Sentence Structures in English

Sentence Structures in English

In English, there are many different sentence structures and they are using in many different situations, in this lesson, we only talk about the normal /typical sentence structures. Let’s look at the following to learn about parts of English sentence.

Normal Sentence Structures in English:

Subject

The subject is the agent of the sentence in active voice; it is the person or thing that performs or is responsible for the action of the sentence, and it normally precedes the verb. Note: Every sentence in English must have a subject. ( in the case of commands, the subject [you] is understood. The subject may be a singular noun.

Example:

• Coffee is delicious
• Milk contains calcium

The subject may be a noun phrase. A noun phrase is a group of words ending with a noun.(It CAN NOT begin with a preposition).

Example:

• The book is on the table.
• That new red car is John’s.

More Examples of SUBJECT:

• We girls are not going to that movies.
• George likes boats.
• Mary, John, Tim and I went to a restaurant last night.
• The weather was very bad today.
• The bank closed at 2 o’clock.

It can act as a pronoun for a noun or can be the subject of an impersonal verb. As the subject of an impersonal verb, the pronoun is not actually used in place of a noun, but is a part of an idiomatic expression.

• It rains quite often here in the summer.
• It is hard to believe that he is dead.

In some sentences, the true subject does not appear in normal subject position. There can act as a pseudo-subject and is treated like a subject when changing word order to a question. However, the true subject appears after the verb, and the number of the true subject controls the verbs.

• There was a fire in that building last month.( subject = a fire)
• Was there a fire in that building last month?
• There were many students in the room. ( subject = many students)
• Were there many students in the room?

Verb

The verb follows the subject in a declarative sentence; it generally shows the action of the sentence. NOTE: Every sentence must have a verb.

The verb may be a single word.

• John drives too fast.
• They hate spinach.

The verb may be a verb phrase. A verb phrase consists of one or more auxiliaries and one main verb. The auxiliaries always precede the main verb.

• John is going to Miami tomorow. ( auxiliaries = is ; main verb = going )
• Jane has been reading that book. ( auxiliaries = has, been; main verb = reading )

More Examples of verbs and verb phrases:

• She will go to Boston next week.
• Jane is very well.
• She must have gone to the bank.
• Joe has gone home.
• Mary is watching television.
• It was raining at six o’clock last night.

Complement

A complement completes the verb. It is similar to the subject because it is usually a noun or noun phrase; however, it is generally follows the verb when the sentence is in the active voice.

NOTE: Every sentence does not require a complement.
The complement CAN NOT begin with a preposition. A complement answer the question what? or whom?

Examples of Complement:

• John bought a cake yesterday. ( What did John buy?)
• Jill was driving a new car. ( What was Jill driving? )
• He wants to drink some water. ( What does he want to drink? )
• She saw John at the movies last night. (whom did she see at the movies? )
• They called Mary yesterday. ( Whom did they call yesterday? )
• He was smoking a cigarette. ( What was he smoking? )

Modifier

A modifier tells the time, place, or manner of the action. Very often it is a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun.

NOTE: A modifier of time usually comes last if more than one modifier is present.

Examples of the prepositional phrases:

• in the morning
• at the university
• on the table

A modifier can also be an adverb or an adverbial phrase:

• last night
• hurriedly
• next year
• outdoor
• yesterday

More Examples of modifiers:

• John bought a book at the bookstore. ( Where did John buy a book? )
• Jill was swimming in the pool yesterday. ( in the pool = where was Jill swimming?; yesterday = When was Jill swimming? )
• He was driving very fast. ( How was he driving?)
• The milk is in the refrigerator. ( Where is the milk?)
• She drove the car on Main street. ( Where did she drive?)

NOTE: The modifier normally follows the complement, but not always. However, the modifier, especially when it is a prepositional phrase, usually can not separate the verb and the complement.

• INCORRECT: She drove on the street the car.
• CORRECT: She drove the car on the street.

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