Definition of a sentence
To understand sentence structure, it’s important that you know what is a sentence. A sentence in grammar is a set of semantically arranged words and conveys a complete thought. It is the basic grammatical unit. It essentially contains a subject and a predicate. The subject is a noun, pronoun, or a set of words that can function as a noun. A subject in a sentence performs the action/verb. The subject must contain at least a noun or a pronoun, and the predicate must contain a verb. Sometimes the subject or the predicate may be implied. A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation mark. A sentence must have at least one independent clause.
When a sentence contains one independent clause only and no dependent clause, it is called a simple sentence.
Examples of sentences
- Jill went up the hill.
- When I was going to the office, I met my friend on the way.
- Jill did all the work, but Jack played all the time.
Types of Sentences
There are different types of sentences. Types of sentences can be further classified into two categories:
- Types of sentences based on function.
- Types of sentences based on the structure.