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Types of Sentences

Basic English grammar website with articles on types of sentences, parts of speech, punctuation rules, gerunds, connectives, clauses, and phrases with examples.

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You are here: Home / Education / English Grammar / What is a Sentence? – Complete Thoughts in English

What is a Sentence? – Complete Thoughts in English

posted on October 6, 2025

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Every sentence needs specific elements to be complete and correct.

Three Essential Rules for Sentences

Every sentence MUST have:

  1. Start with a capital letter
  2. End with punctuation (. ? !)
  3. Express a complete thought

Complete Sentences – Examples

Correct sentences:

  • The dog barks.
  • I am happy.
  • She reads books.
  • They play football.

Each sentence above:

  • Begins with a capital letter ✓
  • Ends with a period ✓
  • Has a complete meaning ✓

Incomplete Sentences (Fragments)

These are NOT complete sentences because they lack essential elements:

  • The dog ✗ (What about the dog? Incomplete thought)
  • Reads books ✗ (Who reads? Missing subject)
  • To school ✗ (Who goes? What happens? Incomplete)

Basic Sentence Structure

The simplest sentence has two parts:

SUBJECT + VERB

Learn more about this in our subject and predicate guide.

Subject Verb
Birds fly.
Dogs bark.
I sleep.
She sings.

Adding More Information

You can make sentences longer by adding more details. See our simple sentences guide for patterns.

Pattern: Subject + Verb + More Information

  • The cat sleeps on the sofa.
  • I eat an apple.
  • She goes to school.

Types of Punctuation

Sentences can end with three different marks based on their purpose:

1. Period (.) – Statements

Used for facts or information:

  • The sky is blue.
  • I have a cat.

2. Question Mark (?) – Questions

Used when asking:

  • Where is the book?
  • Do you like pizza?

3. Exclamation Mark (!) – Strong Feelings

Used for emphasis or emotion:

  • How beautiful!
  • I won the game!

Learn about all types of sentences based on function.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Missing capital letter:
    • ✗ the dog barks.
    • ✓ The dog barks.
  2. Missing punctuation:
    • ✗ I like pizza
    • ✓ I like pizza.
  3. Incomplete thought:
    • ✗ Under the table
    • ✓ The cat is under the table.

Key Takeaways

  • A sentence = complete thought
  • Must start with capital letter
  • Must end with . ? or !
  • Needs subject + verb minimum
  • Can add more information

Next: Start learning the eight parts of speech, beginning with nouns.

Related Lessons:

  • Subject and Predicate
  • Making Simple Sentences
  • Four Types of Sentences
  • Punctuation Rules

Filed Under: English Grammar

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