Types of Sentences
Sentences can be classified either in terms of the kinds of clauses they contain (grammatically) or in terms of their purpose (rhetorically). Becoming aware of types of sentences allows you to vary your writing style to suit your audience, content, and purpose. You will find, too, that sentence variety holds a reader’s interest. How boring it is to read all simple sentences! In contrast, after many longer sentences, a punchy short sentence adds force to a key point.
Classification by Clause Structure
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence consists of one main clause and no subordinate clauses.
The mastery of basic reading skills is the most important goal in primary education. -Angelo Gonzalez
A simple sentence is not necessarily short, however, because the subject or the predicate-or both-may be compound or have many modifiers. The following example consists of one main clause; the subject is The Order of Canada and the verb is is. The rest of the sentence is made up of details.
The Order of Canada, an award instituted on July 1, 1967, to honour Canadians for outstanding achievement and service to their country and humanity at large, is often given to Canadians in the fields of the arts, sciences, or politics.
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence consists of two or more main clauses and no subordinate clauses. The main clauses may be joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, nor, so, or yet) and a comma; by a semicolon; by a semicolon and a transitional word (however, nevertheless, therefore); or by a correlative conjunction such as either/or, both/and.
The Supreme Court of Canada is this country’s highest court of law, but there are other courts of law in the Canadian judicial system, because each level of court has a different jurisdiction under the Constitution.
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence consists of one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses.
If you decide to take a trip to Quebec, I suggest that you visit the Eastern Townships.
Compound-complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence consists of two or more main clauses and at least one subordinate clause.
Even though many cities and towns along the river were prepared, the flood waters were devastating, and many lives were lost.
Classification by Purpose
A declarative sentence makes a statement. In expository prose, most sentences are declarative.
Betsy bought new running shoes.
Interrogative Sentence
An interrogative sentence asks a question. It customarily ends with a question mark.
Did Sarah get a job as a lifeguard?
Imperative Sentence
An imperative sentence gives a command, makes a request, or offers advice. Usually you is the understood subject.
Buy a compact-disc player from a reputable dealer.
Please pass the salt and pepper.
Exclamatory Sentence
An exclamatory sentence indicates intense emotion or excitement and ends with an exclamation point. Sometimes exclamations are not complete sentences.
What a movie!
The women’s basketball team had back-to-back undefeated seasons!
A complement is a word or word group that completes the sense of a verb and adds to the meaning of a subject. There are two types of complements: subject complements and object complements.
A direct object (DO) is the noun, pronoun, or verbal that receives the action of the verb.
The simple predicate of a sentence is made up of the verb and any helping verbs.
The subject [S] of a sentence is the person or thing the sentence is about.
