TYPES OF SENTENCES AND CLAUSES Muhammad Talha Saleem

CLAUSE
A clause
A group of words that has a subject- verb combination is known as a clause. Here, the
presence of subject- verb combination is important. If it doesn't have a subject- verb
combination, it jumps into the category of phrases, hence, will not be called a clause
anymore.
Let's go through some examples for better understanding.
E.g.
1. She has a book.
2. I love making pizza.
3. Because Haris wanted to meet Zohaib.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE
An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone and gives a complete idea
on its own. An independent clause is a sentence. Let's go through some examples.
Examples:
I love pizzas.
He is a man of his words.
Kashif never lies to me.
We are going to Islamabad next week.
DEPENDENT CLAUSE
A dependent clause
A dependent clause is a group of words that cannot stand alone on its own and
depends on some other parts to render a complete idea or meaning. A dependent
clause doesn't have the capability to become a sentence. It uses subordinating
conjunctions in them.
Examples:
Since it was Sunday
As if I was stealing the mobile phone
Even if I fail the examination
 SENTENCE
A sentence is a group words that give a complete meaning on its own. It
is also known as an independent clause.
Examples:
I love making people laugh.
You work hard.
This is my book.
IN SHORT,
Every sentence is a clause, but every clause isn't a sentence. For a clause
to be called a sentence, it has to be an independent clause.
A dependent clause isn't a sentence.
An independent clause is a sentence.
Both sentences and clauses have many phrases in them.
 BY
TYPES OF SENTENCE ______

STRUCTURE
SIMPLE SENTENCE :-
A simple sentence is a sentence with one clause (a main or independent
clause). A main clause has both a subject and verb and expresses a
complete meaning.
E.g.
I bought a car.
I ate a mango.
A team of scientists are drilling in search of oil.
He goes to the University every afternoon.
COMPOUND SENTENCE :-
A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses joined
together by a coordinating conjunction ( words like and, but, or, nor,
so, for and yet). A coordinating conjunction sits between the two
clauses. It has no dependent clause.
All compound sentences could be broken up into separate simple
sentences.
E.g.
I wrote him a letter but he didn’t reply me.
She failed many times yet she is not disappointed.
I like playing cricket and my wife likes reading but my son prefers
indoor games.
COMPLEX SENTENCES:-
A complex sentence has one main clause (independent clause) and atleast one subordinate
clause (dependent clause) connected by subordinate conjunctions such as since, because,
unless , when, which, that etc.

 I’m satisfied, even though I don’t make much money.

 Babar, a friend I’ve known since high school, doesn’t eat meat.
 After getting home from work, my brother and I went to the mall last night.
 This new laptop, which I bought yesterday, has already crashed twice.
 COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE
A compound-complex sentence contains 3 or more clauses: 2 independent and
at least 1 dependent clause.
E.g. I’m satisfied, even though I don’t make much money, but my kids are
always complaining since we can’t afford to buy the latest toys.
Independent clauses: “I’m satisfied” and “my kids are always complaining”
Dependent clauses: “even though I don’t make much money” and “since we can’t
afford to buy the latest toys”
Linking word: “but”
Babar, a friend I’ve known since high school, doesn’t eat meat – so my wife
made a special dish for him.
Independent clauses: “Babar doesn’t eat meat” and “my wife made a special dish
for him”
Dependent clause: “a friend I’ve known since high school”
Linking word: “so”
 EXERCISE
1. I made an airplane out of stone.
2. I put a piece of cantaloupe underneath the microscope.
3. Oaties stay oaty, and Wheat Chex stay floaty, and nothing can take the puff out of Puffed
Rice.
4. While fishing in the blue lagoon, I caught a lovely silverfish.
5. They say if you step on a crack, you will break your mother's back.
6. They just had a contest for scariest mask, and I was the wild and daring one who won the
contest for scariest mask—and I'm not even wearing one.
7. My voice was raspy, rough, and cracked.
8. I opened my eyes and looked up at the rain, and it dripped in my head and flowed into my
brain.
9. They say that once in Zanzibar a boy stuck out his tongue so far that it reached the heavens
and touched a star, which burned him rather badly.
10. I'm going to Camp Wonderful beside Lake Paradise across from Blissful Mountain in the Valley
of the Nice.
ANSWERS

1. simple
2. simple
3. compound
4. complex
5. complex
6. compound-complex
7. simple
8. compound
9. complex
10. simple
TYPES OF SENTENCES_______ BY FUNCTION
There are four kinds of sentence according to function.
Assertive or Declarative Sentence
Interrogative Sentence
Imperative Sentence
Exclamatory Sentence
Assertive or Declarative Sentence
A sentence that makes a statement or assertion is called an assertive or declarative
sentence.
Examples:
He goes to office.
He likes to play cricket.
She is playing golf.
Interrogative Sentence
A sentence in which a question is asked is called an interrogative sentence. Interrogative
sentence ends with question mark.
Examples:
Where are you going?
Do you read newspaper?
Imperative Sentence
A sentence that expresses a request, command or advice is called an imperative sentence.
Examples:
Open the door. (an order)
Please help me. (a request)
Exclamatory Sentence
A sentence that shows strong feelings or emotions is called an exclamatory sentence. These
sentences express surprise, joy, sorrow, appreciation, love excitement, frustration, anger etc.
An exclamatory sentence ends with exclamation mark.
Examples:
What a beautiful girl she is!
How wonderfully he is singing!
That is fantastic!
Hurrah! We won the match!
EXERCISE
Identify each of the following sentences as declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory
1. "How beautiful a street is in winter!" (Virginia Woolf)
2. "Have the skillet hot and keep it well greased." (Ernest Hemingway)
3. "We boarded our train with feelings of unbounded relief." (James Weldon Johnson)
4. "Each cell measured about ten feet by ten and was quite bare within except for a plank bed and a pot
of drinking water." (George Orwell)
5. "Where were the blackbirds?" (Richard Jefferies)
6. "Always obey your parents, when they are present." (Mark Twain)
7. "The house was so big that there was always a room to hide in, and I had a red pony and a garden
where I could wander." (W.B. Yeats)
8. "Even now, the sight of an old, six-inch, worm-eaten cork brings fragrant memories!" (Samuel H.
Scudder)
9. "Why does a funeral always sharpen one's sense of humor and rouse one's spirits?" (George Bernard
Shaw)
10. "And whom should we see in the evening, but our two little boys, walking on each side of a fierce,
yellow-faced, bearded man!" (William Makepeace Thackeray)
 ANSWERS
1. exclamatory sentence
2. imperative sentence
3. declarative sentence
4. declarative sentence
5. interrogative sentence
6. imperative sentence
7. declarative sentence
8. exclamatory sentence
9. interrogative sentence
10. exclamatory sentence