SENTENCE TYPES

WHAT IS SENTENCE

• a linguistic unit
• consists of one or more words grammatically
linked
• gives a complete thought
• starts with capital letter and ends with a full
stop
• usually contains a subject and a predicate
 TYPES OF SENTENCE
Sentences can be classified into various types on the basis of their
function and structure.
According to Function According to Structure

Declarative Sentences Simple Sentences

Imperative Sentences Compound Sentences

Interrogative Sentences Complex Sentences

Exclamatory Sentences Compound-Complex Sentences

 A declarative sentence makes a statement.

Examples
• I have to go to work.
• I’ll never do that.
• You are studying English.
• You haven’t closed the door.
 DECLARATIVE SENTENCE

Sometimes declarative statements become non-declarative when

the context in which they are uttered affects their interpretation.

Examples:
• You are studying English? (becomes a question)
• You haven’t closed the door. (becomes an order)
An imperative sentence gives advice or instruction that expresses a
request or command, normally interpreted as directives.
It usually has no obvious subject.

Examples:

• Go to work.
• Don’t do that.
• Be home by midnight.
• Drop the weapon.
 IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

Sometimes imperative statements are not considered as directives.

Example:

• Take care of yourself.

(syntactically appears imperative but in sense it is just a wish)
An interrogative sentence asks a question. It ends with a question
mark.

There are two type of interrogative questions:

 those which expect answer yes or no

 those which begin with a question word what, where, why,
when, which, who and how, these are open interrogatives and
expect a complete answer.
 INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
• Examples:
Do you have to go to work?
Did you do that?
yes/no questions
Have you got the message?
Are you OK?

What are you doing?

Why did you do that?
Wh- questions
Whose car is that?
Where is my book?
 INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

Sometimes there are situations in which interrogative statements

are not meant to ask question at all.

Examples:

• How many times do I have to tell you not to lick your plate!
(syntactically appears interrogative but sense is directive)

• Can you be quiet?

(syntactically appears interrogative but sense is a request)
 An exclamatory sentence shows strong feeling. It ends with an
exclamation point.

Examples:

• What a beautiful country!

• Oh my God!
• Wow! That’s a great news!
• Hurray! We have won the match.
 EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES

Exclamatory sentences are used almost exclusively as exclamations.

They can however, also be questions.

Example:

• What an extraordinary teacher Kate is!

• What an extraordinary teacher who is?
• A simple sentence has one subject and one
predicate.

SUBJECT PREDICATE

Mary plays tennis.

Mary plays tennis.

 COMPOUND COMPOUND
SUBJECT PREDICATE

Mary and Tom play tennis and swim.

Mary and Tom play tennis and swim.

 A
• A compound sentence has more than one part that can stand alone
(independent clauses).

• Independent clauses are connected by coordinating conjunctions, and

conjunctive adverbs.

COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

for, and, nor, or, but, yet

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS

moreover, however, therefore, otherwise

Tom swims, and Mary plays tennis.

Independent clause Independent clause

Coordinating
Conjunction

Sara is intelligent; moreover, she is rich.

Independent clause Independent clause

Conjunctive Adverb
• A complex sentence has at least two parts: one that
can stand alone (independent clause) and another
one that cannot stand alone (dependent clause).
• The part that cannot stand alone is linked to the rest
of the sentence by a subordinating conjunction.

The most common subordinating conjunctions are "after," "although,"

"as," "because," "before," "how," "if," "once," "since," "than," "that,"
though," "till," "until," "when," "where," "whether,” and while."
 COMPLEX SENTENCES
• Examples:

• John cannot set up his computer because the

setting is complicated.

• Mom cleans the house at night even though, she’s

tired.

• The old man thanked the little boy who helped him.
EXAMPLE
 A
• A compound-complex sentence is made up of two
independent clauses and one or more dependent
clauses.

• Examples:
• My brother wants to study literature and I want to
study linguistics because I think its fun.
• Although she worked hard to gain recognition,
many people did not know who she was and her
friends even did not appreciate her work.
THANK YOU