10 basic sentences in

the English language

update 9/9/2012: For the purposes of our class, Quirk and
Greenbaum’s 5+2 scheme is simpler and easier to remember.
According to Martha Kolln (p 55), the following 10 sentence
patterns account for 95% of all sentences in English. NOTE: The
sentences below are the simplest form of each pattern; each has
just one independent clause.
3 “be” patterns
The students are upstairs.
The students are diligent.
The students are scholars.
2 linking verb patterns
The students seem diligent.
The students became scholars.
1 intransitive verb pattern
The students rested.
4 transitive verb patterns
The students studied their assignment.
The students gave the professor their homework.
The students consider the teacher intelligent.
The students consider the course a challenge.

What makes these sentences different is the predicate, not

the subject, and what makes the predicates different is the
grammatical function of its parts.
3 “be” patterns
The students are upstairs.
(Subject – Be-verb – Adverb)
The students are diligent.
(Subject – Be-verb – Adjective)
The students are scholars.
(Subject – Be-verb – Subject Complement)
2 linking verb patterns
The students seem diligent.
(Subject – Linking verb – Adjective)
The students became scholars.
(Subject – Linking verb – Subject Complement)
1 intransitive verb pattern
The students rested.
(Subject – Intransitive Verb)
4 transitive verb patterns
The students studied their assignment.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object)
The students gave the professor their homework.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object)
The students consider the teacher intelligent.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object – Adjective)
The students consider the course a challenge.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object – Object Complement)

4 transitive verb patterns in living color

The students studied their assignment.
(Subject – Transitive verb – Direct Object)
The students gave the professor their homework.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object)
The students consider the teacher intelligent.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect Object – Adjective)
The students consider the course a challenge.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object – Object Complement)

The last 4 sentences again:

The students (SUBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) || studied (VERB) their
assignment (DIRECT OBJECT = NOUN PHRASE).
The students (SUBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) || gave (VERB) the
professor (INDIRECT OBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) their homework
(DIRECT OBJECT = NOUN PHRASE).
The students (SUBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) || consider (VERB) the
teacher intelligent (ADJECTIVE).
The students (SUBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) || consider (VERB) the
course a challenge (SUBJECT COMPLEMENT = NOUN PHRASE).
Basic English
sentence
structure
All the parts of speech in English are used to
make sentences. All sentences include two
parts: the subject and the verb (this is also
known as the predicate). The subject is the
person or thing that does something or that is
described in the sentence. The verb is the
action the person or thing takes or the
description of the person or thing. If a
sentence doesn’t have a subject and a verb, it
is not a complete sentence (e.g., In the
sentence “Went to bed,” we don’t know who
went to bed). Here’s your quick introduction to
the basic English sentence structure.
Simple, compound, and complex sentence
structures

There are three types of sentences: simple, compound,

and complex. The type of sentence is determined by how
many clauses, or subject–verb groups, are included in the
sentence. A simple sentence structure has one independent
clause: “I rode my bike.” A compound sentence has at least
two independent clauses: “I got in my car, and I drove into
town.” In that sentence, both clauses can stand on their own
as complete sentences. A complex sentence includes an
independent clause and one or more dependent clauses: “I got
in my car and then went to town.” In that sentence, “I got in
my car” works as a complete sentence but “then went to town”
does not.

Most sentences in English are constructed using one of the

following five patterns:

1. Subject–Verb

2. Subject–Verb–Object

3. Subject–Verb–Adjective

4. Subject–Verb–Adverb

5. Subject–Verb–Noun

The subject is the person or thing taking an action or being

described in the sentence. The verb is the action the subject
takes.
Subject–Verb

This type of sentence begins with a core sentence such as

“Jane walks.” Here, “Jane” is the subject and “walks” is the
verb. Different parts of speech can be added to expand the
sentence.

You can add an adverb to make the sentence “Jane walks

quickly,” or you can add an expression of time to tell when she
walks, e.g., “Jane walks all morning.”

Subject–Verb–Object

These sentences begin with a core sentence such as “She is

playing a piano.” In this sentence, “She” is the subject, “is
playing” is the verb, and “a piano” is the object.

You can add elements to expand the sentence, such as an

adjective (e.g., “She is playing a small piano”) or an adverb
(e.g., “She is playing the piano beautifully”).

Subject–Verb–Adjective

This type of sentence begins with a core sentence like “He is

handsome.” Here, “he” is the subject, “is” is the verb, and
“handsome” is the adjective.
Like the other types of sentences, you can expand on the
sentence by adding other parts of speech, such as “He is very
handsome,” where “very” serves as an adverb.

Subject–Verb–Adverb

These sentences begin with a core sentence such as “The girl

walked away.” In this sentence, “the girl” is the subject,
“walked” is the verb, and “away” is the adverb.

You can add elements to this type of sentence, such as “The

girl slowly walked away,” where “slowly” is an adjective
describing how the girl walked.

