What Is a Sentence?Unit 1

Grammar 1: What Is a Sentence?A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. In order to express a complete thought, a sentence must tell who or what. It must also tell what is or what happens. A sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with end mark punctuation. There are three pieces of end mark punctuation: a period, a question mark, and an exclamation mark.

Tip:A sentence must have the following:• One complete thought• A subject and a verb• End with end mark punctuation• Begin with a capital letter

Sentence FragmentsA group of words that does not express a complete thought is called a sentence fragment. A fragment is NOT a sentence.

Fragments Sentences

Barked loudly The new puppy barked loudly.

The noisy class The noisy class was given detention.

Since the teacher Since the teacher was late, we didn’t have homework.

Grammar 2: Four Kinds of SentencesThe Four Kinds of Sentences Examples

A declarative sentence tells something. It ends with a period.

It is cold today.

An Interrogative sentence asks something. It ends with a question mark.

Has it been cold all day?

An imperative sentence gives an order. It ends with a period.

Don’t go outside without your coat.

An explanatory sentence expresses strong feels.

It is so cold!

Grammar 3: Subject and PredicatesEvery sentence has two parts. The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about. The predicate tells what the subject is or does.

Subject Predicate

The sleepy kitten curled up on the sofa.

The new student came to the cafeteria.

Complete Subjects and PredicatesAll the words in the subject made up the complete subject. All the words in the predicate make up the complete predicate.

The complete subject may be either one word or more than one word.

The complete predicate may also e one word or more than one word.

Grammar 4: Simple SubjectsEvery complete subject has a simple subject, the main word that tells whom or what the sentence is about.Example 1: Cats require a great deal of sleep.Example 2: Young cats require a great deal of sleep.The simple subject can sometimes be exactly to the same as the complete subject. (Ex. 1)

Sometimes the simple subject may be several words that name a person or place.The Hawaiian Islands are beautiful.

Grammar 5: Simple Predicates

In the complete predicate, the simple predicate is the one main word that tells what the subject is or does. The simple predicate is also called the verb.Example: The puppy ran home.Example: He ran.The simple predicate may be more than one word. There may be a main verb and one or more helping verbs.Example: The puppy has barked all night.

Grammar 6: Subjects in Imperatives

In an imperative sentence, you is always the subject. It usually is not stated in the sentence. We say that it is the “understood” subject.Example: Open your books. (You is the understood subject.)

Grammar 7: Conjunctions

Words that connect other words or groups of words in a sentence are called conjunctions. Words such as and, but, and or are conjunctions.Conjunctions can connect two subjects, two predicates, or two sentences.Example: The puppy and kitten sleep together.Example: The puppy and kitten sleep and eat together.Example: The puppy eats, and the kitten sleeps.

Using ConjunctionsConjunction Use Example

and joins together Cats and dogs play together.

but shows contrast Dogs sleep a lot, but cats sleep more.

or Shows choice Cats sleep or nap a great deal.

Grammar 8: Run-on SentencesA run-on sentence is two or more sentences what are run together with a comma or without punctuation. One way to connect a run-on sentence is to make it into a compound sentence. You form a compound sentence by using a conjunction, such as and, but, or or to connect the sentences.

Run-on Example: The new clothes in the mall are expensive I cannot afford them.Corrected: The new clothes in the mall are expensive, and I cannot afford them.Correct: The new clothes in the mall are expensive. I cannot afford them.

TipUse a comma before the conjunction in a compound sentence.

The End

Did you see all the things you can do with sentences?