Chapter 3: Kinds of sentences

CHAPTER 3: KINDS OF SENTENCES

OBJECTIVES: By the end of this chapter, you will be able to

 identify the kinds of sentences in English; and
 use different kinds of sentences correctly and appropriately in writing and
speaking.

GETTING STARTED
Work in groups of four. Discuss the following questions. You can use any resources
(grammar books, internet, etc.) to help you.

1. How many kinds of sentences are there according to their structures? What are they?

2. What are their structures?

GRAMMAR KNOWLEDGE

I. Definition

A sentence is a word or a group of words that expresses a complete idea. It begins with a
capital letter and ends with a period, a question mark, or exclamation point.

II. Classification
We can classify sentences based on their functions or structures. In this chapter, we focus on
sentences according to their structures.

There are 4 kinds of sentences based on their structures: simple, compound, complex, and
compound-complex sentences.

A. Simple Sentences
A simple sentence is one that consists of one Independent clause.
Examples: - We are studying English grammar.
- Last week, the man bought a new car.
- Wanting to impress his friend, the man bought a new car.
- Bored with his life in the city, the man bought a new car.
- The man, proud and excited about his raise salary, bought a new car.
- The man bought a new car to try to impress his friends.

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Sometimes, a simple sentence can have more than one subject and more than one verb. In
these cases, a conjunction is used to combine two subjects or two verbs. Let’s consider the
following combinations.

2 or more S + 1 V - My parents and I visited Da Lat last week.

1 S + 2 or more V - Japan imports oil and exports cars.
- He climbs up the hills, walks slowly down the valley, then
disappears into the wood.
2 or more S + 2 or more V - Japan and Germany import oil and export cars.

B. Compound Sentences
A compound sentence is one that consists two or more independent clauses, connected by
coordinating conjunction(s).
Coordinating Example
Conjunction
FOR - I hate to waste a drop of gas, for it is very expensive these
days.
AND - Bob nominated me, and Ken nominated me. (đề cử)
- The bell rang, and students quickly filled the halls.
NOR - I don’t know, nor do I care.
- Rob doesn’t like lima beans, nor does he care for spinach.
BUT - My brother still had a dollar, but he didn’t want to spend it.
- Dogs show affection for their owners, but cats are more
aloof.
OR - Wear your raincoat, or carry an umbrella.
- Are you coming to the game, or have you made other plans?
YET - He is very rich, yet he is not contented.
SO/ SO THEN/ THEN (vậy) - It is time to go, so let us start.

Note: Sometimes, two independent clauses are connected by a semicolon, not a coordinating
conjunction.
Example: My mother took care of the housework; my father earned money.

C. Complex Sentences
A complex sentence is one that consists of ONE Main clause and ONE or MORE Subordinate
clauses. Subordinate clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions.
Example: The man who lives near your house told me that you were not home last night.

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Types of clauses Subordinating Examples

Conjunctions
Adverbial before, - Before the movie started, Peter bought
clause of TIME after, popcorn.
when, - I went immediately after I had received the
while, information.
until/till, - The thief ran away when he saw the
as (khi, lúc), policeman.
as soon as, - While he was doing his homework, he fell
since asleep.
by the time that - I watched her as (khi) she combed her hair.
no sooner … than - He left as soon as he heard the news.
(vừa … đã…)
- The baby didn’t stop crying until he was fed.
- Don’t get down till the train has stopped.
- Where have you been since (từ khi) I last saw
you?
- By the time that the boys put up the tent, the
sun had set.
- He had no sooner seen one continent than he
saw another.
(Ông ta vừa nhìn thấy 1 đại lục này đã thấy 1
cái khác.)
Adverbial because, - She got a parking ticket because she parked
clause of as, since, illegally.
REASON seeing that (vì, thấy - As (vì) Peter is late for school, his mother has
rằng) to apologize to his teacher.
now that (xét rằng, vì) - Since (vì) there is no more to be said, the
meeting ends.
Adverbial so that/ - He drove fast so that he could get to work on
clause of in order that time.
PURPOSE lest/ for fear that (kẻo - I’m telling you that lest/for fear that you
mà, sợ rằng) should make a mistake.
Adverbial so … that, - He drove so fast that he got a speeding ticket.
clause of such … that
RESULT
Adverbial if/ unless, - I will go if he asks me.
clause of as long as/ provided - I will not go unless he asks me.
CONDITION that/ on condition - I will go so long as/provided that/on
that (miễn là, với ĐK là) condition that he asks me.
supposing that (giả - Supposing that he asked you, will you go?
sử)

Adverbial though (đầu câu: mặc - Though it was late, we decided to go.
clause of dù), (cuối câu, tuy vậy) - He will probably say no, though it’s worth

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Types of clauses Subordinating Examples

Conjunctions
CONCESSION /although saying. (tuy vậy vẫn cứ thử xem)
even if/ - Even if I have to walk all the way, I’ll get
even though there.
Adverbial where/ wherever - I will go where you tell me.
clause of - She drove wherever she wants.
PLACE
Adverbial as, as if, as though - Everything went on as we had planned.
clause of - He spoke as if he were a learned man.
MANNER - However hard he tries, he never seems able to
do the work.
Adverbial than, as … as, … - It’s hotter today than it was yesterday.
clause of - The question is easier than I thought.
COMPARISON - Today, it is as hot as it was yesterday.
ADJECTIVE who, whom, which, - The students who answered the questions was
clause that, whose John.
- This is the man whom we saw.
- The pencil which you are holding is mine.
- The tree whose branches are dead will be cut
down tomorrow.
NOUN clause that - Helen told us that she had bought the tickets.
WH-words (how, - The news that we are having a holiday
why, when, tomorrow is not true. (Appositive of ‘the
where,who,) news’)
whether/if - She described to me how he ran up to her and
grabbed her bag.
- Why he left is a mystery to me.
- We argue for hours about when we should
start.
- That is not what I want.
- He asked whether it was true.

D. Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence is one that consists of TWO or more independent clauses and
ONE or more subordinate clauses.
Examples: - When we were looking out of the window, we found Mr Brown who was a
friend of my father’s; so little Ann hurried to let him in.
- When the sky darkened, the wind blew and the leaves fell.
- Call Jack before he leaves the house, or he will forget to lock the doors.

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GRAMMAR EXERCISES
Exercise 1: Indicate whether each of the following sentences is Simple (S), Compound
(C), Complex (CX) or Compound-complex (C-CX).

1. Although I am a heavy sleeper, I awoke with a start when the lightning flashed.

2. Taxes are too high.

3. It is his opinion.

4. A sentence that has a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses is called a
complex sentence.

5. Although I am a heavy sleeper, I awoke with a start when the lightning flashed, and I
rushed to the window to see what had happened.

6. He goes golfing three or four times a week, but his game never seems to improve.

7. Even though he goes golfing three or four times a week, but his game never seems to
improve.

8. Golf is a sport that requires coordination.

9. Sentence 8 makes a silly statement; is there any sport that doesn’t require coordination?

10. The tramp told us that he was homeless.

11. The movie was good, but I enjoyed the book more.

12. Her flight was canceled, and the trip was postponed.

13. Katherine Lee, who was chosen to represent our school, could not attend the meeting.

14. The teachers and the students stood together.

15. I like the dress that you are selling, but I'm broke.

16. The car skidded and almost struck a utility pole.

17. Lisa replaced the glass that she had broken.

18. Are you buying new clothes?

19. He used his computer to make party invitations.

20. When buses are delayed, students are usually late for school.

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Exercise 2: Indicate whether each of the following sentences is Simple (S), Compound
(C), Complex (CX) or Compound-complex (C-CX).

1. Disneyland and Hollywood are popular places to visit in California.

2. My father is out but my mother is at home.

3. I bought a calculator.

4. This is not the book that I chose.

5. I stayed at home but all the others went out.

6. She has blue eyes and a kind of smile.

7. A nurse takes care of people who are sick.

8. I would have purchased the cheese that you like, but it was too expensive.

9. I finished my breakfast and went for a walk.

10. He enjoys sitting in the sun.

11. I told him that I was hungry.

12. Vitamins play a very important role in human health.

13. Violence exists nearly everywhere in the world, and it is spreading.

14. Since we usually watch TV at home in our living room, a TV show doesn't seem like a
special event.

15. The population will continue to increase, but natural recourses won't.

16. We had a party because we had lots of cookies, and our guests ate the yummy treats.

17. We must make trains viable again if we expect people to use them.

18. I listened politely for a while and then excused myself.

19. The government isn’t in favor of higher taxes, nor does she encourage the development of
mass transit.

20. We don't have to buy a lot of groceries at once, for we can always stop at the supermarket
on the way home from work.

Exercise 3: Indicate whether each of the following sentences is Simple (S), Compound
(C), Complex (CX) or Compound-complex (C-CX).

1. You passed your driving exam with flying colors, though you could use some practice in
parallel parking.

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2. As I was entering the dining car a violent lurch of the train threw me to the left.

3. He took the lift up to the 86th floor.

4. He took the lift up to the 86th floor and he jumped.

5. The Twin Towers were destroyed by terrorists, who thought they could tear the US apart,
but instead, this tragedy brought the US people together.

6. A man who jumped off the Empire State Building was miraculously saved.

7. It was a live show, so the host invited him on.

8. He admitted that he'd changed his mind.

9. A gust of wind caught him.

10. A gust of wind caught him as he fell.

11. He had changed his mind as soon as he had jumped.

12. Of all the tragedies the US has suffered,the 9/11 terrorist attack killed more individuals
than Pearl Harbor; therefore, it is the most tragic lost in American history.

13. There was a live show going out.

14. He could hold through with it or go back down again.

15. Although she is pretty, she is cruel.

16. I knocked, but you didn't open the door.

17. He was able to carry the heavy bag.

18. To this day, there is much controversy surrounding 9/11, and still, the American
politicians swear they knew nothing prior to the attack.

19. She can’t decide whether to buy the house or wait.

20. We discussed whether he should be hired.

Exercise 4: Indicate whether each of the following sentences is Simple (S), Compound
(C), Complex (CX) or Compound-complex (C-CX).
1. Mr and Mrs White and their son Herbert were sitting in their living-room on a cold,
windy night, when suddenly they heard a knock on the door.
2. It was Morris, an old friend of Mr White.
3. He told stories about his journeys around the world and showed them a monkey's
paw that he got from a man in India.
4. The paw was magic and could grant three wishes.

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5. Morris threw the paw on the fire because it was dangerous, but Mr White took it and,
after Morris had gone , he wished for $400.
6. Nothing happened and Herbert went to work in his factory.
7. When he didn't arrive back at the usual time, Mrs White started to worry.
8. Then a man came to the door and told them the terrible news - Herbert had been killed in
a big machine in the factory.
9. A week after the death of her son, Mrs White suddenly remembered that they
still had two wishes.
10. She looked for the monkey's paw and wished her son alive again.

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