Today is our topic of discussion – Structure of Sentences
Structure of Sentences
Clauses
Clause is the part of sentence which has a subject and a verb and a subject verb complement. Sometimes in a clause, the subject can be hidden. In other words, clauses need a subject and a predicate and the predicate is usually a verb phrase (a verb with an object and other modifiers)
Note:
- A clause can act as an independent sentence if there is a proper punctuation mark after the sentence. That is called an independent clause or a principal clause.
- A clause can be a dependent one which needs another clause to complete the meaning which is called a dependent clause or a subordinate clause. As-
I eat at the dining hall and Piku plays at the garden.
If you come, I’ll go.
If the first sentence is noticed, we can find that there are two clauses. They are – I eat at the dining hall and Piku plays at the garden. Both of the clauses have subjects I and Piku and verbs eat and plays. So, they are meeting the conditions to be clauses. They have subject, verb and subject-verb complement.
Both of the clauses can act as independent sentences if they seat independently and take a proper punctuation mark (here that is a full stop “.”). So, both of the clauses are called independent or principal clauses.
However, from the second sentence, we can notice that there are two different clauses in that sentence. If you come – this clause cannot express its meaning completely. Rather it needs I’ll go to complete the meaning. Here If you come is a dependent clause and I’ll go is an independent clause. Structurally sentences can be divided into three categories:
i. Simple Sentence
ii. Compound Sentence
iii. Complex Sentence
iv. Complex-Compound Sentence
Simple sentence
A simple sentence structure contains one independent clause and no dependent clauses. As-
I go.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, I, and one predicate, go.
Lopa goes to school every day.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, Lopa, and one predicate, goes to school every day. The predicate is a verb phrase that consists of more than one word.
Rahim and Karim are going to school. Here, Rahim and Karim are two subjects which is known as a compound subject. Compound subject should not be confused with a compound sentence.
In the backyard, the dog barked and howled at the raccoon.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, dog, and one predicate, barked and howled at the raccoon. This predicate has two verbs known as a compound predicate: barked and howled. This compound verb should not be confused with a compound sentence either. In the backyard and at the raccoon are prepositional phrases.
Compound sentences
A compound sentence is composed of two or more independent clauses. A dependent clause is not required to form a compound sentence. Two or more independent clauses are added or joined together with a coordinating conjunction and form a compound sentence. In the earlier chapter, you have learnt about coordinating conjunctions. They are popularly known as FANBOYS where FANBOYS stands for
- F – For
- A – And
- N – Nor
- B – But
- O – Or
- Y – Yet
- S-So As –
Do or die.
I went to school but the classes were suspended.
The above two sentences are compound sentences. Each sentence contains two independent clauses, and they are joined by a coordinator. In the first sentence I went to school is an independent clause and the classes were suspended is another independent clause and they are joined with but.
In the second sentence Do is an independent clause where the subject “you” is hidden and die is another independent clause where the subject “you” is hidden as well. These two independent clauses are added with or.
Complex sentence
A complex sentence consists of more than one dependent clauses (subordinate clauses). Since a dependent clause cannot stand on its own as a sentence, complex sentences must have at least one independent clause as well. These two different types of clauses are joined together with a subordinating conjunction where the subordinating conjunction can take place at the beginning of the sentence or at the middle of the sentence.
Look at the sentence – Since a dependent clause cannot stand on its own as a sentence, complex sentences must also have at least one independent clause. Here, Since a dependent clause cannot stand on its own as a sentence is a dependent clause as it doesn’t express the full meaning by itself and complex sentences must also have at least one independent clause is an independent clause. Together they form a complex sentence.
If you come, I’ll go.
I’ll go if you come.
Complex sentences need a comma after the dependent clause if the subordinating conjunction takes place at the beginning of the sentence. Otherwise, a comma doesn’t take place in a complex sentence.
Complex-Compound sentence
A sentence with two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses is called compound-complex or complex-compound sentence.
In addition to a subject and a verb, dependent clauses contain a subordinating conjunction or similar word. There are a large number of subordinating conjunctions in English. As –
I have never been a good student, but because I like literature, I have spent a lot of time to studying Literature.
I have never been a good student and I have spent a lot of time to studying Literature are two independent clauses and because I like literature is a dependent clause and they are connected with a coordinating conjunction but. That’s how they form a complex-compound sentence.