Subject–Verb–Noun

Sentences of this type begin with a core sentence such as “The

professor is a woman.” Here, “the professor” is the subject,
“is” is the verb, and “a woman” is the noun. As with the other
sentence types, you can add words or phrases to expand on the
sentence. For example, you can add the adjective “intelligent”
and the adverbial phrase “at the university” to say “The
professor at the university is an intelligent woman” to describe
the professor more and tell where where she works.

Now that you know how to form sentences in English – based

on your new knowledge of the basic English sentence
structure, check out our article on Basic English
punctuation to learn how to properly punctuate them.

Bonus info: style guides for media are a great way to learn
about clear and consise writing – a good place to start is
the BBC News style guide.

Read more
The 4 English Sentence Types
(Do not confuse with the 4 types of sentence structure.)
There are four types of English sentence, classified by their purpose:
 declarative sentence (statement)
 interrogative sentence (question)
 imperative sentence (command)
 exclamative sentence (exclamation)

Sentence types are sometimes called clause types.

form function example sentence final

(clause) punctuation

1 declarative statement: It tells us John likes Mary.

something .

2 interrogative question: It asks us Does Mary like

something John? ?
 3 imperative command: It tells us to do Stop!
something Close the door. ! or .

4 exclamative exclamation: It expresses What a funny story

surprise he told us! !

(form = structure / function = job)

1. Declarative Sentence (statement)
Declarative sentences make a statement. They tell us something. They give
us information, and they normally end with a full-stop/period.
The usual word order for the declarative sentence is:
 subject + verb...
Declarative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive negative

I like coffee. I do not like coffee.

We watched TV last night. We did not watch TV last night.

Declarative sentences are the most common type of sentence.

2. Interrogative Sentence (question)
Interrogative sentences ask a question. They ask us something. They want
information, and they always end with a question mark.
The usual word order for the interrogative sentence is:
 (wh-word +) auxiliary + subject + verb...
Interrogative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive negative
 Do you like coffee? Don't you like coffee?

Why did you go? Why didn't you go?

3. Imperative Sentence (command)

Imperative sentences give a command. They tell us to do something, and
they end with a full-stop/period (.) or exclamation mark/point (!).
The usual word order for the imperative sentence is:
 base verb...
Note that there is usually no subject—because the subject is understood, it
is YOU.
Imperative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive negative

Stop! Do not stop!

Give her Don't give her coffee.

coffee.

4. Exclamative Sentence (exclamation)

Exclamative sentences express strong emotion/surprise—an exclamation—
and they always end with an exclamation mark/point (!).
The usual word order for the exclamative sentence is:
 What (+ adjective) + noun + subject + verb
 How (+ adjective/adverb) + subject + verb
Look at these examples:
 What a liar he is!
 What an exciting movie it was!
 How he lied!
  How exciting the movie was!

Note the form a

eclarative Sentence (statement)
You're gonna need a bigger boat.Martin Brody,
Jaws
Declarative sentences are the most common of the four sentence
types (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamative).
Declarative sentences make statements.

form function example

subject + make a statement John likes Mary.

verb...

What is the form of a declarative sentence?

The typical form (structure) of a declarative sentence is:

subject + verb
 Ram speaks Chinese.

The final punctuation is usually a full-stop/period (.).

Declarative sentences can be in positive or negative form, and in any tense.
What is the function of a declarative sentence?
The usual function (job) of a declarative sentence is to make a statement. It
tells us something or gives information (as opposed to a question which asks
us something or wants information).
Look at these examples:
 Snow is white.
 John was working all night.
 Very few people have actually met an alien.
How do we use a declarative sentence?
We use declarative sentences all the time. They are the most common of all
sentence types. The three sentences in this paragraph are declarative
sentences.
Look at these positive and negative examples:

positive negative

Two plus two makes four. Two plus two doesn't make five.

I like coffee. I do not like coffee.

We watched TV last night. We didn't watch TV last night.

People will go to Mars in the next People will never go to Mars.
decade.

They have been married for over They haven't lived together for over
thirty years. thirty years.
Imperative Sentence (command)
Get out.Terminator
Imperative sentences are one of the four sentence
types (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamative).
Imperative sentences give commands.

form function example

verb.. give a command Stop!

.

What is the form of an imperative sentence?

The typical form (structure) of an English imperative sentence uses the base
verb with no subject. In fact, many imperative sentences consist of nothing but
the verb. Look at these example structures:

verb
 Stop
!

...verb...

Pleas sit here.

e

The final punctuation is usually a full-stop/period (.) or an exclamation

mark/point (!).
Imperative sentences can be in positive or negative form, and can refer
to present or future time.
What is the function of an imperative sentence?
The usual function (job) of an imperative sentence is to give a command or
instruction. It tells us to do something.
Look at these examples:
 Help!
 Go now!
 Don't sit there.
How do we use an imperative sentence?
Although we use imperative sentences to give direct commands, we can also
use them to give instructions more politely than a straight command.
Instructions like this are quite common, for example in a user guide to explain
how to operate a machine. Imperatives can also be used with words like
"please" or "kindly" to add politeness.
Look at these positive and negative examples. You will notice that some of
them refer to present time, some to future time and some to both:
 example positive negative
context

army Shoot! Don't move!

user guide Remove the packaging. Open the Do not dispose of

blue box and connect the two wires. battery in the trash.

school Now wash your hands! Don't forget your

homework.

airplane Please remain seated until the Do not smoke in the

seatbelt sign is off. toilets.

hotel Kindly help yourself to fruit. Please don't

forget your
belongings.

friends Please be waiting when we arrive. Don't be late!

