Language Network

The Sentence and Its Parts

Kinds of Sentences

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Why It Matters

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The Sentence and Its Parts

Sentence

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.

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A sentence can be used to make a statement, ask a question, make a request, or show strong feeling.

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A declarative sentence makes a statement.

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I see something weird in that tree.

It looks like a gray basketball.

A declarative sentence always ends with a period.

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An interrogative sentence asks a question.

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An interrogative sentence always ends with a question mark.

Is it a hornet’s nest?

What do you think it is?

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An imperative sentence tells or asks someone to do something.

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An imperative sentence makes a request or gives a command. It usually ends with a period, but it may end with an exclamation point.

Be careful!

Please don’t get too close to it.

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An exclamatory sentence shows strong feeling.

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An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.

I’m getting out of here!

I see hornets flying out!

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LITERARY MODEL

INTERROGATIVE

IMPERATIVE

DECLARATIVE

Scrooge: . . .Come, come, what is it you want? Don’t waste all day, Nephew.

Fred: I only want to wish you a Merry Christmas, Uncle. Don’t be cross.

—Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Why It Matters

Identify the following sentence as declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, or imperative.

Do you know whose idea it was to plant cherry trees in Washington, D.C.?

1.

Practice and Apply

Identify the following sentence as declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, or imperative.

Writer Elizabeth Scidmore came up with the idea.

2.

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Identify the following sentence as declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, or imperative.

You would love Washington in the spring!

3.

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Fragments and Run-Ons

Here’s the IdeaFragmentsRun-On Sentences

Why It Matters

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The Sentence and Its Parts

Sentence fragments and run-on sentences are writing errors that can make your writing difficult to understand.

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Sentence Fragment

A sentence fragment is part of a sentence that is written as if it were a complete sentence.

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A sentence fragment might be missing a subject. To correct it, add a subject.

Build traditional homes called longhouses.They build

ADD A SUBJECT

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A sentence fragment might be missing a predicate. To correct it, add a predicate.

The Rungus people in Malaysia.live in Malaysia.

ADD A PREDICATE

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Run-On Sentence

A run-on sentence is two or more sentences written as though they were a single sentence.

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The longhouse roof is made of palm leaves, the walls are made of tree bark.

What is wrong with this sentence?

The passage is actually two sentences written incorrectly as one.

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STUDENT MODELSTUDENT MODEL

DRAFT

The longhouse roof is made of palm leaves, the walls are made of tree bark.

REVISION

The longhouse roof is made of palm leaves, and the walls are made of tree bark.

Combine two sentences using a conjunction. Be sure to use a comma before the conjunction.

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STUDENT MODELSTUDENT MODEL

DRAFT

The longhouse roof is made of palm leaves, the walls are made of bark.

REVISION

The longhouse roof is made of palm leaves. The walls are made of tree bark.

Divide a run-on into two complete sentences.

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Fragments and run-on sentences can make your writing confusing and difficult to read.

If you fix these problems, your writing will read more clearly.

Why It Matters

Rewrite the following fragment as a complete sentence.

Noodle dishes popular in Chinese cuisine.

4.

Practice and Apply

Rewrite the following fragment as a complete sentence.

Bejing duck a famous dish.5.

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Correct the following run-on sentence.

This meal takes a long time to prepare, it is served in three courses.

6.

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Many Shanghai dishes feature seafood, the city is close to the sea.

7.

Correct the following run-on sentence.

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