Sentences: Structures and Types
Sentences may be classified according to their purpose or meaning: assertive (positive/negative), interrogative, imperative and exclamatory.
Another way to classify sentences is according to their construction, the kind and number of their clauses.
1. The Simple Sentence
A simple sentence has one independent clause and no subordinate clauses.
Look at the examples of simple sentences below. Notice that a simple sentence may have a compound subject (sentence 2) or a compound predicate (sentence 3) or both (sentence 4). A compound subject consists of two or more connected subjects that have the same verb. A compound predicate consists of two or more connected verbs that have the same subject.
1. Bangladesh has some beautiful tourist spots.
2. The tea gardens in Sylhet and the forests of the Sundarbans are favourite tourist attractions. (The two parts of the compound subject have the same verb, are.)
3. We planned to go to Syhet but then went to the Sundarbans instead.
4. Paban and Sara brought some bananas and fed the monkeys.
2. The Compound Sentence
A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses but no subordinate clauses.
The independent clauses are usually joined by some connecting or linking words such as, and, but, or, nor, for, yet, however, therefore, etc. We can also join the independent clauses by using a semicolon.
Following are some examples of compound sentences:
I like jogging, but I like swimming better.
Razzak graduated last year, and now he works in a private bank.
I wanted to go to the concert, but I didn't get the ticket.
The giraffe has a long neck and long legs, but it is a very graceful animal.
Fruits and vegetables should be a part of everyone's diet, for they supply necessary vitamins.
It was a good day for outing; I went cycling in the countryside.
3. The Complex Sentence
A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses.
We had lunch at the student cafeteria when we visited the college.
He gave her a pair of bangles which belonged to his mother.
While we walked along the beach, it started raining.
