English sentence structure

A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb, and it may also have an object and modifiers. However, it contains only one independent clause

English Sentence Structure The following statements are true about sentences in English: A new sentence begins with a capital letter. He obtained his degree. A sentence ends with punctuation (a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point). He obtained his degree. A sentence contains a subject that is only given once. Smith he obtained his degree. A sentence contains a verb or a verb phrase. He obtained his degree. A sentence follows Subject + Verb + Object word order. He (subject) obtained (verb) his degree (object). A sentence must have a complete idea that stands alone. This is also called an independent clause. He obtained his degree.

Subject: A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that does an action. Determine the subject in a sentence by asking the question “Who or what?” I like spaghetti. He reads many books. Verb: Expresses what the person, animal, place, thing, or concept does. Determine the verb in a sentence by asking the question “What was the action or what happened?” I like spaghetti. He reads many books. The movie is good. (The be verb is also sometimes referred to as a copula or a linking verb. It links the subject, in this case "the movie," to the complement or the predicate of the sentence, in this case, "good.") Object: A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that receives the action. Determine the object in a sentence by asking the question “The subject did what?” or “To whom?/For whom?” I like spaghetti. He reads many books.

Independent clause: An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. It contains a subject and a verb and is a complete idea. I like spaghetti. He reads many books. I am hungary.

Dependent clause: A dependent clause is not a complete sentence. It must be attached to an independent clause to become complete. This is also known as a subordinate clause. Although I like spaghetti,… Because he reads many books,…

Prepositional Phrase: A phrase that begins with a preposition (i.e., in, at for, behind, until, after, of, during) and modifies a word in the sentence. A prepositional phrase answers one of many questions. Here are a few examples: “Where? When? In what way?”

A compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses. These two independent clauses can be combined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction or with a semicolon. She completed her literature review, and she created her reference list. He organized his sources by theme; then, he updated his reference list. They studied APA rules for many hours, but they realized there was still much to learn. Using some compound sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety.

A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Dependent clauses can refer to the subject (who, which) the sequence/time (since, while), or the causal elements (because, if) of the independent clause. If a sentence begins with a dependent clause, note the comma after this clause. If, on the other hand, the sentence begins with an independent clause, there is not a comma separating the two clauses. Note the commas in these sentences because they begin with a dependent clause. Although she completed her literature review, she still needed to work on her methods section. Because he organized his sources by theme, it was easier for his readers to follow. They studied APA rules for many hours as they were so interesting. Using some complex sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety.

Sentence types can also be combined. A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. She completed her literature review, but she still needs to work on her methods section even though she finished her methods course last semester. Although he organized his sources by theme, he decided to arrange them chronologically, and he carefully followed the MEAL plan for organization. With pizza and soda at hand, they studied APA rules for many hours, and they decided that writing in APA made sense because it was clear, concise, and objective. Using some complex-compound sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety. Pay close attention to comma usage in complex-compound sentences so that the reader is easily able to follow the intended meaning.

A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses (also known as complete sentences) are connected improperly. Example: I love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the time. There are two complete sentences in the above example: Sentence 1: I love to write papers. Sentence 2: I would write one every day if I had the time.

Some comma splices occur when a writer attempts to use a transitional expression in the middle of a sentence. Example of a comma splice: The results of the study were inconclusive, therefore more research needs to be done on the topic. Sentence 1: The results of the study were inconclusive Transitional expression (conjunctive adverb): therefore Sentence 2: More research needs to be done on the topic To fix this type of comma splice, use a semicolon before the transitional expression and add a comma after it. See more examples of this on the semicolon page. Revision: The results of the study were inconclusive; therefore, more research needs to be done on the topic.

Correcting Run-On Sentences A run-on sentence can be fixed by connecting its parts correctly. There are several ways to connect independent clauses. Use a period. The easiest way to fix a run-on is to split the sentence into smaller sentences using a period. This revision works especially well with longer sentences. Check, however, to make sure that this solution does not result in short, choppy sentences. Revision example: I love to write papers. I would write one every day if I had the time. Use a semicolon. Inserting a semicolon between independent clauses creates a grammatically correct sentence. Using a semicolon is a stylistic choice that establishes a close relationship between the two sentences. Revision example: I love to write papers; I would write one every day if I had the time.

Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction. A comma, paired with a coordinating conjunction (e.g., "and," "but," or "or"), corrects a run-on sentence. This method emphasizes the relationship between the two clauses. Revision example: I love to write papers, and I would write one every day if I had the time. Use a subordinating conjunction. Turn one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause. A subordinating conjunction (e.g., "because," "unless," and "although") connects two clauses to create a complex sentence. This option works to cement the relationship between the two parts of the sentence and may improve the flow of the clauses. Example: Because I love to write papers, I would write one every day if I had the time. However you decide to revise for run-on sentences, remember that maintaining sentence variety helps to keep the writing clear and interesting for your readers.

A sentence fragment is a string of words that does not form a complete sentence; there is a necessary component of a complete sentence missing. This missing component may be a subject (usually a noun) or a predicate (verb or verb phrase) and/or when the sentence does not express a complete idea. Here is an example of a fragment with a missing subject. Example of a fragment: Shows no improvement in any of the vital signs. The sentence above is a fragment since there is no subject (Who shows no improvement?). Fragments can be corrected by identifying the missing element and including it. Revision: The patient shows no improvement in any of the vital signs. Here is an example of a fragment with a missing predicate, or action: Example of a fragment: The doctors, who were using peer-reviewed research articles that contributed to the body of knowledge in their fields, which was obstetrics. Notice here that although the sentence is quite long, it still contains no action (What are the doctors doing?). Once identified, the sentence can be corrected easily. Revision: The doctors, who were using peer-reviewed research articles that contributed to the body of knowledge in their field, improved their knowledge of obstetrics.