An Introduction To English Sentences
An Introduction To English Sentences
An Introduction To English Sentences
English sentences are mostly quite simple. They are simple because the word order in
English is not very flexible. English uses four basic kinds of sentences:
simple sentences
compound sentences
complex sentences
compound-complex sentences
For today we will concentrate on simple sentences. We will think about the other types
of sentences later in the semester.
Every language has its own conventions for word order. The normal word order in an
English sentence is S + V + O (subject, verb, object) or S + V + C (subject, verb,
complement)
Subject
Students
Larry
The young woman
Verb
read
is telling
has to study
Subject
Children
Mary
He
Verb
are
is
seems
Object
text books.
a story.
mathematics.
Complement
energetic.
a doctor.
happy.
Here are some simple sentences. In each sentence identify the verb (V), the subject (S),
and the object (O).
you can add information to the basic sentence structure (but only in three
places)
Example
Yesterday the man bought a car.
In Vancouver, the man bought a car.
Relieved to have enough money, the man bought a car.
Happily, the man bought a car.
With a strange smile, the man bought a car.
Remembering his fathers advice, the man bought a car.
To show how rich he was, the man bought a car.
Because his new job was out of town, the man bought a car.
Example
The man, a new resident in Vancouver, bought a car.
The man, remembering his fathers advice, bought a car.
An adjective clause
Example
The man bought a car yesterday.
The man bought a car in Vancouver.
The man bought a car, relieved to have enough money.
The man bought a car happily.
The man bought a car with a strange smile.
The man bought a car remembering his fathers advice.
The man bought a car to show how rich he was.
The man bought a car because his new job was out of town.
Example
The young man bought a car.
The young, handsome man bought a car.
The man with the glasses bought a car.
The man standing by my friend bought a car.
The man, who seemed very poor, bought a car.
OR
The man (that) you met bought a car.
Example
The man quickly bought a car.
The man bought and raced a car.
Example
The man bought a fast car.
The man bought a fast, red car.
The man bought a car, a luxury model.
The man bought a car which ran on steam power.