Imperative special cases

Imperative with subject
Normally when we use the imperative there is no subject because the subject
is obvious—it's YOU! Sometimes, however, to make the subject clear, we do
use a subject, for example:
 Everybody look!
 Relax, everybody.
 Nobody move!
  John sit down; the rest of you go home.
 Somebody answer the phone!
 You keep out of this!
We can also use you as the subject to imply anger, as in:
 You watch your mouth, young man!
 You be quiet!
 Don't you talk to me like that!
Unreal commands
We often express hope and make suggestions with the imperative form, but
these are not real commands:
 Have a good trip. (hope)
 Enjoy the meal. (hope)
 If there's no olive oil try almond oil. (suggestion)
Imperative with do
If we put do before the imperative the effect is to make requests, apologies
and complaints more emphatic but also more polite:
 Do take a seat. (request)
 Do forgive me. I didn't mean to offend you. (apology)
 Do try to keep the noise down, gentlemen. (complaint)
Imperative with always, never, ever
The words always, never, ever come before imperatives, as in:
 Always remember who's boss.
 Never speak to me like that again.
 Don't ever speak to me like that again.
Passive imperative
We sometimes make passive imperatives with get, for example:
 Get vaccinated before your holiday.
Imperative with and
We can sometimes use the imperative + and instead of an if-clause, for
example:
 Go now and I'll never speak to you again. (If you go now, I'll never
speak...)
Imperative with question tag
We sometimes use these question tags after imperatives: can you? can't you?
could you? will you? won't you? would you? Look at these examples:
 Lend me a dollar, can you?
 Help me with this, will you?
 Keep still, won't you?
Exclamative Sentence (exclamation)
Oh Granny, what big teeth you have!Little Red
Riding Hood
Exclamative sentences are one of the four sentence
types (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamative).
Exclamative sentences make exclamations. They express strong feelings or
opinion in one of two forms:

form function example

How! make an exclamation How silly I am.

What! What a great car you have!

Note that exclamation can ALSO mean any expression of strong

emotion including one-word interjections like ouch! hey! wow! Sentence
examples are:
 That hurts! (declarative—statement)
  Who the hell are you?! (interrogative—question)
 Don't be so stupid! (imperative—command)
But the above sentences are NOT "exclamative sentence types". They
are simply various sentence types made with emotion and given an
exclamation mark/point to show that emotion.
On the current page we consider only the real exclamative sentence,
which begins with What or How and usually ends with an exclamation mark,
for example:
 What a liar he is! (exclamative—exclamation)
 How he lies! (exclamative—exclamation)

What is the form of an exclamative sentence?

The typical form (structure) of an exclamative sentence is:

What

Wha a noise [noun] they

t made!

Wha a silly man [adjective + noun] he is!

t

How

How sad [adjective] it was!

How softly [adverb she spoke!

]
 How he [subject] lies!

The final punctuation is usually, but not necessarily, an exclamation

mark (!).
Exclamative sentences can be in any tense.
What is the function of an exclamative sentence?
The usual function (job) of an exclamative sentence is to help the speaker
express a strong (often extreme) opinion about a situation—an "exclamatory
statement" . It expresses our personal and magnified assessment of the
situation.
Look at these examples:

exclamative sentence The speaker believes:

What a mess you've You've made one hell of a

made! mess!

What a handsome man He is an extremely handsome

he is! man.

How disgusting it was! It was totally disgusting.

How do we use exclamative sentences?

Generally, we use exclamative sentences less than the other sentence types
(declarative, interrogative, imperative). Certainly, we use exclamative
sentences more in speaking than in writing. Look at these examples:
 What a mess you've made!
 What a handsome man he is!
 What an idiot I've been.
  How strange it was!
 How quickly he understands!
 Darling, how I love you.
Exclamative sentences with interjections
Sometimes we may reinforce an exclamative sentence with an interjection in
front of it (example: God, Oh, Wow). See these examples:
 Hey! What a brilliant idea that is!
 Oh, how I wish I were there now.
 Oh Granny, what big teeth you have!
 Wow! What a cool car you've got!
Elliptical exclamatives
Very often we "cut" exclamative sentences to make short versions of them,
usually without a verb. If they don't have a verb, technically they are not
sentences, but they are certainly common expressions in English.

short form long form (sentence)

What a brilliant idea! What a brilliant idea that is!

What a cool car! What a cool car you've got!

How lovely! How lovely those flowers are!

Interrogative Sentence (question)
Is it safe?Dr Szell, Marathon Man
Interrogative sentences are one of the four sentence types (declarative,
interrogative, imperative, exclamative).
Interrogative sentences ask questions.

form function example

auxiliary verb + subject + verb... ask a question Does Mary like John?

