Sentence structure means how we fit different parts of a sentence to produce something meaningful. It includes the correct order of verb, subject, object, punctuation, as well as subordinates. So this article will first define the different types of sentences for showing how sentence structure will can be improved. For this, different rules regarding the structuring of a sentence in the right way will be most helpful. But before stating the rules, it is better to go through the basic structure of a sentence.
The Basic Structure Of A Sentence In Academic Writing
The two basic components of a sentence are that of verb and subject. Hence, to increase clarity of sentence, the verb must describe the actions of a subject. The verb is a part of sentence that explains the activity. Still, the subject is a noun or pronoun that describes who performs the actions. So the sentences’ structure aims towards building a good relationship between these two. In this article at Setup Post, all examples will follow this scheme;
- Subject = Brown
- Verb = Green
- Object = Yellow
- Dependent clause = Blue
- Independent clause = Grey
Example;
Johnny was eating.
In this case, Johnny is a subject. Eating is the verb. Still, ‘was’ is an auxiliary verb. A good sentence structure starts from the subject, then proceeds towards the action. The general rule of writing a sentence in academic writing is to start the sentence through subject, and end at punctuation. But this rule does not work for imperative sentences.
For example;
Stop!
This is a complete sentence because it is a command. So the presence of a subject is not necessary. Still, others need the addition of an object with the subject to make the sentence meaningful.
For example;
Elizabeth called her friend to bring a calculator. Here calculator is an object. The general rule for structuring these sentences is to start from the subject, and place the object before punctuation. Still, sentence structure also varies with the type of sentences.
Types Of Sentences And Different Rule For Sentence Structure
There is no general rule that we can apply to all sentences of your assignment writing task. The sentence structure rules vary from sentence to sentence. Below are some types of sentences with a general rule for following the correct sentence structure.
Simple Sentences
The sentence structure of simple sentences is very easy to correct. You can get the ideas by knowing a few simple rules. Simple sentences mostly contain three parts. These are as follows;
- Subject
- Verb
- Object (sometimes modifier)
Further, simple sentences only contain the independent clause. These examples include the following;
- Harry became an artist.
- She loves dry
- The teacher completed the
RULE; subject comes first, then you should write verb, and end the sentence on the object.
Compound Sentences:
Compound sentences are those which contain more than one independent clause. In these sentences, the most common punctuations are as follows;
- The comma
- Semicolon
- Coordinating conjunctions
Examples of Compound Sentences
- The teacher completed the course, and he composed the question paper.
- Harry wants to go to the showroom; but, Marry wants to go to the grocery store.
- They spent two hours finding the grammatical errors. But they realised that the paper still contained many errors.
Compound Sentence Structure Rules
The two independent sentences have their own subject, verb, object, as well as a modifier. So the general rule is to combine them by using punctuations (.) (,) (;). Further, the general structure of each clause resembles simple sentence structures.
Complex Sentences
Complex sentences are a little more difficult than compound sentences. These sentences contain independent clauses, as well as dependent clauses. The number of clauses may also vary in these sentences. The dependent clause aims towards explaining what the subject in independent clause is doing. Further, there are two types of complex sentences. The first begins with dependant clause. But the other one starts with independent clause.
Example Of Complex Sentences
- Although the teacher completed the course, he needed to make question papers.
- Harry wants to go to the showroom. This is because he needs a new car.
- If you didn’t agree with the new HR policies, you should’ve stood for your rights.
In the above examples, blue represents the dependent clause, and grey represents the independent clause.
Rules For Sentence Structure
- If a sentence begins with dependent clause, it is common to combine it with the independent clause (example 1 and 3).
- If a sentence begins with independent clause, then it is not necessary to combine it with the dependent clause (Example 2).
Compound-Complex Sentence:
The fourth type of sentence is a combination of compound, as well as complex sentences. In these sentences, there are at least two independent clauses. But the number of dependent clauses may remain constant.
Examples;
The teacher completed the course, but he needed to make questions papers even though he made similar question papers last year.
Rules: The rule for compound-complex sentence structure resembles the previous example. But these sentences differ from others based on a number of clauses.
Hence, for academic writers, the rules for sentence structures depend on sentences’ type. A new writer must start from simple sentences to produce error-free work. Further, they can move from simple to compound-complex sentences for improving their work.
