Types of Sentences

 

Types of Sentences:

 

In English there are three broad types of sentences. A) Simple sentences, B) Complex Sentences and C) Compound Sentences.

 

Simple Sentences:

 

A simple sentence has only one independent clause with one finite verb in it. A finite verb is a verb is marked for tense and / or number, person etc. A simple sentence will have only one independent clause in it and on finite verb. Of course, it is possible to have more than one clause, both finite and non-finite, in a sentence. But then it will not be called a simple sentence. A simple sentence will have only one finite clause. Look at the following examples where finite verbs are underlined.

 

1.                    Keshav likes cricket.

 

2.                    She has been talking to Seetha for the last two hours.

 

3.                    All of those lovely new books belong to the sleepy-looking professor.

 

4.                    The naughty little child has been playing with a doll for the last two days.

 

5.                    I could have got the information from Geetha.

 

In each of these sentences, there is only one clause and one finite verb. All the sentences are in the form of one independent clause.

 

Complex Sentences:

 

A simple sentence is one in which there is only one independent finite clause, which is called the main or principal clause, and one or more dependent or subordinate clauses, they may be either non-finite or finite. The main clause can occur independently, on its own in a sentence. It can form a sentence by itself. But a subordinate clause can’t occur independently. A subordinate clause has to be dependent on the main clause in some way; it can’t occur in the sentence independently, on its own. For example we can’t have only the following dependent clauses marked by * in the following sentences in written English (though it is possible to use such incomplete sentence in speech). They have to occur within a sentence like the one we have used after them.

 

1.                    *When she came …….It was 7 o’clock when she came

 

2.	*Which is right here…….	I was looking for my pen which is right here
3.	*To eat hot food………	All my children like to eat hot food.

 

Here clause and sentence can’t be understood to have the same structure. In a complex sentence, there will be more than one clause.

 

A)                   Look at the following sentences. They contain an independent clause with a finite verb, and a dependent non-finite clause. The non-finite clauses are underlined. The verbs in these subordinate clauses do not indicate tense, person or number.

1.    I want to go.

 

2.    Tired, he walked out of the room.

 

3.    Children enjoy swimming in the lake.

 

4.    We all want to be millionaires.

 

5.    John’s smoking fifty cigarettes a day is bad for his health.

 

B)                   In the following sentences, there is one independent clause and on subordinate finite clause. The subordinate clauses are underlined.

 

1.    I saw that John was reading.

 

2.    Meena has a pen which writes beautifully

 

3.    When we reached the shop, it was closed already.

 

4.    I will come to the party if Jane also comes.

 

5.    Ravindra has accepted the job because he needs it badly.

 

C)                    It is, of course, possible for a sentence to have more than one dependent clause; that is, a sentence may have one or more finite and one or more non-finite clauses. In the following sentences non-finite clauses are underlined.

 

1.    Mummy sent me to buy vegetables in the market, while she was watching a movie    on the TV.

 

2.    The students wanted the teacher to discuss their difficulties as their examinations were approaching close.

 

3.    Keshav, Who is my brother, went to the USA to get a job there.

 

Compound Sentences:

 

A compound sentence is one in which there are more than one independent clauses which are joined together with the help of connectors like and, or, but etc. In this type of sentence, each clause can also occur independently. No clause is dependent on another one. We can coordinate any number of clauses in a sentence of this type.

 

1.    I went to school but Geetha went to library.

 

2.    John is quite studios and Mary loves to read books.

 

3.    Either Meera comes with me or I don’t go out.

 

4.    Ganesh can sing songs and Raja can play harmonium in the Ganesh festival.

 

It is possible to have a compound sentence with some dependent clauses as well. For example:

 

1.    Geetha came to the party and Shashi said that he would come after some time.

 

2.    Keshav wanted to join us but his father wanted him to attend to some work.

3.    John has rented a house and we are all visiting him today but Gopal can’t come as his father is ill.