What is the form of an interrogative sentence?

The typical form (structure) of an interrogative sentence is:

auxiliary + subjec + main verb

verb t
 Do you speak English?

main + subject
verb BE

Were you cold?

If we use a WH- word it usually goes first:

WH- auxiliary verb + subject + main verb

word

When does the start?

movie

The final punctuation is always a question mark (?).

Interrogative sentences can be in positive or negative form, and in any
tense.
What is the function of an interrogative sentence?
The basic function (job) of an interrogative sentence is to ask a direct
question. It asks us something or requests information (as opposed to
a statement which tells us something or gives information). Interrogative
sentences require an answer. Look at these examples:
 Is snow white? (answer → Yes.)
 Why did John arrive late? (answer → Because the traffic was bad.)
 Have any people actually met an alien? (answer → I don't know.)
How do we use an interrogative sentence?
We use interrogative sentences frequently in spoken and written language.
They are one of the most common sentence types. Here are some extremely
common interrogative sentences:
 Is it cold outside?
 Are you feeling better?
 Was the film good?
 Did you like it?
 Does it taste good?
 What is your name?
 What's the time?
 Where is the toilet please?
 Where shall we go?
 How do you open this?
There are three basic question types and they are all interrogative sentences:
 Yes/No question: the answer is "yes or no", for example:
Do you want dinner? (No thank you.)
 Question-word (WH) question: the answer is "information", for example:
Where do you live? (In Paris.)
 Choice question: the answer is "in the question", for example:
Do you want tea or coffee? (Tea please.)
Look at some more positive and negative examples:

positive negative

Does two plus two make four? Doesn't two plus two make five?
Why does two plus two make Why doesn't two plus two make five?
four?

Do you like coffee? Do you not drink coffee?

How do you like your coffee? When do you not drink coffee?
 Did they watch TV or go out last Why didn't you do your homework?
night?

When will people go to Mars? Why won't they return from Mars?

How long have they been Haven't they lived together for over
married for? thirty years?

Indirect questions are not interrogative sentences

Try to recognize the difference between direct questions (in interrogative form)
and indirect questions (in declarative form).
Direct question: Do you like coffee? This is an interrogative sentence, with
the usual word order for direct questions: auxiliary verb + subject + main
verb...
Indirect question: She asked me if I was hungry. This is a declarative
sentence (and it contains an indirect question with no question mark). This
sentence has the usual word order for statements: subject + main verb...

Mini Quiz
1. You don't like her? The form is
declarative
interrogative
exclamative
2. The interrogative form is typically used to
 request information
give instructions
express surprise
3. Interrogative sentences can be in any
perfect continuous tense
continuous tense
tense
Your score is:
Correct answers:

Start Again
 Different Types of Sentences

Contents [hide]
 1 What are the types of sentences?
 2 What is a sentence?
 3 [A] 4 Types of Sentences based on Function
o 3.1 1. Declarative sentence
  3.1.1 Types of declarative sentences.
 3.1.1.1 Positive sentence
 3.1.1.2 Negative sentence
 3.1.1.3 Changing positive sentence to negative sentence:
 3.1.1.3.1 Changing positive sentence to negative sentence
with change in meaning
 3.1.1.3.2 Changing positive sentence to negative sentence
without change in meaning:
o 3.2 2. Interrogative sentence
 3.2.1 Types of Interrogative sentence
 3.2.1.1 Yes/No Interrogatives
 3.2.1.1.1 How to form Yes/No Interrogatives:
 3.2.1.2 Alternative Interrogatives
 3.2.1.2.1 How to form Alternative Interrogatives:
 3.2.1.3 Wh- Interrogatives
 3.2.1.4 Tag questions
o 3.3 3. Exclamatory sentence
 3.3.1 Exclamatory sentences expressing strong emotion
 3.3.2 Exclamatory sentences those begin with “What”:
 3.3.3 Exclamatory sentences those begin with “How”:
 3.3.4 Exclamatory sentences containing “such”:
 3.3.5 Exclamatory sentences containing “so”:
o 3.4 4. Imperative sentence
 4 [B] 4 Types of Sentences based on Structure
o 4.1 Information about clauses that you should know:
 4.1.1 Independent clause or main clause
 4.1.2 Dependent clause or subordinate clause
o 4.2 1. The simple sentence
o 4.3 2. The compound sentence
 4.3.1 How to form compound sentences?
 4.3.1.1 Forming Compound sentences using a coordinating
conjunction
 4.3.1.2 Forming Compound sentences using a correlative
conjunction
 4.3.1.3 Forming Compound sentences using semicolon
 4.3.1.4 Forming Compound sentences using conjunctive adverb
o 4.4 3. The complex sentence
o 4.5 4. The compound-complex sentence
 5 Some final thoughts

What are the types of sentences?

There are two classifications of the types of sentences:

[A] Types of sentences based on function (usually referred to as

just types of sentences “or” kinds of sentences)

[B] Types of sentences based on structure

Let us understand the four types of sentences under each of the

above two classifications of sentence types:

[A] What are the 4 the types of sentences based on function?

