Sentences in English: Examples, Types, Rules to Use, Practice Exercises with Answers

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. It is made up of a subject and a verb, and often an object. A sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark like a period, question mark, or an exclamation point.  

For example:

The dog sat on the mat. (Noun=dog, verb=sat, object=mat)

She enjoys dancing in rain. (Noun=She, Verb= enjoys, Object=rain)

We are going on a vacation next week. (Noun=We, Verb= going, Object=vacation)

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Punctuation Tips in English

What is Analogy in English Grammar?

According to the Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, a sentence is “a group of words that expresses a statement, question, or order. It typically includes a subject and a verb and starts with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark like a period, question mark, or exclamation point.”

In Collins Dictionary, a sentence is defined as “a group of words that, when written, begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark. It typically contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.”

Cambridge Dictionary says, a sentence is “a unit of grammar that expresses a complete thought and typically contains a subject and a verb. It can be a statement, question, instruction, or exclamation and usually starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark.”

It is pronounced as:

• British English: /ˈsen.təns/
• American English: /ˈsen.t̬əns/

Also Read: 

English Idioms: Meaning and Definition

Sentences can be classified in different categories based on their structure and their functionality. Let’s take a look at different types of sentences in detail:

Sentence Types Based on Structure 

Sentence Type	Description	Examples
Simple Sentence	Contains one independent clause which is a group of words with a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought.	·       She is reading a book. ·       Birds are flying in the sky.
Compound Sentence	Contains two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (interlinking) like "and," "but," "or", or a semicolon.	·       The dog ran and the cat climbed the tree. ·       I finished my work and went for a walk.
Complex Sentence	Has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause which cannot stand alone as a sentence.	·       Because it was raining, I cancelled my movie plan. ·       After the show got over, they went out for dinner.
Compound-Complex Sentence	Contains two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.	·       After it stopped raining, the sun came out, and we went out for lunch. ·       Although the place is far, I still liked it and would recommend it to my friends.

Sentence Types Based on Functionality

Sentence Type	Description	Examples
Declarative Sentences (interlink all)	These sentences make a statement or express an opinion. They end with a period (.).	·       The sky is blue. ·       She is a fantastic teacher.
Interrogative Sentences	These sentences ask a question and end with a question mark (?).	·       Where are you going? ·       Are you going to have dinner now?
Imperative Sentences	These sentences give a command or make a request. They can end with either a period or an exclamation mark, depending on the tone.	·       Please pass me the water bottle. ·       Shut the door!
Exclamatory Sentences	These sentences express strong emotion or excitement. They always end with an exclamation mark.	·       Wow, what a movie it was! ·       I am amused!

 

A sentence is a group of words that convey a meaning. They are complete in themselves and express emotions like joy, anger, surprise, question, and others. Sentences usually consist of a subject and a verb and start with capital letter, ending with punctuation.

Let’s have a look at the rules and structure of English sentences.

Rules of English Sentences 

1. Subject and Verb: Every sentence must have a subject (who or what is performing the action) and a verb (the action word). For example:

• The dog is sleeping. (dog-subject, sleeping-verb)
• The girl is crying as she is missing her mom. (girl-noun, crying-verb)

 

2. Complete Thought: The sentence must express a complete thought that should make sense on its own. For example:

• The cake is delicious.
• It’s raining heavily today.

 

3. Capitalization and Punctuation: Sentences always begin with a capital letter and end with appropriate punctuation like, period, question mark, exclamation point, as per requirement. For example:

• What do you want to have in dinner?
• I am amazed to see the beautiful mountains!

 

4. Subject-Verb Agreement: The subject and verb must agree in number (singular or plural) to avoid grammatical error. For example:

• She finish her food quickly. (incorrect)
• She finishes her food quickly. (correct)

 

5. Word Order: English sentences generally follow the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order. For example:

• She is driving the car. (she-subject, driving-verb, car-object)
• He loves pizza. (he-subject, loves-verb, pizza-object)

 

6. Avoid Sentence Fragments: Students should not use fragments, meaning incomplete sentences that lack a subject or verb, and hence have no meaning. For example:

• Hence I am not coming.
• Because it’s far.

 

7. Avoid Run-on Sentences: Run-on sentences combine two or more independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions. For example:

• The dog sat on the floor it was a fluffy dog. (incorrect)
• The dog sat on the floor. It was a fluffy dog. (correct)

 

8. Use of Articles and Determiners: Articles ("a," "an," "the") and determiners (e.g., "this," "that," "my") are essential for sentences as they provide clarity when specifying nouns. For example:

• She loves to eat an egg every day.
• That book is mine.

 

9. Use of Conjunctions: Conjunctions like "and," "but," "or" connect words, phrases, and clauses, and hence are vital part of a sentence. For example:

• Meera and Myra are best friends.
• The weather is better today but it is advisable to stay indoors.

 

10. Active Voice: Using the active voice (where the subject performs the action) generally makes sentences clearer and more direct. For example:

• She wrote the letter very clearly.
• He played the guitar so well.

