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| "A sentence is a unit of language charecterized in most languages by the presence of a finite verb" (wikipedia). Sentences are classified two ways: according to their structure (simple, compuond, complex, and compound-complex) and according to their purpose (declaritive, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory) (Hacker 463). The basic unit in writing is the sentence.
| | A sentence is the basic unit of writing and expression. It contains at least a subject and a predicate. It is syntactically independent and has a subject that is expressed or, as in imperative sentences, understood and a predicate that contains at least one finite verb. |
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| ===Structure===
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| *Simple sentence: A Simple sentence is one independent clause with no subordinate clauses ( Hacker 464). "I am not very good a writing essays."
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| *Compound sentence: A compound sentence is composed of two or more independent clauses with no subordinate clauses. The independent clauses are usually joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (''and'', ''but '', ''or'', ''not'', ''for'', ''so'', ''yet'') or with a semicolon (Hacker 464). "The girl ran fast, though her classmates were gaining on her."
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| *Complex sentence: A complex sentence is composed of one independent clause with one or more subordinate clauses (Hacker 464). "If the floor is wet,do not run."
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| *Compound-complex sentence:A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause (Hacker 464).
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| ===Purpose===
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| There are four major patterns that function in a sentence.
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| *Declaritive sentences make statements (Hacker 465)."The weather is nice today."
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| *Imperative sentences issue requests or commands (hacker 465). "Go to the store."
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| *Interrogative sentences ask questions (Hacker 465). "What time is it anyways?"
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| *Exclamatory sentences make exclamations (Hacker 465). "What a fun ride"!
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| ==How to make a sentence==
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| *A sentence should have a subject and a verb.
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| *The first word should always be a capital letter.
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| *Sentences must end with a period, question mark, or an exclamation point.
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| *Sentences must be a complete thought.
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| *A sentence can be either positive or negative in function.
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| | ==The Rules== |
| | To make a sentence: |
| | *There must be a subject. |
| | **The exception to this rule is a class of sentences called imperatives, in which the subject is usually implied (Faigley 369). |
| | **English is unlike several other languages in requiring a subject for sentences. In Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese, for example, speakers can say the equivalent of is raining without inserting a subject. But speakers of English must insert a dummy subject in such cases (it is raining) even though it refers to nothing (Faigley 370). |
| | **The subject is a person, place, or thing “that either performs an action or is described” (Glenn 292). |
| | *There must be a predicate. |
| | **The predicate expresses the action initiated by the subject or makes a comment about the subject (Glenn 292). |
| | *Always start with a capital letter and end with one of these punctuations: period, exclamation point, or question mark. |
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| ==Usage== | | ==Usage== |
| ===Subject and verb===
| | The four functions of sentences are demonstrated by the following: |
| The subject is what or whom the sentence is about. The verb tells what the subject of the sentence does. It tells the action. | |
| :To determine the subject of a sentence, first isolate the verb and then make a question by placing who? or what? before it. The answer is the subject(Peck).
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| :Sentences should have a predicate that says something about the verb. | |
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| ===Capital letter===
| | 1. An imperative sentence gives instructions. |
| A capital letter is placed at the begining of a sentence to show authority and to mark the begining. | | : ''Go make me a bowl of cereal.'' |
| :We are starting class at one. | | 2. A declarative sentence reports information or states facts. |
| | : ''We are out of cereal.'' |
| | 3. An interrogative sentence is a question and it elicits information or introduces topics. |
| | : ''Would you go to the store and get some cereal?'' |
| | 4. An exclamatory sentence portrays emotions. |
| | : ''The car is on fire!'' |
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| ===Punctuation===
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| *Periods are used to mark the end of a sentence expressing a statment (Darling).
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| :It is a nice day today.
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| *Question marks are used at the end of a direct question or to show that something is uncertain (Darling).
| | The four types of sentences are determined by the nature and number of clauses they contain. |
| :What time does the store close?
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| *Exclamation points are used after an exclamation of surprise, shock or dismay, which is generally a short sentence or phrase expressing very strong feeling (Darling).
| | 1. A simple sentence is one [[What is an indepentdent clause?|independent clause]] with no subordinate clauses (Hacker 464). |
| :The pool party was great! | | : ''The hamster rolls around in its toy ball.'' |
| :Boy! What a ride! | | 2. A compound sentence consists of two or more main clauses and no subordinate clause (Aaron 167). The independent clauses are usually joined with a comma and a [[What are “coordinating conjunctions”?|coordinating conjunction]] (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) or with a [[How do you use a semicolon?|semicolon]] (Hacker 464). |
| | : ''Yuki is a white dog, but Dixie is a black dog.'' |
| | 3. A complex sentence is composed of one independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses (Hacker 464). |
| | : ''When you stay up late, it is hard to stay awake all day.'' |
| | 4. A compound-complex sentence has the characteristics of both the compound sentence (two or more main clauses) and the complex sentence (at least one subordinate clause) (Aaron 168). |
| | : ''While the crickets chirped, one owl sat on a branch, and the other owl hunted.'' |
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| ===Complete thought===
| | ==Links== |
| A group of words must be capable of standing on its own to be considered a sentence.
| | *[http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/sentence.html UsingEnglish.com] |
| :She is going
| | *[http://www.geocities.com/gene_moutoux/diagrams.htm Diagramming Sentences] |
| :She is going to work at four.
| | *[http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/eduweb/grammar/course/sentence.htm Sentence Elements] |
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| ===Clauses===
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| Clauses come in two varieties. Noting the number and kinds of clauses can help identify a sentence.
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| : An independent clause contains a subject and a predicate, and can stand alone.
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| : A subordinate clause contains a sebject and predicate,but functions as an adjective, an adverb, or a noun; it cannot stand alone. (Hacker 464)
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| ===Links===
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| *[http://115170032534.webcitehome.co.uk/punctuation.html "How to use punctuation"] | |
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| *[http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammer/subjpred.html#subject "Subject and predicate"] | |
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| *[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=sentence_%28linguistics%29&oldid=608117917 "Sentence linguistics"] | |
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| ==Works Cited== | | ==Works Cited== |
| *Darling, Roger. "How to use punctuation." 22 Mar 2006. Online. 12 Jul 2006. | | *Glenn, Cheryl et al. ''The Writer’s Harbrace Handbook.'' 2nd ed. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth, 2005. |
| <http://115170032534.webcitehome.co.uk/punctuation.html>.
| | *Faigsley, Lester. ''The Brief Penguin Handbook.'' Pearson Education, Inc., 2003. |
| | | *Aaron, Jane E. ''The Little Brown Compact Handbook.'' 5th ed. Pearson Education, Inc., 2004. |
| *Peck, Frances. "Subject and Predicate." 1994. Online. 12 Jul 2006. | | *Hacker, Diana. ''A Writer’s Reference.'' 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003. |
| <http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammer/subjpred.html#subject>.
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| *Hacker, Diana. ''A Writer's Reference.'' 5th Ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2003. | |
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| *Wikipedia. "Sentence Linguistics." 27 Jun 2006. Online. 12 Jul 2006.
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| <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=sentence_%28linguistics%29&oldid=60811791>.
| | [[Composition FAQ]] |
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| *Faigley,Lester. "The Brief Penguin Handbook." University of Texas at Austin, 2005
| | [[Category:Composition]] |