1. Declarative sentence (The statement)

2. Interrogative sentence (The question)
3. Exclamatory sentence (The exclamation)
4. Imperative sentence (The command)
[B] What are the 4 types of sentences based on structure?

1. Simple sentence
2. Compound sentence
3. Complex sentence
4. Compound-Complex sentence

What is a sentence?
Communication does not happen on its own
It takes a lot of learning and information to be able to communicate
with another human being. One piece of that work is to learn about the
different types of sentences the English language uses to make
communication clear and informative. Using the right sentence with
the right sentence structure is the key to great communication.

Before dealing with the types of sentences, let us examine a

sentence. A sentence is a set of grammatically arranged words that
conveys complete sense.

A sentence consists of a subject and predicate. A new sentence

begins with a capital letter and ends with an appropriate punctuation
mark.

In our daily life while speaking, reading, and writing, we come across
thousands of sentences. Based on their structure and the function
they perform; all these sentences can be classified to different
categories. In this article we are going to look at the different types of
English sentences.

[A] 4 Types of Sentences based on

Function
Based on function, there are four sentence types in the English
language. They are:

1. Declarative sentence (The statement)

2. Interrogative sentence (The question)
3. Exclamatory sentence (The exclamation)
4. Imperative sentence (The command)
Each sentence type has its own purpose and use. They do not cross
over or impose their way on the other sentence’s purpose
Importance of punctuation in types of sentences:

Before going into the details of the types of sentences, we should stop
for a minute to say about the importance of punctuation.

When you write the different sentence types, you should make sure to
use the right punctuation. A question mark goes with the interrogative
sentence, a period with the declarative sentence and an exclamation
mark with exclamatory sentence. The imperative sentence generally
uses a period, but when a strong feeling is to be expressed, it can use
an exclamation mark.

Now let us study the four types of sentence functions in detail, one by
one.

1. Declarative sentence
What is a declarative sentence?

A Declarative sentence is a type of sentence that expresses an

opinion or simply makes a statement. In other words, it makes a
declaration.

Examples:

 That car is old.

 I love honey on toast.
 The girl likes pancakes, but she doesn’t know how to make them.
The declarative sentence uses all tenses. They handle past, present,
and future very easily.

Examples:

 I went to the store yesterday.

  I am going to the shop now.
 I will go to the ball game tomorrow.

Types of declarative sentences.

Declarative sentences can be two types as indicated below:

 Positive sentence
 Negative sentence
P O SIT IVE SE NT E NCE

When the Declarative sentences have a positive meaning, they are

called positive sentences or affirmative sentences. A positive
sentence has no negative words.

Example:

 The girl is singing. (PS)

NE G AT IVE SE NT E NCE

A positive sentence or affirmative sentence says us that something is

so. A sentence that says that something is not so, is called a negative
sentence.

Example:

 The girl is not dancing (NS)

More Examples of positive (PS) and negative (NS) sentences:

 I lost my pencil box. (PS)

 I have no pencil now. (NS)
 You look dull. (PS)
 I have not taken bath today. (NS)
CH ANG ING P O SIT IVE SE NT ENCE TO NEGATIVE SENTENCE:
A positive sentence has no negative words. It can be made negative
using Auxiliary verbs and negative words such as not, none,
nobody, and isn’t.

Changing positive sentence to negative sentence with change in meaning

It is quite easy to change a positive sentence to negative with change

in meaning. You have just to add suitable negative words, such as
not, none, nobody, or isn’t, taking the help of proper auxiliary verbs.

Examples:

 I am going. (PS)
 I am not going (NS)
 She works in a school. (PS)
 She doesn’t work in a school. (NS)
 Someone came here yesterday. (PS)
 Nobody came here yesterday. (NS)
 They are going. (PS)
 They are not going. (NS)
Changing positive sentence to negative sentence without change in meaning:

Two methods are given below. We can use one of them suitable
to the context.

Method 1. Using antonyms

Examples:

The sugar bottle is empty. (PS)

 There is no sugar in the sugar bottle. (NS)
 This shirt is dirty. (PS)
 This shirt is not clean. (NS)
Method 2. Using degree of comparison

 He is taller than I. (PS)

  I am not as tall as he. (NS)
 Mary is more beautiful than Ann. (PS)
 Ann is not as beautiful as Mary. (NS)

2. Interrogative sentence
What is an interrogative sentence?

An interrogative sentence is a type of sentence that asks question. It

usually begins with who, what, where, when, why, how, or do and
ends with a question mark.

Examples:

 Where are you going?

 What is happening?
 What do you want me to do?
 Do you want me to write something for you?
 Are you going to school today?

Types of Interrogative sentence

There are four types of interrogative sentences. They are:

 Yes/No Interrogatives
 Alternative Interrogatives
 Wh- Interrogatives
 Tag Questions
YE S/ NO INT E RRO G AT IVE S

Questions which require a “yes” or “no” answer, are called Yes/No

Interrogatives.

