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What Is Sentence

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What Is Sentence-Spoken English Tips

English Sentences on Learning Grammar:

A sentence is a combination or group of words that conveys a complete thought or idea.

Let’s begin with letters. Instead of providing an extensive explanation, I’ll give you a concise overview of how sentences are constructed.

Explore spoken English tips and gain insights into sentence structure in the following sections.

Unit of sentences

Letters

As commonly known, the alphabet consists of 26 letters, comprising 21 consonants and five vowels.

Consonants – B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y and Z
Vowels- A, E, I, O, and U.

Words

Words can be described as collections of letters that carry specific meanings, such as boy, girl, names, simple, secure, spoken, English, etc.

Sentence

A sentence is essentially a cluster of words that conveys a complete idea, comprising elements such as verbs, subjects, helping verbs, etc. It kicks off with a capital letter and is punctuated at the end, typically with a full stop (.), question mark (?), or exclamation mark (!).

Let’s explore this concept with diverse examples:

  1. “The sun sets in the west.” (This sentence communicates a full idea.)
  2. “Purple monkey dishwasher run.” (This lacks coherence and is not a sentence.)

Here are additional meaningful sentences for illustration:

  • “She dances gracefully.”
  • “They are building a new school.”
  • “Why did you choose that color?”
  • “Our cat always sleeps on the windowsill.”
  • “Learning new languages broadens your perspective.”
  • “Playing the piano requires skill and practice.”
  • “The stormy weather disrupted our outdoor plans.”
  • “Can you pass me the salt, please?”
  • “In the winter, the days are shorter.”
  • “Expressing gratitude fosters positive relationships.”

These examples highlight the diverse ways in which sentences can be constructed to convey complete meanings.

Kinds of Sentences

Now, let’s delve into the various types of sentences. Sentences can be broadly classified into five types:

  1. Assertive or Declarative Sentence: A sentence that makes a statement or assertion falls under the category of an assertive or declarative sentence.

    • Affirmative Sentence: A positive statement or sentence that affirms something.

      Example:

      • Ram is a good boy.
      • He is innocent.
      • I am working at home.
      • She is an innocent girl.
    • Negative Sentence: A sentence that expresses negation or denial.

      Example:

      • Ram is not a good boy.
      • He is not innocent.
      • I am not working at home.
      • She is not an innocent girl.
  2. Interrogative Sentence: A sentence that poses a question.

    Example:

    • Are you coming to the party?
    • What is your favorite color?
    • Have you finished your homework?
  3. Imperative Sentence: A sentence that gives a command, instruction, or expresses a request.

    Example:

    • Close the door.
    • Please pass me the salt.
    • Study for your exam.
  4. Optative Sentence: A sentence that expresses a wish or desire.

    Example:

    • May you have a wonderful day.
    • I wish you success in your endeavors.
  5. Exclamatory Sentence: A sentence expressing strong emotion, surprise, or excitement.

    Example:

    • What a beautiful sunset!
    • How amazing that performance was!
    • Congratulations on your achievement!
 

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Interrogative sentence

A sentence that poses questions is known as an interrogative sentence, and it concludes with a question mark (?).

Interrogative sentences can be categorized into two types:

  1. Sentence Starts with Helping Verbs / Yes or No Type Questions:

    • Did she finish her homework?
    • Can they swim?
    • Is he attending the meeting?
    • Will you join us for dinner?
    • Have you visited that place?
  2. The Sentence Starts with Question Words:

    • Where did you find the keys?
    • When is the deadline for the project?
    • How did they solve the puzzle?
    • Why are you upset?
    • What do you want for your birthday?

Imperative sentence

A sentence conveying a suggestion, order, command, request, or advice is termed an imperative sentence.

Examples:

  1. Commands:

    • Close the door.
    • Complete the assignment.
    • Finish your dinner.
  2. Requests:

    • Please pass the salt.
    • Could you lend me a pen?
    • Let’s go for a walk.
  3. Orders:

    • Stand in a line.
    • Silence in the library.
    • Follow the instructions.
  4. Prohibitions:

    • Do not enter.
    • Don’t touch that.
    • No parking allowed here.

Exclamatory sentence

A sentence expressing a wish, blessing, or prayer is known as an optative sentence.

Examples:

  1. Wishes:

    • I wish you a wonderful journey.
    • I wish you success in your endeavors.
    • I wish you a joyful birthday.
  2. Blessings:

    • May you find happiness in your new home.
    • May your dreams come true.
    • May God bless you abundantly.
  3. Prayers:

    • May you be granted strength in difficult times.
    • May you have peace of mind.
    • May your family be protected.
 

Optative Sentence

An exclamatory sentence expresses sudden feelings, thoughts, or the speaker’s state of mind.

Examples:

  1. Joy:

    • Hooray! We won the championship.
    • Wow! What a beautiful sunset.
    • Yippee! I got the job.
  2. Sadness:

    • Alas! The show is canceled.
    • Oh no! I forgot my keys.
    • Bummer! We missed the train.
  3. Surprise:

    • Oh my goodness! That’s amazing.
    • Good grief! I can’t believe it.
    • Holy cow! Look at that view.