BAB 2

WRITING SKILL

A. English Sentence Construction

1. Definition of a sentence
A sentence is a word or a group of words conveying a completed though and, normally,
containing a subject and a predicate. (Brewton, 1962:191)
If the subject or the predicate or some other essential part is unstated, the missing part
must be clearly understood if the unit is to qualify as a sentence. Sentences with missing parts are
called elliptical sentences.
An elliptical sentence is one in which the complete thought is implied but not stated. This
kind of sentence is common in conversation and prose which transcribes conversation.
Example:
“Tell me who won”
“Jim”
“By how many votes?”
“Just two.”
“Wow, pretty close!”
Referring to the definition of a sentence, the basic pattern of a sentence is then:
Subject + Predicate
The subject must be a noun/ pronoun, while the predicate must be a verb. So, a sentence
consists of a noun / pronoun + a verb.
Example:
 Mary / She studies
is studying
has studied
studied
was studying
had studied
will study
will be studying
will have studied
has been studying
 had been studying
will have been studying
would study
would have studied

When we make a sentence in English, we must apply a certain tense to show the form of
the predicate verb and to give the description of the action verb or the condition to contribute the
idea or meaning of the sentence.
2. Classification of a Sentence
A sentence may be classified according to its function. All sentences, whether they are
elliptical or not, must fulfill one of the four following functions. A sentence must be either
declarative, interrogative, imperative or exclamatory.
2.1 A declarative sentence makes a statement. Its ends with a period.
e.g: Jane bought a new dress.
Tom won a scholarship to college.
2.2 An interrogative sentence asks a question. It ends with the question mark.
e.g: Do you still go fishing?
When shall we leave for the dance?
2.3 An imperative sentence gives a command or makes a request. It ends with a period.
e.g: Open the door.
Walk with me to the corner.
2.4 An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feeling. It ends with an exclamation point.
e.g: Look out!
Don’t touch it!
How beautiful you are!
What a nice present!
3. About Subjects and Predicates
There are at least two parts to every complete sentence. These parts are the simple subject
and the predicate verb.
3.1 The simple subject of a sentence is a word or a group of words that names whom or
what the sentence is about
e.g: He had fought for his country in two wars.
 An epidemic of flu swept across the state.
The subject of an imperative sentence is not stated, because it is always the second
person (you)
e.g: (You) Open the door.
(You) Walk to the corner with me.
The subject is understood in a sentence which gives a command or makes a request.
3.2 The predicate verb in a sentence is a word or a group of words that tells what is said
about the simple subject.
e.g: George has paid his dues in full.
Rene Descartes invented analytic geometry.
The underlined words in both sentences above are predicate verbs.
3.3 The noun subject in a sentence is a word that names a person, place, or thing.
e.g: door, box, flu, country, Henry, epidemic, etc.
3.4 The pronoun subject in a sentence is a word that is used in place of a noun. The noun
for which the pronoun is used is the antecedent of the pronoun.
e.g: John Billings retired from the army last month. He had fought for his country in
two wars.
John Billings in the first sentence is the antecedent of both he and his in the second
sentence.
3.5 A verb in the predicate of a sentence is a word that expresses action or state of being.
e.g: Harry swam across Lake Toba yesterday.
My friend is ill now.
The underlined word in the first sentence shows action, while in the second it
expresses a state of being.
4. Some exercises for practicing making sentence in English.
4.1 Please, put these Indonesian sentences into English.
a. Kami sangat tertarik dengan usaha anda.
b. Apakah anda pernah belajar Ilmu Ekonomi?
c. Kehendaknya untuk membeli rumah telah mendorongnya bekerja dengan keras.
d. Tolong, kirimkan uang ini kepada bos PT. Masaro Jaya
e. Alangkah indahnya pemandangan itu!
4.2 Supply the correct forms of the verbs in brackets to complete the sentences below.
a. I have been… (write) a letter for an hour.
b. She …(be) glad to do that for you.
c. While she……(watch) television, the telephone……..(ring)
d. The price of oil fuel……(increase) next month.
e. How long…..you (study) in that university?
f. My friend……not (attend) the class yesterday.
g. What……the company (produce)?
h. ……(go) to the corner and ……(turn) right.

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