevere, he will succeed
in life.
7. Subject
+ Finite verb + object ‘to be’ verb + Adjective
§
The teacher wanted everybody to be studious and
serious.
§
My parents want me to be a good human.
8. Subject
+ Rr. Verb + too + Adjective/Adverb (for + object) + to + verb + extension
(This structure
is used to combine two clauses. In this type of structure, we see adjectives or
adverbs at the end of the first clause. Due to the influence of such adjective
or adverb, the next clause expresses negative meaning.
He is very lazy.
He cannot succeed in life.
§
He is too lazy to succeed in life.
He is very weak.
He cannot walk
§
He is too weak to walk.
9. Uses
of enough
Enough is used
in two ways: with nouns and with adjectives.
With Noun:
subject + verb + enough + noun (to + verb)
He has enough
money. He can spend at his will.
§
He has enough money to spend at his will.
With Adjective:
Subject + verb + adjective + enough + (to + verb)
He is very
intelligent. He will shine in life.
§
He is intelligent enough to shine in life
COMPLEX SENTENCE
Complex Sentence consists of one principal clause and one or more
subordinate clauses. In a complex sentence, there is one subject and one finite verb
in each clause. For example:
Though he is
rich he is honest.
I know the place
where he was born.
Subordinate clause mostly starts
with subordinate conjunction such as since as, because, when, after, before,
until, till, relative pronoun, etc.
Structure
i.
Principal clause + Subordinate clause
a.
I know the man who is writing.
b.
There is a poet who is known to all.
c.
When I went to Khulna, I visited Sundarban.
d.
As he likes to work hard, he will receive divine
justice.
e.
I do not know when he will finish the work.
f.
Since you work hard, you will succeed.
g.
The boy who sits beside you is my student.
ii.
Usage of So…… that
So…….that is co-relative conjunction. We use this structure when the result of the second clause is
determined based on the first clause. Other parts remain unchanged.
Structure: Subject + verb + so + adjective + that + second
clause
a.
He is very poor. He cannot buy a mobile phone.
- He is so poor that he cannot buy a mobile phone.
b.
The bag was heavy. They could not carry it.
- The bag was so heavy that they could not carry it.
iii. Usage of so that
So that sits together. Like ‘so…….that’, so that is
also used when the result of the second clause is determined based on the first
clause. Other parts remain unchanged.
Structure: first clause + so that + subject + may/
might/ can / could + verb
a.
He is trying hard. He wants to achieve his goal.
He is trying hard so that he can / may / achieve his
goal.
b.
He worked eight hours. He wanted to finish his
thesis in six months.
He worked eight hours so that he could / might finish
his thesis in six months.
iv.
Usage of so/as…….as
So/as…as the structure is used to transform superlative or
comparative degree in a positive sentence.
Structure: subject + verb (not) + as/so + adjective +
as + noun/pronoun
Note: as….as structure is used in a positive statement,
but not so…..as or as…..as the structure is used in a negative statement
- Nasima is as intelligent as is Priyanka.
- Rohan is not as talented as is Rohit.
A complex sentence also consists of some other
co-relative conjunctions such as no sonar had…..than, hardly had……when/before,
scarcely had……when/before, not only…..but also, neither……nor, either……..or, as
soon as.
COMPOUND SENTENCE
A compound sentence consists of two or more
co-ordinate/principal clauses joined by coordinating conjunction. The most used
coordinating conjunctions are FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET. If you want to know
about coordinating conjunction, you may read my article on “CONJUNCTION”.
- He is a rich man and he is very honest.
- I met the boys and they were studying seriously.
Structure: Co-ordinate Clause + and/or/but +
Co-ordinate Clause
He is poor but he is rich at heart.
- (You) Work fast or you will not achieve your goal.
ARUP ROY,
LECTURER IN ENGLISH
LANGUAGE & LITERATURE,
KANCHKURA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF IELD
FORMER LECTURER OF STAMFORD COLLEGE
& DHAKA PUBLIC COLLEGE
WORKED AS A MEMBER SECRETARY
AT STAMFORD ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB UTTARA
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