Scribd
Upload
63 views36 pages

English Sentences

This document provides an overview of sentence structure in English. It defines key terms like subject, predicate, and sentence patterns. It describes the main sentence types - simple, compound, complex - and how sentences can be expanded by adding words, phrases, or clauses. The document emphasizes that every sentence must contain at least one independent clause and warns against sentence fragments. In under 3 sentences, it summarizes the essential information about sentence structure and types.

Uploaded by

KyNguyen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
63 views36 pages

English Sentences

This document provides an overview of sentence structure in English. It defines key terms like subject, predicate, and sentence patterns. It describes the main sentence types - simple, compound, complex - and how sentences can be expanded by adding words, phrases, or clauses. The document emphasizes that every sentence must contain at least one independent clause and warns against sentence fragments. In under 3 sentences, it summarizes the essential information about sentence structure and types.

Uploaded by

KyNguyen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 36

ENGLISH

SENTENCES
_________
Dr. Mohammed F. Raiyah
Sentence

Subject Predicate
A subject is something or someone that does
something:
Ahmad studied the lesson.
The girl is eating an apple.
The cat chased the rat.
Or
something or someone that the sentence
describes or renames:
Hasan is a good doctor.
Ali is a clever student.
This car is very expensive.
The predicate is the part of the sentence other
than the subject. It must contain a verb.

SUBJECT PREDICATE
A thief stole the car.
His brother is a teacher.
The rain has been falling steadily.
Ahmed will be coming soon.
The train left five minutes ago.
SENTENCE
PATTERNS
1. SUBJECT-VERB
(S V)
Someone or something (the subject S)
does something (the verb)

Ali slept.
We will be waiting.
The train has left.
The sun is disappearing.
The glass is broken.
2. SUBJECT-VERB-OBJECT
SVO
Someone or something (S) does something
(V) to someone or something else
(the direct object Od).
Ahmad ate an apple.
Ali studied the lesson.
A thief stole the car.
Dr. Hamid has finished her book.
She wrote a poem.
3. SUBJECT-VERB-OBJECTI -OBJECTD
S V OI Od

When the verb takes two objects, the first


object is called the indirect object (Oi) and
the second the direct object (Od).

Kamel gave his sister a gift.


My uncle sent me a letter.
The teacher asked him a question.
4. SUBJECT-VERB-COMPLEMENT
S-LV-C

In sentences that tell what someone or


something is or looks like.
(The complement describes or renames the subject)

Amr is my brother.
This is our professor.
These books look new.
The manager seems efficient.
My friend became a teacher.
This house looks old.
An object or a complement?

Mohamed is a doctor.

Ali visited the doctor.


5. SUBJECT-VERB-OBJECT-
OBJECT COMPLEMENT
SVOCO
A complement after the object describes or
renames it.

They painted the house white.


She named her cat Lucy.
Deena considered the book great.
They elected him president.
SUMMARY OF SENTENCE PATTERNS
1. SV
The train left.
2. SVO
Samir wrote a poem.
3. SVOO
She sent me a letter.
4. SVC
My uncle is a teacher.
5. SVOCO

He considered the book meaningless.


EXPANDING
SENTENCES
Sentences can be expanded to
give more information by one
of the following:

1. SINGLE WORDS
2. PHRASES.
3. COMBINING CLAUSES.
1. Adding single words:
The student answered the question.

The clever student answered the difficult


question.

The clever student answered the difficult


question quickly.

Yesterday, the clever student answered the


extremely difficult question very quickly.
2. Adding phrases:
A phrase is a group of words that
does not have a finite verb.
EXAMPLES OF PHRASES:
In the morning - the clever student - On the table
Before dinner - To me - Last week - To tell him
To study hard - Being a citizen - Arriving early
to tell the truth - Respecting your parents -
all of a sudden - without delay - for a while
once upon a time -
Expanding sentences by phrases:

My friend arrives.

My best friend arrives tomorrow.


(single words)

To my surprise, My best friend from Jeddah


arrives tomorrow at the airport at 7 o’clock.
(single words and phrases)
3. Combining clauses:
A clause is a group of words containing
a subject and a verb.
EXAMPLES OF CLAUSES
The bus arrived.
The teacher asked me a question.
This car is great.
She is working hard.