Examples:
  Are you going home?
 Will you come with me?
The answer to each of the above question will be either a “yes” or “no”

How to form Yes/No Interrogatives:

Yes/No Interrogatives are formed with the help of auxiliary verbs. The
typical form of such question is:

Auxiliary verb (be, do or have) + subject + main verb or

modal verb + subject + main verb

The auxiliary verbs are inverted with the subject (subject – verb
inversion)

For example:

 Are you going to school?

 Will Jack come tomorrow?
 Have you finished your homework?
 Do you like folkdance?
When there is more than one auxiliary verb or model verb in the
sentence, only one auxiliary verb or model should be put before the
subject.

For example:

 Have you been working for the whole day? (Only “have” has been
put before the subject “you”)
AL T E RNAT IVE INT E RRO G ATIVES

Alternative Interrogatives are questions that give a choice among

two or more answers. Therefore, these questions are also
called choice questions.
For example:

 Do you prefer coffee or tea?

 Will you come with me now, or will you go with James
afterwards?
 Do you prefer to live in the village or the city?
 Will they buy an apartment or villa?
How to form Alternative Interrogatives:

Alternative Interrogatives are also formed with the help of auxiliary

verbs. The form of such a question is:

Auxiliary verb (be, do or have) + subject + main verb or

Modal verb + subject + main verb.

The auxiliary verbs are inverted with the subject (subject-verb

inversion)

In the alternative question to be formed, if the main verb is “be”,

additional auxiliary verb need not be used.

For example:

 Are those flowers roses or Begonias? (The main verb, “are” itself
is used to ask the question)
WH - INT E RRO G AT IVE S

Wh- Interrogatives are questions asked using one of the question

words, who, what, where, when, why, and how. Auxiliary verbs also
must be used in these types of questions.

For example:

 Where are you going?

  How are you doing?
 Why did you do that?
When you use the ‘wh’ and ‘how’ question words, the questions
demand full sentence answers.

For example:

Q. Where are you going?

Ans. I am going to the mall.

Q. How are you doing?

Ans. ‘I am doing great.’

Q. Why did you do that?

Ans: ‘Because I wanted to.’

Although in the above examples, the answers are given in single

sentences, depending upon the situation, the answer may require long
explanation.

T AG Q UE ST IO NS

Tag questions are questions formed by attaching question tags onto

the end of a declarative sentence. The tags are usually made using an
auxiliary verb inverted with subject. These question tags change the
declarative sentences to interrogative sentences.

Examples:

 You are from USA, aren’t you?

 She is watching a film in the T.V.at home, isn’t she?
 You will go to your hometown tomorrow, won’t you?
  She was a kind woman, wasn’t she?
 He is not attending the meeting, is he?
Sometimes a declarative sentence can be used as interrogative
sentence by putting a question mark at the end of the sentence. When
you ask questions like this orally, the last syllable of the sentence
should be given proper intonation to make the listener understand that
a question is being asked to him.

 The train has already left?

 Your son got the job he desired?
Indirect questions/Embedded questions

Indirect questions are questions embedded in a statement.

For example:

 I asked him where he was staying.

A question, “Where are you staying?”, is embedded in the given
statement. But it should be clearly understood that an interrogative
sentence always asks direct questions. Indirect questions/ embedded
questions do not come under the category of “Interrogative
sentences”.

3. Exclamatory sentence
What is an Exclamatory sentence?

An Exclamatory sentence is a type of sentence that expresses

strong emotion. In listening, it is not hard to identify an exclamation
sentence. The tone of the person’s voice will convey that information.
But in writing, to make an exclamatory sentence you need to use the
exclamation mark. Here are a few examples of exclamation
sentences:
  What a tasty pizza!
 How I wish to go now!
 We are the champions!
 What a cute baby!
There are different methods of expressing or writing exclamatory
sentences. We must choose one suitable for the occasion. Some
examples of the common categories are given hereunder:

Exclamatory sentences expressing strong emotion

 Many, many sweet returns of the day!

 Happy New Year!
 Happy Christmas!

Exclamatory sentences those begin with “What”:

 What a beautiful scenery!

 What a cute baby!
 What a nice behavior!

Exclamatory sentences those begin with “How”:

 How brightly it shines!

 How beautifully she sings!
 How neatly she has kept her house!

Exclamatory sentences containing “such”:

 She is such a kind lady!

 He is such a bright student!
 She is such a wonderful writer!

Exclamatory sentences containing “so”:

  She is so glamorous!
 He is so handsome!
 That gentleman is so generous!
It is to be remembered that exclamatory sentences express strong
emotion and should be used carefully. They are not to be used to write
reports or academic purposes.

4. Imperative sentence
What is an Imperative sentence?

An Imperative sentence is one of the types of sentences which is

used to issue a command, instruction, make a request, or offer advice.
Basically, they tell people what to do. These sentences also provide
direction to whoever is being addressed and therefore, they are
sometimes called directives too.

Imperative sentences usually end with a period but can occasionally

end with an exclamation point.

Given below, are some examples of imperative sentences which

illustrate their function.

