English Grammar And Composition I SENTENCE & ITS STRUCTURE

SENTENCE & ITS STRUCTURE

THE SENTENCE

Definition:

A sentence is an arrangement of words that makes complete sense.

It must be meaningful and must be acceptable to the speaker of the language at the same time.

FOR EXAMPLE

·         John is singing a song.

·         A table is made of wood.

·         We live and die for God/

STRUCTURE OF A SENTENCE

Every sentence has two parts   

·         THE SUBJECT

·         THE PREDICATE

THE SUBJECT

Definition:

A word (or words) denoting a person, place or thing about whom or of which something is said in a sentence is called the subject of the sentence.

Note: a subject may consist of one word or more.

For Example

·         John is a young lad. (John is subject of the sentence)

THE PREDICATE

Definition:

The predicate says something about the subject. It may consist of just a verb or a verb plus other elements.

The normal word order in English is

Subject+ predicate

Since there is no sentence without a verb, the smallest English sentence must have the following structure.

Subject	Predicate
I	Play

·         He eats apples (he is subject ) (eats is verb) (apples is object)

OBJECT

Definition:

Object is a word on which some action is performed in a sentence.

For example

·         He is working hard.

·         Hard is object of the sentence.

PHRASE

Definition:

A combination of words that makes sense but not a complete sense, which has some meaning but does not clear is called phrase

Examples

·         A very big parcel,

·         On the river

·         On the table

·         Outside the window

·         In the west etc

CLAUSE

Definition:

A simple sentence which forms a part of a larger or longer sentence is called a clause.

A clause consists of a subject and a predicate

For example

·         This is the house where we live.

·         He received a parcel which was very big.

Note:

Each clause s not a complete sentence because it does not give a complete meaning independently, we do not know from the above examples what the words “where” and “which” stand for

·         I saw a dog how was barking

I subject, saw a dog (predicate)

·         Who was barking

Who (subject) was barking (predicate)

Who was barking is a part of a larger sentence but does not express complete sense or meaning independently.

Principal or independent clause

Definition:

A Principal or independent clause expresses a complete and clear idea or thought. It remains meaningful even if the other clauses are removed from the sentence.

It can stand alone as complete sentence.

 A Principal or independent clause

 Is also known as main clause or independent clause

For example

·         He does not work hard but he is quite intelligent.

·         (He does not work hard this is principal clause )

Subordinate clause

Definition:

Subordinate clause or dependent clause is a clause which depends on another clause for its meaning.

It does not express a complete thought alone.

For example

·         I asked the teacher what I should do after school. (I asked the teacher-- This is principal clause while the rest is subordinate clause)

The boy did not know that his father had come. (that his father had come is subordinate clause)