Sentences

Declarative Sentences
Declarative sentences are statements. They
do not have to be true. A declarative
sentence always ends with a period.

Examples:
I am sitting on a tack.
The duck ate my sandwich.

Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences are questions.
Think of interrogating someone. An
interrogative sentence always ends in a
question mark.
Examples:
Where did you put the frog?
Why is there a sheep in my bed?

Imperative Sentences
Imperative sentences are commands. Think of
imperial (related to royalty). They give
commands. An imperative sentence may end
in an exclamation point or period. The invisible
subject is you.
Examples:
Get the sheep out of my bed! (The subject is
you.)
Bring me my tea. (The subject is you.)

Exclamatory Sentences
Exclamatory sentences are exclamations but
not interjections. An exclamatory sentence
always ends in an exclamation point.
Examples:
The sheep are out!
How wonderful it is!

Simple subjects and simple

predicates
The simple subject is the performer of the sentence, the
one doing the action.
The simple predicate is what the subject does or is.
Example:
The sheep ate my hat.
Sheep is the simple subject, the one performing.
What did the sheep do?
Ate is the simple predicate, what the sheep did.
The simple subject and simple predicate are called deep
structure, the foundation of a sentence.

Simple predicates
Simple predicates are always verbs. They may be
action verbs or verbs of being. Words like is, are,
am, were, was, and will be are always verbs.
Example:
The sheep is in the bathtub.
The sheep is the performer, the simple subject.
The simple predicate is is, what the subject is.

Compound subjects
Compound anything is more than one thing combined with
another.
Compound subjects are two or more simple subjects used
in a sentence and tied together with the word and, but, or.
Example:
Lilly and Larry ran away.
Lilly or Larry will come back.
Lilly, but not Larry, came back.
Lilly and Larry are both simple subjects in this sentence.

Compound predicates
Compound predicates are two action verbs,
two simple predicates used in a sentence.
Example:
Larry skipped and sang.
Lilly jumped and screamed.

Simple Sentences
Simple sentences are complete thoughts. They have a
simple subject and a simple predicate and can stand alone.
A simple sentence is also called an independent clause.
Example:
The sheep are in my bed.
Simple sentences can have compound subjects and/or
compound predicates. They are still simple sentences if
they have one complete thought.
The sheep and the cows are in my bed.
The sheep rolled and tossed in my bed.

Compound Sentences
Compound sentences are really two simple sentences tied
together with coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but,
or, yet, so). To remember these conjunctions, think FAN
BOYS. A comma is placed before the conjunction.
Example:
Sentence 1: The sheep are in my bed.
Sentence 2: The cows are in your bed.
Compound sentence:
The sheep are in my bed, but the cows are in your bed.
It is also possible to place a semicolon between the two
sentences: The sheep are in my bed; the cows are in your
bed.

Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions are adverbs that act as conjunctions to form
dependent clauses.
They can be one or more words.
They can refer to time (after, before, when, while, since, until), cause and
effect (because, since, now that, as, in order that, so), opposition (although,
though, even though, while), and condition (if, unless, only if, whether or
not, even if, in case of).
Subordinating conjunctions can turn a simple sentence or independent
clause into a dependent clause.
Examples:
The sheep climbed in my bed.
After the sheep climbed in my bed, I fell out.
Although the sheep climbed in my bed, I managed to sleep.
Because the sheep climbed in my bed, I fell out.
Unless the sheep climb in my bed, Ill be able to sleep.

Complex Sentences

Complex sentences are a dependent clause (incomplete thought)

combined with an independent clause (complete thought). Dependent
clauses need an independent clause to make them clear.
Example:
Dependent clause: Because the sheep are in my bed
Independent clause: I cant sleep tonight.
Complex sentence (with dependent clause at the front): Because the
sheep are in my bed, I cant sleep tonight. (Notice that the
introductory clause is followed by a comma.)
Complex sentence (with dependent clause at the end): I cant sleep
tonight because the sheep are in my bed. (Notice that you dont need
the comma anymore because the dependent clause is at the end.)

Final thoughts on sentences

Make sure you start all sentences with capital
letters.
Make sure you have correct end punctuation at the
end of each sentence.
Make sure each sentence is a complete thought
and not a fragment.
Make sure you capitalize proper nouns.
Varying your sentence types and sentence
openings is a good way to make writing more
interesting for the reader.