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Sentence Types

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Simple/Basic Sentences
• This type of sentence (also called an “independent
clause’) is made up of:
• SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT

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•a)Sometimes the sentence will only have the first

two parts: SUBJECT + VERB examples;

•1. The bomb exploded.

•2. The students screamed.

•3. The teacher and the students ran.

•4. The student who was most frightened fell.

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b) Some verbs must have a Direct
Object (i.ewhat the verbs relate to),

• so the sentence will have:

SUBJECT + VERB + DIRECT OBJECT eg;
•

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1.Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.
2.The manager fired the employee .
3.Most of the PPISMP TESL students passed the
exam.
4.All students boughtthe textbook.

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c) Some verbs must have two objects:
a Direct Object (i.e what the verb
relates to),and an Indirect Object (i.e the
•

person who receives the direct object) so

the sentence will have:

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•

• SUBJECT + VERB + INDIRECT OBJECT +

DIRECT OBJECT examples;
1.The student gave the lecturer his essay.
2.The teacher wrote the student a reference.
3.The manager offered the employee a pay rise.

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 NOTE: these sentences can change the
order of the objects if a preposition
( eg, to,for) is used:

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

 The student gave his essay to the

lecturer.
 The teacher wrote a reference for the
student.
 The manager offered a pay rise to the
employee.

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d) Sentences can also have more phrases or clauses
•

to add extra information about the

time,place,manner,or reason (relating to the
action).Therefore, the basic sentence can be
short,or quite long. Foe example, both of these are

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basic sentences:
1.Economists study market forces.
2.The highly skilled and dedicated workers will have
completed the installation project before
December 31.

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Practice Task 1-The Basic Sentence
 Identify the parts of each sentence below,as
SUBJECT (S), VERB (V), DIRECT OBJECT ( Dir
Obj)

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1.Many rural people are leaving their farms for
city jobs.
2.A big city offers its residents a wide range of
opportunities.
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•3. Researchers from the University of London
have been studying the emotional problems of
city residents for the past ten years.

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•4. In rural areas, the Government should

develop housing,community facilities, and

jobs.
•5. That type of development would give

everyone good employment and leisure

opportunities outside the urban areas.

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2) Compound Sentences
• Simple sentences can be combined to make
longer and complicates sentences. Linking two
or more simple sentences so that each part is

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equal and make sense on its own results in a
compound sentence. Example :
•1.The student wrote a computer game, and

Microsoft bought it for $100,000.

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2.There are several types of exporting
companies, so the manufacturer will have
to choose the best type to use.

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3.We heard the news; we couldn’t believe our
ears.
4.I know you want to come with me; however, I
won’t let you.

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Compound sentences are formed
in one of three ways:
1.Comma with a linking word, such as:
• ,and ,or ,but
,yet ,nor ,so

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•

2.Semicolon ;
3.Semicolon with a linking word of
appropriate meaning
• ;also ;first ;indeed
• ,furthermore ;second ;instead
• ;however ;on the
other
• ; in addition hand
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• ;
Practice Task 2-The Compound
Sentence
Write an appropriate linking word to go in each
•

space. Write the correct punctuation too.

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1)The student worked hard for the last
assignment ______ she did lots of self-study
at the library.
2)Our society needs more scientists______ more
students are enrolling in Science degree.

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3)
4)Our society needs more scientists______ more

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students are enrolling in Arts degrees.
5)One problem is the low pay that scientists get
________ their working conditions are not
good when compared with other
professions.
6)This trend will create a clear outcome_____
7)Scientists will have to be brought in from
other countries.
8)
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3) COMPLEX SENTENCES
A complex sentence is made up of a basic
•

sentence (“independent clause”)plus one or

more subordinate clauses. A subordinate

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clause does not “make sense” on its own.
Egs.of subordinate clause:
1)when people drive too fast
2)after the lecture theatre was cleaned
3)even though she was top of the class last
term

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•

They need other information to become a complete

•

unit of meaning.Here is each subordinate

clause,combined with an independent clause, to
create a complex sentence.

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1)More fatal accidents accur on the motorways when
people drive too fast.
2)The lost cell phone was found after the lecture
theatre was cleaned.
3)The Japanese student has dropped Economics even
though she was top of the class last term.

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• Subordinate clauses can be placed
before,after,or inside the independent clause.
The above examples have them after the

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independent clause. Here are some examples
in other positions.
•

1) When the lecturer asked a question, no one

•

said anything.

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•2) If the students request it, a class party can
be arranged.

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•3) The meeting that I attended yesterday was

about the length of the exam period.

•4) The student who wants an extension was

absent all last week.

•5) She regretted that she had handed her

assignment in late.

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Linking words that are often used as
sobordinating linkers in complex
sentences
After because in order that. so whenever that
although before that
now that that
though where what

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as even once unless whereas whatever
as if though rather
how until wherever which
as tough if, even if than
since when while who (whose,
whom)
Whoever
(whomever)

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A complex sentence can also begin with
a subordinate clause that starts with:
•

•An infinitive (to+ verb) eg.

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•To finish the task, Kim had to work quickly.

•A present participle (verb+ing) eg.

•Smiling happily, the employees left the

meeting.
•A past participle (verb+ed,if a regular verb) eg.

•Surprised by the sudden noise, the birds flew

•away.

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Practice Task 3-Complex Sentenses
• Identify the subordinate clause(s) and the
independent clause, and underline the
subordinating linker in the following complex

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sentences.
1)Officials monitored the volcano, which
threatened to destroy the town.
2)Company directors who receive salaries over
$100,000 pay the highest rate of income
tax.

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•3) Although the workers tried hard, they missed the
dateline for getting the product packed up.
•4) Tall men prefer to marry shorter women, rather

than selecting a woman of equal height to

themselves.
•5) The teacher had no idea what the students were

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celebrating.
•6)Unless there is a big improvement in the weather,

the outdoor concert will be cancelled.

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•7) Reading as quickly as possible, the students
finished the text in only 5 minutes.

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•8) Excited by the idea,the students went ahead

and organized a class party.

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Compound and Complex Sentences
 Example of a compound and complex sentence:

 The computer, which was bought last year, is not

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working and it cannot be fixed because there are
no parts available.
 Basic Sentence= The computer is not working
• = it cannot be fixed
•‘which was bought last year’- a surbordinate clause

with extra information about the computer

•‘because there are no parts available’-a surbordinate

clause & it is dependent on the independent clause

‘it cannot be fixed’
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Practice Task 4
• Identify whether the sentences below are
simple,compound or complex sentences.

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•

•1) He spoke to the teacher yesterday,and he

accepted her explaination.________
•2)My car is in a terrible condition because I

have travel into the work site every day. ______

•3)Until now,the authorities have not looked into

this problem.________
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•4) I don’t know the price of these books,as I haven’t
bought them myself._______
•5) We saw that the dog had already left. ______

•6) I knew that I had met her somewhere

before._______
•7) If I had listened to her,we would be alright now.

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______
•8) She told us she found the pen.______

•9) Faridah was sick last week.______

•10) My car does not run on ordinary petrol but it

uses unleaded. _______

•

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