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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).
| | A sentence is the basic unit of writing and expression. It contains at least a subject and a predicate and is grammatically complete and independent. |
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| ===Structure=== | | ==The Rules== |
| | | To make a sentence: |
| *Simple sentence: A Simple sentence is one independent clause with no subordinate clauses ( Hacker 464). | | *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). |
| *Compound sentence: A compuond 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). | | **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). |
| *Complex sentence: A complex sentence is composed of one independent clause with one or more subordinate clauses (Hacker 464).
| | *There must be a predicate. |
| | | *The predicate expresses the action initiated by the subject or makes a comment about the subject (Glenn 292). |
| *Compound-complex sentence:A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause (Hacker 464).
| | *Always start with a capital letter and end with one of these punctuations: period, exclamation point, or question mark. |
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| ===Purpose===
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| *Declaritive sentences make statments (Hacker 465). | |
| *Imperative sentences issue requests or commands (hacker 465).
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| *Interrogative sentences ask questions (Hacker 465). | |
| *Exclamatory sentences make exclamations (Hacker 465). | |
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| ==How to make a sentence==
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| *A sentence should have a subject and a verb. | |
| *The first word should always be a capital letter.
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| *Sentence must end with a period, question mark or an exclamation point.
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| *Sentence must be a complete thought.
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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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| ===Capital letter===
| | 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. | | A declarative sentence reports information or states facts. |
| | : We are out of cereal. |
| | An interrogative sentence is a question and it elicits information or introduces topics. |
| | : Would you go to the store and get some cereal? |
| | 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).
| | A simple sentence is one independent clause with no subordinate clauses (Hacker 464). |
| :The pool part was great! | | : The hamster rolls around in its toy ball. |
| | 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 coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) or with a semicolon (Hacker 464). |
| | : Yuki is a white dog, but Dixie is a black dog. |
| | 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. |
| | 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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| ==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>.
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| '''What is a sentence'''
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| The basic unit in writing is the sentence. Sentences should include a main verb,a subject,and a predicate which says something about the verb.
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| Many people think that a sentence simply begins with a capital
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| letter and ends in a question mark or period. This is not a fact. There are at least four major patterns that function in a sentence; declaratives,interrogatives,imperatives and exclamations. Declaratives being sentences that make statements. Interrogatives are questions. Imperatives usually demand some form of action. Exclamations express strong emotion. Typically the subject in a sentence announces what the sentence is about. The predicate conveys an action of the subject. A imperative usually implies what the subject is. A imperative is an exception to the rule. Sentences are clasified according to function.
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| A sentence can be either positive or negative in function. A single independent clause constitutes a sentence. Noting the number and kinds of clauses can identify a sentence. Understanding types of clauses helps you identify sentences. A simple sentence consists of a single independent clause such as "I am not very good at writing essays." Two independent clauses with no dependent clause represents a compound sentence. "The girl ran very fast. Her classmates were gaining on her as she ran. Oh boy." May be an example of a compound sentence. Complex sentences have one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. " She ran very fast down the lane. Give it to her." Is an complex sentence. Two independent clauses and one dependent clause along with one dependent clause represent a compound-complex sentence such as: The rain fell heavily most of today. The weatherman predicted partly cloudy mostly sunny today. He was wrong. It takes practice to learn good writing habits.
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