Table of Content(toc)
When we write a sentence, we have
various reasons or purposes for writing them. The four main reasons for which
we write sentences are:
To make a statement
To ask a question
To express one's attitude about
something
To express a command, surprise, etc.
The sentences classified by purpose
are:
- Declarative Sentences
- Interrogative Sentences
- Exclamatory Sentences
- Imperative Sentences
Declarative Sentences
A sentence which states a fact is
called a declarative sentence. All declarative sentences end with a
period. Declarative sentences are the most common use in all types of
sentences. A declarative sentence has the following different structures.
subject + verb
The child cried.
subject + verb + adverbial
The flames spread everywhere.
subject + verb + direct object
She bought a doll.
subject + verb + indirect object +
direct object
He promised me a present.
subject + verb + direct object +
adverbial
She kissed the baby on the forehead.
subject + verb + complement
The boy seems worried.
subject + verb + complement +
adverbial
She looked beautiful yesterday.
Further Examples of a declarative
sentence
- They have eaten dinner.
- He has made several mistakes.
- I haven't reached there on time.
- The children have gone to school.
- The moon is shining tonight.
Sometimes a declarative sentence
ends with exclamation marks instead of a full stop if we want to express strong
feelings.
Compare:
- Hana's coming.
- Hana's coming!
Both the sentences express the same
information. However, the second sentence not only conveys the same thought but
also expresses strong emotion.
Note: A full stop is also called a period. This name for a full stop is
often used in American English.
Interrogative Sentences
A sentence that simply asks a
question is called an interrogative sentence. A question mark denoted as
(?) goes at the end of every interrogative sentence.
Examples
Where are you from?
Is the baby sleepy?
When will we arrive?
In some sentences, we cannot decide
whether a group of words make a statement or ask a question. In this case, the
only way to decide is to place a punctuation mark (?) at the end.
For example
He's arriving this evening.
He's arriving this evening?
If a sentence consists of more than
one part separated by commas and only one part of that sentence asks a question,
the whole sentence is treated as an interrogative sentence. For example
When will you go, if you don't want
to go now?
If she doesn't want to go now, when
will she go?
The interrogative sentences can be
either yes/no questions, Wh-questions, or tag questions.
The yes/no questions mean the
asked question can be answered either in yes/no. These types of
questions usually begin with an auxiliary verb.
- May I help you?
- Does she speak Chinese?
- Is there enough water for us?
- Is your brother older than her?
Wh-questions are interrogative sentences formed with questions words, i.e.,
who, when, how, why, where, etc.; the answers to these questions can be short
or long.
- Why did you decide to live in your old
house?
- When is she going?
- How old are your older?
- Who is that person?
- Where did you go last night?
Tag
questions: A
question formed by adding a question as a tag to the end of a declarative
sentence is called a tag question. A tag question such as 'aren't you'
or 'wasn't it is used to check if a person is agreeing with you or to
check information.
- They are
going to school, aren't they?
- That isn't
your book, is it?
- Did you study
hard, aren't you?
Exclamatory Sentences
A sentence that expresses a strong
emotion is called an exclamatory sentence. The exclamatory sentences end
with a unique mark of punctuation called exclamation point. It is denoted as "!"
Examples
- What beautiful weather today!
- My God! What a heavy rain.
- Oh! What bad luck!
- What a lovely baby!
- How stupid he is!
An exclamatory sentence might
have any of these structures.
Complement + subject + verb
what a beautiful girl she was!
Complement
What lovely weather!
direct object + subject + verb
What horrible work he's doing.
subject + complement
New machines work fast.
Some exclamatory sentences look like
interrogative sentences but are, in fact, expressing a command. Such sentences
are punctuated with an exclamation mark (!) rather than a question mark.
Example
Isn't that a beautiful house!
Imperative Sentences
A sentence that makes a request or
gives an order is called an imperative sentence. An imperative sentence
may end with a full stop or exclamation mark. It all depends on how forceful
the request or order is.
Example
- Please help me. (Request)
- Get out of my room! (Command)
- Turn off the heater before you sleep.
- Sit down!
- How stupid he is!
- Do your work!
Imperative sentences do not take
subjects. An imperative sentence can be made negative by putting do not before
the infinitive.
In an imperative sentence, we don't usually
mention the subject. This is because the person giving the command is obviously
talking to someone who is present; the subject is assumed to be you.
An imperative sentence can be made
in any one of the following structures.
Verb
Go!
Verb + complement
Be careful!
Verb + direct object
Stop writing!
Verb + adverbial or subject + verb +
adverbial
Write a little quickly!
Verb + direct object + adverbial
Study this book for two months.
Verb + direct object + indirect
object + adverbial
Give them access at once.
Adverbial
Sit!
subject + verb + adverbial
She went to school.
Note: The structures discussed above for declarative, exclamatory,
and imperative sentences aren't all the possible structures.
What are Positive and Negative Sentences
Positive Sentence: A sentence that does not have negative words such as not, nothing,
none, nor, nobody, nowhere, etc., is called a positive
sentence. Positive sentences are also called affirmative sentences.
Examples of Positive Sentences
- She likes bananas.
- Please stop.
- He asked me how
to study.
- His lecture was good, but the conclusion
was too long and complicated.
- He has been to New Zealand.
- Is he arriving
today?
Negative
Sentence: A sentence that contains negative words, i.e.,
no, not, never, nowhere, nobody, etc., is
called a negative sentence.
Examples of negative sentences
- There is no rice left.
- I have never been to England.
- He has got two phones, but neither
works properly.
- I neither studied nor
slept last night.
- Nobody agreed with them.
- The paper was not difficult.
How to Make a Positive Sentence Negative
To make a
positive sentence negative, we have to place a negative word in the correct
place in the positive sentence. The negative words usually go between the
auxiliary and main verb as;
- I have not
seen him yet.
- He is not
working with us.
- I have never
played piano.
When a
sentence consists of more than one helping verb, these negative words go after
the first auxiliary verb.- He has not
been driving since last Friday.
- I have never
been seen such a stupid person.
The be
verb is used as either an auxiliary or main verb; in both cases, it can be
followed by not.
- He isn't rich.
- They aren't coming.
Sometimes simply putting a negative
word in a positive sentence isn't enough to make a sentence negative. In this
case, changes to other terms in a sentence are also needed to make a positive
sentence negative.
Examples
Positive: I have watched many movies before.
Negative:
I haven't watched any movie before.
Positive:
Bring some of your documents.
Negative:
Don't bring any of your documents.
Positive:
I think he has something to tell us.
Negative: I don't think he has anything to
tell us.
Positive: He was talking to someone.
Negative: He wasn't talking to anyone.
Positive: He is going too.
Negative: He isn't going either.
Positive: There must be something someone can
do.
Negative: There is nothing anyone can do.
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