Universidad Veracruzana opens a new tab

3.3 What is a sentence?

Stop and think Taking into account the previous sections regarding phrases and clauses, try to define the concept of ‘sentence’.

Based on the information presented previously, we could define a correct, complete sentence as the unit of language with at least one main clause, that is, one subject and its corresponding predicate or main verb, in which case it is called one-clause or simple sentence. When a sentence has more than one clause, it is called multiple-clause or complex sentence, and it can include coordinate clauses joined by coordinate conjunctions, or it can contain a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses, which are all introduced by their corresponding connector.

LAS Activity 304. Simple or complex sentences

Instructions

The following sentences are the ones from the Getting Started activity. Choose in each case the corresponding category.

Examples

Type of phrase

Very good! You are ready to continue.

Please, try to answer the exercise again.

Please check the correct answers.

Instruction: Click on the card and slide it to the left to read the information.

A sentence has also been defined as the expression of a complete thought, which does not necessarily presents the aforementioned structure, especially in spoken language. Very frequently, spoken utterances express complete thoughts using one single word. This happens because sometimes it is possible to omit some information due to the context. In this case, utterances like “Yes, sure”, or “Finished?” are sentences. Some other times, utterances are interrupted, but still considered sentences in an incomplete form.
Even in the written form, there are sentences which do not have a “subject + predicate” structure. So, sentences can also be defined as those units of language that begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop or some other mark of ‘final’ punctuation. In this case, a sentence may not present an explicit subject and its main verb, but still expresses a complete idea.
A sentence can also be regarded as the most independent linguistic construction, or as ‘the largest unit to which syntactic rules apply’. In both cases, it is necessary to consider the regular patterns in which sentences occur. If a sentence does not follow these patterns to which syntactic rules can be applied, it does not make sense, and therefore it cannot be considered an independent linguistic construction because it would not express a complete thought or idea.
Therefore, the examples included in the Getting started activity, and in Activity 304, are considered sentences because they express a complete idea. The simple sentences have only one subject and one verb, and the complex sentences have more than one clause: one main clause and an independent coordinate clause or one main clause and one subordinate clause.

A sentence has also been defined as the expression of a complete thought, which does not necessarily presents the aforementioned structure, especially in spoken language. Very frequently, spoken utterances express complete thoughts using one single word. This happens because sometimes it is possible to omit some information due to the context. In this case, utterances like “Yes, sure”, or “Finished?” are sentences. Some other times, utterances are interrupted, but still considered sentences in an incomplete form.

Even in the written form, there are sentences which do not have a “subject + predicate” structure. So, sentences can also be defined as those units of language that begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop or some other mark of ‘final’ punctuation. In this case, a sentence may not present an explicit subject and its main verb, but still expresses a complete idea.

A sentence can also be regarded as the most independent linguistic construction, or as ‘the largest unit to which syntactic rules apply’. In both cases, it is necessary to consider the regular patterns in which sentences occur. If a sentence does not follow these patterns to which syntactic rules can be applied, it does not make sense, and therefore it cannot be considered an independent linguistic construction because it would not express a complete thought or idea.

Therefore, the examples included in the Getting started activity, and in Activity 304, are considered sentences because they express a complete idea. The simple sentences have only one subject and one verb, and the complex sentences have more than one clause: one main clause and an independent coordinate clause or one main clause and one subordinate clause.

LAS Activity 305. Simple sentence analysis

Instructions

Analyze the simple sentences. What is the subject and what the predicate in each case? Don’t forget to include the punctuation mark at the end in your answers. Be careful with spacing and punctuation.

Simple sentences = 1 subject (S) + 1 predicate (P)
a. The photo taken yesterday wasn’t very good.
b. Will you go to the party?
c. The boy singing is my brother.
d. I’d love to go with you.

Very good! You are ready to continue.

Please, try to answer the exercise again.

Please check the correct answers.

LAS Activity 306. Complex sentence analysis

Instructions

Now, complete the following table about the complex sentences in LAS 304. Be careful with spacing and punctuation. Do not leave any spaces between words and plus symbols (+).

Complex sentences

a. I didn’t catch where she lived.

b. He is nice, yet he’s not the one.

c. I’ll be with you wherever you go.

d. What happened was amazing.

e. Although she woke up early, she arrived late.

f. You can come, or I can go.

g. The car that she bought is awesome.

h. I drank the milk that was on the fridge.

Main clause (1 S + 1 P)
Independent coordinate clause (connector + 1 S + 1 P)
, or + I + can go.
Main clause (1 S + 1 P)
Type of subordinate clause (connector + 1 S + 1 P)
she + arrived late.
Adverb (contrast)
Adverb (place)
Noun (object of verb)
What happened + was amazing.
What + happened *
Noun (subject)
The car + is awesome.
Adjective
that + was on the fridge.*

* The connector in these cases also functions as the subject of the subordinate clause.

Very good! You are ready to continue.

Please, try to answer the exercise again.

Please check the correct answers.

Main clause (1 S + 1 P)
Independent coordinate clause (connector + 1 S + 1 P)
b. , or + I + can go.
Main clause (1 S + 1 P)
c. she + arrived late.
f. What happened + was amazing.
g. The car + is awesome.
Type of subordinate clause (connector + 1 S + 1 P)
c. Adverb (contrast)
d. Adverb (place)
e. Noun (object of verb)
f. What + happened *
f. Noun (subject)
g. Adjective
h. that + was on the fridge.*
h. Adjective

* The connector in these cases also functions as the subject of the subordinate clause.

Very good! You are ready to continue.

Please, try to answer the exercise again.

Please check the correct answers.