Sentence (linguistics) facts for kids
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete idea. Think of it as a full thought or message. In English, sentences usually start with a capital letter and end with a period (.), a question mark (?), or an exclamation mark (!).
For example, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" is a sentence. It tells you something complete. Sentences can be used to:
- Make a statement: "The sky is blue."
- Ask a question: "Are you ready?"
- Give a command: "Close the door!"
- Show strong feeling: "What a great idea!"
Contents
What are Clauses?
A sentence often contains one or more clauses. A clause is a group of words that has a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a finite verb (an action word that shows tense, like "runs" or "ran").
For example:
- Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. (Here, Water is the subject, and boils is the verb.)
There are two main types of clauses:
Independent Clauses
An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. It makes sense by itself.
- I like pizza.
- She is happy.
Dependent Clauses
A dependent clause (also called a non-independent clause) cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It needs to be connected to an independent clause to make sense.
- because I was hungry (This doesn't make sense by itself.)
- when the bell rang (This also needs more information.)
When you combine them, they form a complete thought:
- I ate the pizza (independent) because I was hungry (dependent).
- We left the classroom (independent) when the bell rang (dependent).
How Sentences are Built
Sentences can be put together in different ways based on their clauses.
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence has only one independent clause. It's a single, complete thought.
- The dog barked.
- My friend plays soccer.
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses joined together. These clauses are usually connected by words like "and," "but," "or," or by a semicolon (;).
- I like apples, and she likes oranges.
- He studied hard; therefore, he passed the test.
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
- Because it was raining, we stayed inside. (Dependent clause first)
- We stayed inside because it was raining. (Dependent clause second)
Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence has two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. It's like combining a compound and a complex sentence.
- Even though it was cold, I went for a walk, and I saw a beautiful bird. (Dependent, Independent, Independent)
Sentences by Their Purpose
We can also classify sentences by what they are trying to do.
- Declarative Sentence: Makes a statement or tells you something.
* "You are my friend."
- Interrogative Sentence: Asks a question.
* "Are you my friend?"
- Imperative Sentence: Gives a command or makes a request.
* "Be my friend!"
- Exclamative Sentence: Shows strong emotion or surprise.
* "What a good friend you are!"
Sometimes, a sentence might look like one type but mean another. For example, "Can you pass me the salt?" looks like a question (interrogative), but it's usually a request (imperative).
Major and Minor Sentences
Most sentences you use are major sentences. They have a clear subject and a verb.
- "I have a ball." (I is the subject, have is the verb)
A minor sentence is a special type of sentence that doesn't always have a subject and a verb, but it still makes sense in context.
- "Hello!"
- "Wow!"
- "Next Tuesday evening."
- "The more, the merrier."
Sometimes, a single word can be a sentence, like "Mary!" when calling someone's name.
Sentence Length
The length of sentences can affect how easy a text is to read and understand.
- Average sentence length is often measured by counting the total words and dividing by the number of sentences.
- Generally, shorter sentences are easier to read, while longer sentences can make writing more complex.
- Authors often use a mix of long and short sentences to keep writing interesting and clear.
See also
In Spanish: Oración (gramática) para niños