Because he succeeded . . . . . . .
When Ahmad saw me . . . . . . .
After they left the store . . . . . . . .
Since the computer is not working . . . . . .
INDEPENDENT CLAUSES:
CLAUSES They can stand alone
in sentences.
 The question is difficult.
 Sarah is drawing a picture.
 The teacher explained the lesson.

DEPENDENT CLAUSES (SUBORDINATE


CLAUSES):
CLAUSES They cannot stand alone in sentences
because they start with certain words called
subordinating words.
 When they told me . . . . . .
 Although she knows . . . . . .
 While he was doing her homework . . . . . . . . .
Some subordinating words

Although - After - Before


While - Whereas - Since
If - Unless - Which - That
Who - Whom - whose
Because - Until - When
Expanding sentences by dependent Clauses
My friend arrives tomorrow.
My friend who lives in Cairo arrives tomorrow.

The student answered the question.


The student who is sitting beside the window
answered the question.

The student who is sitting beside the window


answered the question that the teacher asked.

She succeeded.
She succeeded because she studied hard.
SENTENCE
TYPES
Four main sentence types:
1.SIMPLE SENTENCE
2.COMPOUND SENTENCE
3. COMPLEX SENTENCE
4. COMPOUND-COMPLEX
1. THE SIMPLE SENTENCE
ONLY ONE INDEPENDENT
CLAUSE
 Examples of simple sentences:
 The meeting started.
 Leila likes reading.
 Salwa ate her lunch.
 My uncle sent me a letter.
 His father is an accountant.
 The judge considered the case closed.
2. THE COMPOUND
SENTENCE
TWO OR MORE
INDEPENDENT CLAUSES
There are three ways to join
two independent clauses
to make a compound
sentence.
I. A coordinating conjunction and a comma:

Coordinating Conjunctions are seven:


And But Yet For Or Nor So (FAN BOYS)
Examples:
 Fatma borrowed a novel, and Salma took a history
book.

 Amin likes Greek food, but his sister prefers


Chineese food.

 Nasser likes English, so he joined the English


department.
II. A Semicolon, a conjunctive adverb,
and a comma:
Some Conjunctive adverbs
Therefore Furthermore Moreover Otherwise
However Nevertheless Meanwhile Besides
Consequently Still
Examples:
 Indian food is delicious; however, it is too spicy.

 He liked biology; therefore, he decided to join the


faculty of Medicine.
III. A semicolon

;
Examples
 All the typewriters were removed from the
office; computers were put in their place.
 The old villa was demolished; a hotel
replaced it.
3. THE COMPLEX SENTENCE
ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE
AND AT LEAST ONE
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
 Examples of complex sentences:
 He succeeded because he studied hard.
 I remembered her sister when I saw her.
 Although he tried very hard, he did not finish
in time.
 While Sara borrowed a science book, her
sister took a history book.
 Before he left for school, Samir put all his
books in his bag.
NOTE ON PUNCTUATION
If the sentence starts with the subordinate
clause, a comma is needed.
 Because he studied hard, he succeeded.
 When I met his father, I told him.

If the sentence starts with the independent


clause, the Comma is not needed.
 He succeeded because he studied hard.
 I told his father when I met him.
Summary of Sentence Types
 SIMPLE SENTENCE: 1 independent clause.
 He succeeded.
 Ali is clever.
 She has finished her homework.

 COMPOUND SENTENCE: At least 2 independent clauses.


 He succeeded, and his parents are happy.
 She works hard, but her sister always plays.
 Nasser is studying, and Ahmad is reading, but their sister is doing
nothing.

 COMPLEX SENTENCE: 1 independent clause + at least 1 subordinate


clause.
 Because he studied hard, he succeeded.
 She got the highest marks although she is not the best student.
REMEMBER!
ANY SENTENCE MUST
CONTAIN AT LEAST
ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.
AVOID
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
A SENTENCE FRAGMENT IS PART OF A SENTENCE
PUNCTUATED AS IF IT WERE A COMPLETE
SENTENCE

EXAMPLES
 Because he studied hard. (fragment: subordinate clause)
 While I was waiting. (fragment : subordinate clause)
 In the early morning. (fragment: Phrase)
 As in the past. (fragment: Phrase)

You might also like