 

11. Modifiers: Adjectives (describing words) and adverbs (modifying words) should be placed near the words they modify for better clarity and understanding. For example:

• The red apples are kept on the table. (red is the modifier)
• The man in blue shirt is my classmate. (in blue shirt is a modifier)

Also Read: Letter Writing Tips in English

English Sentence Structure 

A sentence in English follows a subject-verb-object structure, in most cases. Sentences also contain elements like complements, adjuncts, and phrases, which further modify or expand its structure. Let’s take a look at in in detail:

Basic sentence structure

 subject-verb-object (SVO)

In this:

Subject: The noun or pronoun that performs the action

Verb: The action word

Object: The noun or pronoun that receives the action

Example: The baby [subject] kicks [verb] the ball [object].

Other Elements of a Sentence are:

Complement: Provides more information about the subject or object. For example:

• The baby is happy kicking the ball. (happy is a complement)
• The hungry dog looked out for food. (hungry is a complement)

Adjunct: Modifies the verb, often adding information about time, place, or manner.

• The dog is barking loudly as it is scared. (loudly is an adjunct)
• She is swimming fast to cross the river quickly. (fast is an adjunct)

Phrase: A group of words that functions as a single unit are phrases used in a sentence. For example:

• The white fluffy cat with a wagging tail jumped on the tree.
• The boy on blue shirt is crying loudly as he wants to go back home.

Also Read: What are Etymology and Roots in English?

In English grammar, there are few exceptions related to words, phrases, or grammatical structures, that make sentences take a different path from typical rules and patterns. These exceptions can be categorized in different types. Let’s take a look at them:

Irregular Verbs 

There are few verbs which have different past tense words, deviating from general rule. For example:

• I went to the school yesterday. (The past tense of "go" is "went," an irregular verb)
• "She has eaten all the berries." (The past participle of "eat" is "eaten," an irregular verb)

Irregular Plurals

When it comes to plurals, there are words that have exceptions. For example:

• There are many children in the park. (The plural of "child" is "children," not "childs")
• Her hair is very long and shiny. (The plural of "hair" is "hair," not "hairs")

Spelling Rules

There are many spelling rules in English that follow different rules. For example:

• "The word receive has "ie" after "c"." (The general rule is "i before e, except after c")
• "He played the piano." (The past tense of "play" is formed by adding "-ed", but the "y" remains unchanged)

Also Read: 

• Prefixes Types in English
• How to Use Adjectives in English?

Students can follow bellowed mentioned simple tips to effectively and rightly use sentences in English:

• Understand the sentence structure. Every sentence needs to have a subject and a verb to be correct
• Add object to make the sentence complete. Adding adjectives and other modifiers enhance the detail and clarity in sentences.
• Use the right punctuation as per the requirement.
• Expand your vocabulary. Use new and right words to make your sentences more effective.
• Practice writing different types of sentences and paragraphs to solidify your understanding.
• Read a lot. This will enhance your understanding, clarity and use of sentences.
• Listen to native speakers and focus on the usage and sentence structure.
• Use online resources for practice and build better understanding on the topic.

Also Read: 

• English Subject and Predicate: Meaning and Examples
• English Vocabulary: Tips and Rules

 

Students should focus on avoiding below mentioned error areas for better English sentences and language:

Using Sentence Fragments 

Students should avoid using a fragment that is an incomplete sentence lacking a subject, a verb, or a complete thought. For example:

• Because I was late. (is a fragment; it needs a main clause to be complete)
• Since I was leaving

Comma Splices

Students should not use comma splice by joining two independent clauses by a comma. For example:

• The baby cried, the cat jumped on the mat.
• I love mangoes, she skipped her meal.

Run-on Sentences

These are sentences where two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation or conjunctions. For example:

• The film was long it was good (incorrect)
• The film was long but it was good. (correct)

Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject. For example:

• She eat apples. (incorrect)
• She eats apples. (correct)
• They all has books with them (incorrect)
• They all have books with them. (correct)

Misplaced Modifiers

Placing Modifiers at wrong places can lead to errors. They should be placed as close as possible to the words they modify to avoid confusion. For example:

• The apple is red and is kept on the table (incorrect)
• The red apple is kept on the table (correct)
• The kite is colourful, it got cut high (incorrect)
• The colourful kite got cut high in the sky. (correct)

Also Read:

English Subject Verb Agreement	Phrases in English: Examples and Practice Questions	How to Use Active and Passive Voice
Important Pronouns in English	English Articles	Prepositions: Meaning and Examples

Incorrect Pronoun Usage

Pronouns must agree in number and gender with the nouns they replace. For example:

• The student are leaving their water bottles in the class. (incorrect)
• The students are leaving their water bottles in the class. (correct)

Verb Tense Errors

Using the wrong verb tense can change lead to errors in a sentence. For example:

• I go to the store yesterday. (incorrect)
• I went to the store yesterday. (correct)

Avoid Double Negatives

Avoid using two negative words to express a single negation. For example:

• I don't have nothing (incorrect)
• I don't have anything or I have nothing. (correct)

Confusing Words

Be careful with confusing words like those which sound alike but have different meanings (homophones) or words with same spelling but different meanings (homographs).  For example:

• The ball is kept there.
• This is their
• I got bat and ball as my birthday gift.
• Bats are among animals that can see in dark also.