SENTENCE

STRUCTURE
ignasia_y@ukrida.ac.id

Sentence
A group of words that contains a
subject and a verb and expresses a
complete thought
He

looks

subject

verb

tired.

Verb
tells the action, sometimes just
links the subject with the rest of
the sentence

The car hit the pedestrian.

Action
verb

I
feel sick.
My husband is a business man.
Linking
verb

A sentence ends with a period (.), an

exclamation point (!), or a question
mark (?)

Practice: Fragment (F) or Sentence (S)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

____ Billy lives in a big apartment.

F
____
My mother breakfast every morning.
F Is incredibly delicious.
____
S Does carol have car?
____
F
____
They my cousin from Sulawesi.

Practice: Fragment (F) or Sentence (S)

F
6. ____
S
7. ____
S
8. ____
F
9. ____
S
10. ____

You a student?
Michael likes classical music.
The girls play soccer after school.
Nancy and Jeannie very best friend
I am from North Sumatra

A clause
a group of words (a phrase) that contains a
subject and a verb.

Which ones are clauses?

ecology is a science
because pollution
causes cancer

clauses

to protect the environment

after working all day

not clauses

Clause type
independent clause

has one SV
combination
expresses a
complete thought
can be a sentence
by itself

dependent clause

begins with a
subordinator
cannot be a
sentence by itself
is one of three
types: adverb,
adjective, or noun

Clause connectors
Subordinators
(Subordinating Conjunctions)
subordinators
Reason

Because, since, as

Time

before, after, when, while, until, as soon

as

Contrast

Although, even though, though

Condition If, whether, unless, as if

Relation

Who, whom, which, whose, that

Clause connectors
coordinators
(Coordinating Conjunctions)
for
and
nor

FAN BOYS

but
or
yet
so

Clause connectors
Conjunctive Adverbs
Time

Then,

immediately,

meanwhile,

now, etc
Contrast

However, nevertheless, yet, still,

etc
Comparison

Likewise, similarly, also, again

Concession

Although, of course, perhaps, and

yet
Demonstration For example, in particular, in fact
Sequence

First, last, next, then, finally

Clause connectors
Conjunctive Adverbs
Result

Accordingly, consequently, hence,

etc

Purpose

For this reason, to this purpose

Conclusion

Indeed, accordingly, as a result, to

sum up, in brief, in other words

Example:

We cancelled our picnic because it rained.

Independent

dependent

There are four kinds of sentences in

English:
Simple Sentences

Compound Sentences
English
Sentences

Complex Sentences
Compound-Complex
Sentences

A simple sentence
a sentence that has one subject-verb
combination
(one independent clause)
1.
2.
3.
4.

My younger sister speaks English well.

(S V)
My father and mother speak English well. (SS V)
My friend is a lawyer and has a good job. (S VV)
My husband and I speak and write English well.
(SS VV)

Sentences utilizing a compound subject,

verb, or object are still simple sentences
because they only have one clause.

A compound sentence
a sentence that has two or more subjectverb combination (two or more
independent clause) joint together
uses one of the seven coordinating
conjunctions/coordinators
(FAN BOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

Each half of the sentence is equally

important to the meaning of the
sentence.

Examples
I enjoy tennis, but I hate golf.
Both men and women should limit
the amount of fat in their diets, or

they risk getting heart disease.

Women dont smoke as much as men
do, nor do they drink as much
alcohol.

A complex sentence
a sentence that contains one independent
clause and one (or more) dependent clause (s).
subordinators
Reason

because

Time

before, after, when, while

Contrast

although

Condition

if

Relation

Who, whom, which, whose, that

Examples:

She came to my party although she was sick.

Independent

dependent

Men who are not married are called bachelors.

dependent
Independent

A compound-complex
sentence
a sentence that has two or more
independent clauses and one (or more)
dependent clause (s).
I wanted to travel after I graduated from
college, but I had to go to work immediately
because I had to support my family.
Independent clause
Dependent clause
I wanted to travel,
After I graduated from
but I had to go to work college,
immediately
because I had to support
my family

REFERENCES
Oshima, A & Hogue, A. 1999. Writing Academic
English (3rd ed). New York: Longman.
Wishon, G.E. & Burks, J.M. 1980. Lets Write
English. New York: Litton Educational Publishing
Inc.
http://www.eslbee.com/sentences.htm

Go to Sentence
Structure Practice

http://www.eslbee.com/sentences.htm