 Get your hands up! (Command)

 Do your homework. (Instruction)
 Close the window. (Request or demand)
 Go to the bank and make that deposit. (instruction)
 Go to bed. (Demand)
 Please come with me for dinner. (Invitation)
While hearing the command sentence, it is the tone of voice by the
user that tells you what is meant, but in writing, it is the sentence
structure that helps. If the situation so demands, an imperative
sentence can use an exclamation mark instead of a period.
The imperative sentences typically begin with verbs that issue a
command. Normally the subject of an imperative sentence is implied.
The subject is the person to whom the command is directed towards.
To be specific, the subject is “you”. It is understood here. That makes
the imperative sentences second person sentences.

[B] 4 Types of Sentences based on

Structure
In English language, based on the structure, there are four types of
sentences. They are:

1. Simple sentence
2. Compound sentence
3. Complex sentence
4. Compound-Complex sentence

Information about clauses that you should know:

Before delving into the details of sentence structures, let us learn
some basic facts about clauses because all sentences consist of
clauses. Some sentences consist of only one clause (simple
sentence) whereas some sentences may contain several clauses
(complex, compound, or complex- compound sentences). A clause
should have a subject and predicate of its own and should express a
thought. There are two types of clauses, namely,

Independent clause or main clause

An Independent clause is a clause that has a subject and a predicate

of its own and makes good sense by itself. In other words, it can be
said that an Independent clause can stand by itself as a sentence.
Therefore, it is called an Independent clause. It is also called main
clause, principal clause, and co- ordinate clause.

Dependent clause or subordinate clause

A Dependent clause, also called a subordinate clause, is a clause

that is a part of a sentence. It cannot stand on its own and make
complete sense. It must depend on the main clause to have complete
sense. For this reason, it is called a dependent clause.

As a basic example, a sentence which shows an Independent

clause, and a Dependent clause is given hereunder.

 They went home when the night came.

In the above sentence,” They went home” is the independent clause
because it has got a subject (They) and a predicate (went home), and
it expresses a complete idea. It can stand as a sentence by itself. On
the other hand, the clause, ” when the night came.” cannot stand on
its own and make complete sense. It is dependent on the main
clause, “They went home”. So “when the night came“ is a dependent
clause.

Now let us study the sentence structures one by one.

1. The simple sentence

Simple sentences are one of the 4 types of sentences based on
structure. While it is the easiest sentence to create, it does have some
rules you must follow. Along with being one independent clause there
are aspects that need to be part of the sentence:

It must have a subject and a verb.

It must express a complete thought.

It can only have one clause.

That is simple and straightforward. Here are a few examples of a

simple sentence:

 I ran out of paper for the printer.

 The cake smells good.
 Can I have some milk to drink, please?
 She went to the store.
These are quite simple and quite easy sentences to create and use.

2. The compound sentence

Compound sentences contain at least two independent clauses that
have related ideas. These clauses are joined using a coordinating
conjunction, a correlative conjunction, semicolon, or a conjugative
adverb

Here are a few examples of compound sentences:

 The photographer wiggled his bells, and the baby smiled.

 I arrived late; however, the class had not begun.
 It was hot outside, but the ice cream did not melt.

How to form compound sentences?

We can combine two simple sentences only if they are related. You
cannot pick two completely different simple sentences, link them
together, and claim you have made a compound sentence. What you
made was an English mess. For example, let us take the two simple
sentences given below.

 I want to play chess. He will go to Delhi tomorrow.

The above two sentences have no relation to each other. Therefore,
they cannot be combined.

Now look at the following sentences

 I want to buy a scooter. I haven’t sufficient money.

Above sentences have relation with each other. They can be
combined to form a compound sentence as shown below:

 I want to buy a scooter, but I haven’t sufficient money.

Compound sentences can be formed using any one of the
following four methods as the situation demands.

 Using coordinating conjunction

 Using correlative conjunction
 Using semicolon
 Using conjugative adverb
F O RM ING CO M P O UND SE NTENCES USING A COORDINATING
CO NJUNCT IO N

We know that there are seven coordinating conjunctions in English

language, and they are: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So
(Acronym: FANBOYS).

When we join two independent clauses with a coordinate conjunction

to form a compound sentence, we must choose the most suitable one
for the context.

Punctuation rule: The coordinate conjunction must be preceded by a

comma.

Examples:

 I ran to class, but my friend walked.

 Ann went to her friend’s house, and her sister accompanied her.
  I went quickly, for I had to attend a meeting at 9.00 A.M.
If the independent sentences to be joined are short and closely related
either a comma or a coordinating conjunction are sufficient for joining
the same.

Example:

 Ann opened the door and Jill took the bag inside. (No comma)
 Ann opened the door, Jill took the bag inside. (Only comma)
F O RM ING CO M P O UND SE NTENCES USING A CORRELATIVE
CO NJUNCT IO N

We know that correlative conjunctions are paired conjunctions, that

are always used together. Some of the most common correlative
conjunctions are:

not only… but also

either…or

neither…nor

No sooner … than

We can join two independent clauses using a pair of correlative

conjunctions. But while choosing a correlative conjunction to form
a compound sentence, care must be taken to select the most suitable
conjunction capable of expressing the relationship between the two
independent clauses.

