Sentence

Four kinds of sentences
classified according to purpose

1. Statements-declarative sentences
Statements are descriptions of fact,affirmative or negative:
• They play here regularly.(Affirmative)They do not play here regularly.(Negative)
2. Orders or requests-imperative sentences
• Come and write the essay at once.Please park your car beside my motorcycle,not behind it.
3. Sentences showing strong feeling-exclamatory sentences
• Hoe strong the boxer is!How tragic has her life been!
• An optative sentence is an exclamatory sentence that expresses a wish.
• I wish I were a ruler.May you enjoy your life.
4. Questions-interrogative sentences
• Who is responsible for our loss?What are you doing these days?

Four types of sentences
classified according to structure

1. The simple sentence
It has one main idea.It has one clause.It has one subject and one predicate or only one finite verb.
• They work most of the time in this office.
  Do we need any more books for this assignment?
A finite(fii-niit')verb is limited by tense,number and person.
• She paints in oil upstairs.("paints" according to the third-person singular)
  They buy the choicest books.("buy" according to the third-person plural)
An infinite(in'fu-nit')verb is not limited by number and person subject(subject).
• It is easy to swim. (or) To swim is easy.I need not visit Canada.
• "Swim" and "visit" in these sentences are not limited by number and person(subject).
2. The compound sentence
It has two or more main ideas or two or more independent or main clauses:
• They played in the garden for hours, and then could not run.
  The two countries have lots of oil,but never is truly advanced.
(a)The independent or main clause It is complete in itself and can function as a complete or independent sentence.Two or more main clauses can be joined:
• She is studying _{main idea} while we are watching a movie. _{main idea}
  They may rise or they may fall.
(b)The dependent or subordinate clause It goes together with the main clause in a sentence.Its meaning is linked to the meaning of the main clause:
• They have written us a letter _{main idea} which we are reading. _{dependent)subordinate) clause}
3. The complex sentence
It has one main idea and one or more dependent ideas or it has one clause and one or more dependent clauses:
• My friend returned my loan
  _{main clause} what I had always expected. _{dependent clause}
  
  The swimmers swam to the island which they did not know about.
4. The mixed sentence or the compound-complex sentence
It is a mixture of compound and complex sentences-has two main ideas and one or more dependent ideas or two main clauses and one or more dependent clauses:
• The two sisters study together as their parents watch them _{main ideas} which is a happy situation. sub>dependent idea
  Our problems are complex as our life is _{main clause} what we do not like. _{dependent clause}
  We are most of the time planning wrongly _{main clause} that results in loss and disappointment. _{dependent clause}

Co-ordinate clause

It is a clause which can stand by itseld like an independent sentence.But it comes after the main clause in a compound sentence.It is equal in rank to the main clause.
• Prices are on the rise here _{main clause} while they are on the decline elsewhere. _{co-ordinate clause=main clause}