English Sentence Structure

What is a sentence?

In simple terms, a sentence is a set of words that contain:

• a subject (what the sentence is about, the topic of the sentence), and
• a predicate (what is said about the subject)

The above example sentence is very short. Of course, a sentence can be longer and more complicated, but basically there is always a subject and a predicate.

The 4 types of sentence stracture

1. Simple
2. Compound
3. Complex
4. Compound-Complex

Simple sentence

A simple sentence consists of one independent clause. (An independent clause contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought.)
Example:

• I like coffee.
• Mary likes tea.
• The earth goes round the sun.
• Mary did not go to the party.

Compound Sentence Structure

A compound sentence is two (or more) independent clauses joined by a conjunction or semicolon. Each of these clauses could form a sentence alone.
Example:

• I like coffee and Mary likes tea.
• Mary went to work but John went to the party.
• Our car broke down; we came last.

There are seven coordinating conjunctions:
and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so

Complex Sentence Structure

A complex sentence consists of an independent clause plus a dependent clause. (A dependent clause starts with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun, and contains a subject and verb, but does not express a complete thought.)

• We missed our plane because we were late.
• Our dog barks when she hears a noise.
• He left in a hurry after he got a phone call.
• Do you know the man who is talking to Mary?

Here are some common subordinating conjunctions:
after, although, as, because, before, how, if, once, since, than, that, though, till, until, when, where, whether, while
Here are the five basic relative pronouns:
that, which, who, whom, whose

Compound-Complex Sentence Structure

A compound-complex sentence consists of at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

• John didn't come because he was ill so Mary was not happy.
• He left in a hurry after he got a phone call but he came back five minutes later.

A dependent clause is also called a subordinate clause. The above sentences are basic examples only.
In some cases other arrangements are possible (for example, a dependent clause can come before an independent clause).

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