16 Questions
What is the primary function of a sentence in English?
To supply information
What is the minimum requirement for a sentence to be complete?
A subject and a finite verb
Which of the following sentences is an example of an exclamation?
It's a ghost!
What is the term for a sentence with two or more finite verbs?
Compound sentence
What is the component of a sentence that reflects who or what we are talking about?
Subject
What is the term for a sentence with one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses?
Complex sentence
What is the purpose of a subordinating conjunction in a sentence?
To introduce a subordinate clause
What is the rest of the sentence, apart from the subject, called?
Predicate
What is the function of a direct object in a sentence?
It answers who or what after the verb
What is the main purpose of punctuation marks in written text?
To make the written text easier to read and understand
What is the correct way to use capital letters in titles of books, films, or plays?
Only the main words are capitalized
What is the purpose of a comma in a sentence?
To separate words or phrases in a list
What is the correct way to use a semi-colon in a sentence?
To connect two independent clauses
What is the function of an indirect object in a sentence?
It always tells you to whom or what or for whom after the direct object
What is the purpose of a full stop in a sentence?
To indicate the end of a sentence
What is the correct way to use capital letters in proper nouns?
Only the first letter is capitalized
Study Notes
Sentence Structure
- A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
- A sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, a question mark, or an exclamation mark.
- A sentence must contain a subject and a finite verb.
Types of Sentences
- There are four types of sentences in English: statements, questions, exclamations, and commands.
- Statements supply information.
- Questions ask for information.
- Exclamations express emotions such as surprise, fear, alarm, or anger.
- Commands are used to give orders or instructions.
Sentence Classification
- Sentences are also classified as simple, compound, and complex sentences.
- Simple sentences have one finite verb and deal with one idea.
- Compound sentences have two or more finite verbs and may be made up of two or more simple sentences joined by a co-ordinating conjunction.
- Complex sentences contain one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses, joined by subordinating conjunctions.
Sentence Analysis
- A sentence can be divided into a subject and a predicate.
- The subject reflects who or what we are talking about.
- The predicate is the rest of the sentence and expands on the subject.
- The predicate can be further divided into verb, direct object, and indirect object.
Punctuation
- Punctuation marks make written text easier to read and understand.
- Capital letters are used to start sentences, for proper nouns and proper adjectives, and for main words in titles of books, films, or plays.
- Full stops are used to indicate the end of a sentence and after certain abbreviations.
- Commas are used to separate words or phrases in a list, to indicate where one phrase or clause ends and another begins, and to separate additional information from the rest of the sentence.
- Semi-colons are used to separate two equally important, related or parallel ideas, to indicate opposite ideas, and to join two main clauses where there is no conjunction.
- Colons are used to indicate that a list, an explanation, or an amplification is about to follow.
Test your knowledge of sentence structure and composition in English grammar, including identifying subjects and verbs, and understanding sentence formatting.
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