Punctuation rule: A comma must come before the conjunction that

introduces the second independent clause.

Examples:
  John is not only very handsome, but also is highly intelligent.
 You can either go with Jim in his car or go by bus afterwards.
 I neither know, nor wish to know about Jill’s whereabouts.
 No sooner had I reached the hall, than the meeting started.
F O RM ING CO M P O UND SE NTENCES USING SEMICOLON

If the two independent sentences to be joined are closely related, we

can join them only with a semicolon.

Examples:

 I wanted to play caroms; my friend wanted to play chess.

 Jill filled the bucket; Jack carried it.
 I brought the rope; father tied the knot.
F O RM ING CO M P O UND SE NTENCES USING CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB

We know that conjunctive adverbs are adverbs used as conjunction to

join two independent clauses. Thus, using conjunctive adverbs too, we
can form compound sentences. There are a lot of conjunctive adverbs
in English language. When we choose a conjunctive adverb to join two
independent clauses, care must be given to select one that is most
suited to the relationship of the two clauses.

Punctuation rule: A semicolon precedes conjunctive adverb and a

comma after it.

Examples:

 I was awake the whole night; therefore, I am feeling sleepy now.

 Jack misbehaved in the class; as a result, he got punishment
from his teacher.
 We have not received your reservation; therefore, our assumption
is that you will not be attending the meeting.

3. The complex sentence

The complex sentence is a sentence that consists of an independent
clause and one or more dependent clauses, introduced, and joined
with the linking word, called subordinating conjunctions. There are a
lot of subordinate conjunctions in English language. Some of the
commonly used subordinate conjunctions are: as, as if, before,
after, because, though, even though, while, when, whenever, if,
during, as soon as, as long as, since, until, unless, where, and
wherever

Some examples of complex sentences are as follows:

 As the bridge wasn’t properly maintained by the

government, it fell down.
 Whenever they eat at this restaurant, they order a hamburger
and fries.
 He’ll be able to maintain a healthy weight if he keeps exercising.
 As the world is getting warmer, polar bears are in danger of
becoming extinct.
In the above complex sentences, the dependent clauses are
highlighted. A subordinate conjunction introduces and links each of
the dependent clauses to the independent clause. The dependent
clause may be an adverb clause, a noun clause, or a relative clause.

Notice that the independent clause does not have to be the first clause
in the sentence. When the dependent clause is placed first, we
generally put a comma after it. But in case the independent clause
comes first no comma is usually needed.

Example:

 If he studies well, he will pass the test.

He will pass the test if he studies well.

4. The compound-complex sentence

To make a compound-complex sentence, you need at least two
independent clauses, a conjunction, and one or more dependent
clauses (subordinate clauses).

To make it simple, you are combining two sentence types together.

That is, a complex and compound sentence are combined to form
a compound-complex sentence. Some examples will help you:

 We did not win the game, but we were not unhappy because we,
the beginners, had faced the veterans confidently.
We did not win the game – Independent clause

we were not unhappy – Independent clause

but – Coordinating conjunction

(because we, the beginners, had faced the veterans confidently). –

Dependent clause

because – Subordinating conjunction

In the above example, there are two Independent clauses combined

with the coordinating conjunction” but”, and one dependent clause
connected to the independent clause with the subordinating
conjunction, “because”

 The flower girl was crying because she could not sell her flowers
till evening, but when the gentleman bought the entire flower
basket, she became happy.
The flower girl was crying – Independent clause

she became happy – Independent clause

(because she could not sell her flowers till evening) – Dependent
clause
(when the gentleman bought the entire flower basket) – Dependent
clause

but – Coordinating conjunction

when, because – Subordinating conjunctions

In the above example, there are two complex sentences (each

consisting of one independent clause and one dependent clause),
combined with the coordinating conjunction” but”. The dependent
clause of the first complex sentence is connected to the independent
clause with the subordinating conjunction,” because” and the second
complex sentence is connected to the independent clause with the
subordinating conjunction, “when”.

 She loved me for the dangers that I had faced to marry her, and I
loved her because she loved me.
She loved me for the dangers – Independent clause

I loved her – Independent clause

(that I had faced to marry her) – Dependent clause

because she loved me – Dependent clause

and – Coordinating conjunction

that, because – Subordinating conjunctions

Above example also has two complex sentences connected with the
coordinating conjunction, “and”.

As a compound-complex sentence is a combination of complex and

compound sentences, so all the rules relevant to both complex
sentences and compound sentences are to be observed while forming
compound-complex sentences too.

Some final thoughts

It just takes a little patience and dedication to learn everything there is
to know about the types of sentences.

As you use English more often, you will naturally transition to the
different sentence structures. Soon, you will be able to pick and
choose which sentence structure fits your communication purpose and
can use all of them at different times.

At first, you may feel that learning English grammar basics is

overwhelming because there are so many things to learn. But if you
break down the different aspects into manageable parts, you should
be able to pick up the language quite well.

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