Basic Sentence Structures in English

I. Introduction
A sentence is a higher grammatical unit than word. A sentence is a set or group of words which
makes complete sense. A sentence is a group of clauses. A sentence contains one or more than one
clause. A sentence gives the complete meaning. The study of sentences will give us the idea that
how the sentences are composed and they help us to express the desired meaning. On the basis of
the clause pattern in the sentence. The sentences are divided into the following three types.
II. Elements of Sentences
Sentence in English consists the following parts or elements:
1. Subject:
The subject performs the action of the sentence. It can be a noun, noun phrase, or noun clause.
To analyze sentences, grammarians have distinguished three kinds of subjects:
1. Complete Subject - "The old, dusty books on the table haven't been read in years." The
complete subject includes the entire noun phrase -- usually everything before the verb.
2. Simple Subject - "books". The simple subject is the main noun or pronoun stripped of all
modifiers.
3. Compound Subject - "The regular and the irregular students are present today." A
compound subject consists of two or more subjects linked together by conjunctions.
2. Verb:
A sentence can have three types of verbs either main verb, auxiliary verb with main verb or
auxiliary verb alone as main verb.
3. Object:
The object is the receiver of the action in a sentence: “He broke the table” or “He threw the ball.”
Like subjects, objects can be any word or group of words functioning as a noun, and each type of
object can also be categorized as a complete, simple, or compound object. Categorized by their
different functions within a sentence, the three types of objects are:
1. Direct Object - "I wrote a letter." (What did I write? A letter.)
1. Indirect Object - "I wrote a letter to my friend." (Who did I write a letter to? My friend.)
2. Prepositional Object - "I wrote on the paper." (What did I write on? The paper.)

4. Compliment:
Complements complete the predicate by modifying a noun in the sentence; copulas or linking verbs
require a complement to form a complete sentence.
1. Subject Complement - "The car is new." The subject complement follows a linking verb and modifies
the subject. It can be a predicate adjective (He is happy), a predicate noun (He is the boss), or an
adverbial complement (He is in the house).
2. Object Complement - "I painted my room purple." The object complement modifies the direct object,
either by describing it or renaming it (They elected him governor). Object complements can cause
some confusion; check out this Pain in the English post. Also see Wikipedia's note on Object
Complements.
3. Adjective Complement - "He was happy to help." The adjective complement is a special case in
which a group of words modifies an adjective. If removed, the adjective complement leaves a
grammatically complete sentence, but the meaning of the sentence changes. The CCC Guide to
Grammar and Writing explains the use of infinitive phrases as adjective complements. Note:
predicative adjectives are also sometimes called adjective complements.

KAILAS JADHAV 1
Unit I- English Grammar & Usage/ BCA FY/ Communication & Soft Skills-I 2016-17/COCSIT, Latur
 4. Verb Complement - Some grammarians use the term "verb complement" to refer to direct and indirect
objects (see the "Objects" section above), while others use it to refer to a complement occurring after
a linking verb (a subject complement).

5. Adverbial:
An adverbial is an adverb, adverbial phrase, or adverbial clause: any word or group of words that
acts as an adverb within a sentence. They usually tell more about the actions or verbs, but they can
also modify the whole sentence. Unlike an adverbial complement (He is in the house), an adverbial
isn’t needed to complete a sentence (He had lunch in the house or He had lunch).

III. Basic Sentence Structure Types

Sr. Structure Type Example

No.
1 S+V He came
2 S+V+O I like coffee
3 S+V+C The moon was bright
4 S+V+A They went to the market
5 S+V+O+A We treat them well
6 S+V+O+C They found him guilty
7 S+V+O+O They gave us the surprise

IV. Examples of the each type of sentence structure.

1. He came. (S+V)
 They are reading
 He studies
 We play
2. I like coffee. (S+V+O)
 The woman [S] built [V] a strong stone wall [O].
 The children [S] eat [V] buns, cakes, and biscuits [O].
 The professor [S] threw [V] an orange [O].
 They like rice.
3. The moon was bright (S+V+C)
 He is fine.
 He seems happy.
 Jordan is tall, dark and handsome.
 He appears very comfortable.
 George became sick last night.
4. We went to the market. (S+V+A)
 The teacher is here.
 We are in the class
 He comes regularly
 They work promptly
 He speaks fluently

