THE SENTENCE – some general information:

A. What is a sentence?

It contains two parts:

1. a subject
2. a verb

B. There are 3 types of sentence:

1. Simple: one subject and one verb and an object, e.g. The Perry Library (subject) is (verb) part of Learning and Information Services (object).
2. Compound with one extra clause, e.g. The lecturer who arrived late (extra clause) amused the class with a joke.
3. Complex with one or more subordinate clauses,  e.g. The student left the class, (1st clause) checked his e-mail in the LRC (2nd clause) and went home (3rd clause).

C. Sentences have various functions

1. Statements: e.g. It's a computer
2. Questions: e.g. Is it a computer?
3. Commands: e.g. Give me that laptop!
4. Exclamations: e.g. That's a fantastic laptop!

Note: in academic writing you mainly use statements; you will use questions rarely and commands and exclamations not at all.

PRACTICE EXERCISES

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A. Identify subject and verb in these sentences:

1. The personal computer is usually referred to as a PC.
2. Writing at university requires a wide range of language and skills.
3. The ability to use a computer is essential for university students today.

B. Identify these sentences as simple, compound or complex:

1. She  looked up the word in a dictionary.
2. The class which was a seminar on international business was well-attended.
3. Computers are essential to students as well as to most people who work in the developed world today.

Compound and complex sentences

• A sentence consists of one or more clauses
  
  
• A clause is a group of words containing subject + verb
  
  
• An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, e.g. Children like fruit
  
  
• A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence, e.g. because it is good for them
  
  
• A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses, e.g. Children like fruit, and it is good for them
• A complex sentence consists of a combination of dependent and independent clauses, e.g. Children like fruit because it is good for them.

Complex sentences

A complex sentence joins a dependent and an independent clause.  Since a dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence, it must be joined to an independent clause.

There are three types of dependent clause:

• dependent adjective clause, e.g. whose car you borrowed
  
  
• dependent adverb clause, e.g. before he spoke
  
  
• dependent noun clause, e.g. what you wanted

A complex sentence needs a subordinating conjunction to join the two clauses.  It is the first word in the dependent clause.

dependent clause          independent clause

Before they left,                  they tidied their room.

Whenever I smell garlic,    I think of Italy.

He shops at Safeway        because it is near his flat.