KAILAS JADHAV 2
Unit I- English Grammar & Usage/ BCA FY/ Communication & Soft Skills-I 2016-17/COCSIT, Latur
 5. We treat them well (S+V+O+A)
 He answered the question correctly
 We attempted all the answers quickly
 He placed the book on the table
 They kept the bag there
 Some students submits the assignments regularly
6. They found him guilty (S+V+O+C)
 They declared him a captain.
 We call him a fool
 His late arrival had his mother worried. (worried describes the mother)
 The class voted Hilary most friendly. (friendly describes Hilary)
 The referee declared the other team the winner.
 His laughing made me angry
 I call my grandmother Nani.
 The agent labeled the folder top secret.
 Jack prefers his pizza cold.
 Our class selected Shashwat the class president.
7. They gave us the surprise. (S+V+O+O)
 He told me a story
 We asked him a question
 He gave his sister a gift.
 I showed them the picture.
 My father brought me the book.
On the basis of clause pattern in the sentence, sentences are again subdivided as follows.
1. Simple Sentence:
A meaningful group of words which has only one subject and one verb. This type of sentence
contains only one clause and that is main clause. In the following example observe the structures
of the simple sentence.
1. He came. (S+V)
2. I like coffee. (S+V+O)
3. The moon was bright. (S+V+C)
4. They went to the market. (S+V+A)
5. They gave us the surprise. (S+V+O2 (Indirect Object) + O1 (Direct Object)
6. They found him guilty. (S+V+O+C)
7. We treat them well. (S+V+O+A)
2. Compound Sentence:
A compound sentence is a sentence that has at least two independent clauses joined by a
comma, semicolon or coordinating conjunction. An independent clause is a clause that has a
subject and verb and forms a complete thought. A group of words in which we have two main
clauses which are joined together by the coordinating conjunctions like- but, or, so, and, yet,
for, also, either—or, neither—nor, in the following examples, you will come to know the
compound sentences and their structures.
Techniques to Join Independent Clauses

KAILAS JADHAV 3
Unit I- English Grammar & Usage/ BCA FY/ Communication & Soft Skills-I 2016-17/COCSIT, Latur
 A. The man was sitting in the restaurant, but he was not ordering anything. (With a Comma
and Coordinating Conjunction)
B. Kristin had one more thing to say: She wanted to take a family vacation. (With colon)
C. Juliet loves her little brother; he is generous and kind. (With semicolon)
1. He is slow but he is sure.
2. Pay the bill or ready to work here.
3. He is either in college or in canteen.
4. Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
5. I went home and I brought a book.
3. Complex Sentence:
A complex sentence is a sentence that combines one independent clause with at least one
dependent clause. A clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a verb. An
independent clause forms a complete thought. A dependent clause, also called a
subordinating clause, does not form a complete thought and is dependent upon an independent
clause for meaning.
A group of words in which we have one main clause and one or more than one subordinate
clause. A complex sentence always takes two clauses which are joined together by the
Subordinating Conjunctions like- After, because, that, which, who, whom, whose, when,
before, after, while, if, although, unless, where, etc. In complex sentence there will be either
Noun, Adjective, or Adverb subordinate clauses which take subordination conjunctions and get
connected to the main clause.
In the following examples, note the different patterns of the complex sentences.
1. I like tea because it stimulates me.
2. I will give you a call when I get time.
3. Before I start my topic, let me distribute the papers.
4. I will help you if you help me.
5. The people said as the boxer advanced into the ring they would not allow them.
6. Because my coffee was too cold, I heated it in the microwave.
7. Though he was very rich, he was still very unhappy.
8. She returned the computer after she noticed it was damaged.
9. When the cost goes up, customers buy less clothing.
10. As she was bright and ambitious, she became manager in no time.
11. Wherever you go, you can always find beauty.
12. The movie, though very long, was still very enjoyable.
13. Evergreen trees are a symbol of fertility because they do not die in the winter.
Complex sentences help you combine ideas in an interesting way. When you use them with other
sentence types in your writing, the variety helps you avoid choppiness and dull repetition.
This chapter will be asked for short note. The questions will be as follows.
1. Sentence Structure
2. Explain the Basic Sentence Structure
3. Identify the basic sentence structures of the following sentences
4. Simple sentence/ Compound Sentence/ Complex Sentence.
(Note: Students are required to understand the sentence elements of the given sentence.)

KAILAS JADHAV 4
Unit I- English Grammar & Usage/ BCA FY/ Communication & Soft Skills-I 2016-17/COCSIT, Latur