WBSLST - Sentence

 

Different types of Sentences

I. Sentence Based on Functions

There are five sentences based on functions. These are subdivided into two Affirmative and Negative

• Assertive or declarative Sentence: These sentences state a fact or opinion. 

Example:

• I know him.(Affirmative)
• I don't know him.(Negative)
• The sky is blue.

• Interrogative sentence: These sentences ask a question. They typically end with a question mark. 

Example: 

• "What is your name?(Affirmative)
• Are you not going there? (Negative)

• Imperative Sentence: These sentences give a command or make a request. They can end with a period or an exclamation point, depending on the tone.

Example: 

• "Please close the door.(Affirmative)
•  "Stop talking!”
• “Dont go there”.(Negative)

• Optative Sentence: These sentences express a wish.

Example: 

• May God bless you(Affirmative)
• May he live long

• "Let there be no more suffering.” "May his enemies not prosper."
• "May they not lose their jobs.”(Negative) 

• Exclamatory Sentences:These sentences express strong emotion. They end with an exclamation point. 

Example: "I won the lottery!

"That's amazing!

How Nice! (Affirmative)

"How could they not tell me?!"(Negative)

"I'm never going to forgive them!”

Sentence Based on Structures 

Simple Sentence: A simple sentence contains one independent clause having a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

Example: 

• The dog barked.
• I live in Capri.

Complex Sentence: A complex sentence contains one independent clause (principal clause) and one or more dependent clauses (subordinate clause). A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and begins with a subordinating conjunction (because, although, since, when, if, etc.) or a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, which, that). 

Example:

• Because it was raining, I took an umbrella. (Independent clause: "I took an umbrella", dependent clause: "Because it was raining") 
• I know Rima, who is my next door neighbour.

Compound Sentence: A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so,either or, neither nor, not only but also, no ) 

 Example: 

• Do or die
• He and I have done it

What Are Cleft Sentences?

A cleft sentence is a simple sentence that turns into a complex sentence (used in spoken English) by rearranging the normal word order of a simple sentence with the help of a dummy word, such as 'it' or 'there'. This rearrangement allows for emphasis on a specific part of the sentence.

Example: 

• I called you Monday. → It was Monday when I called you.
• I want a cup of coffee right now. → What I want right now is a cup of coffee.

Types of Cleft sentences 

• It-cleft
• Wh-cleft (Pseudo-cleft)
• All-cleft
• There-cleft
• If-because cleft

It-cleft Sentence: The most common type of cleft sentence is it-cleft sentence. The information that comes in the 'it-clause' is the focus of the sentence. A relative clause follows the it-clause and contains information that is already known. 

Example:

 1. It was Tim’s purse that got stolen yesterday.

2. It was not me who discovered the truth.(Negative)

3. It was my father (who/that) you spoke to on the phone.

4. Was it not you who decided to settle abroad (Interrogative)

5. It was the boys who won the cup.

6.Was it Tom who opened the box?

7. That was you who broke my glass. (Exception: Sometimes, that/those is used instead of It)

Inferential Cleft Sentences:An inferential cleft sentence is a type of 'it-cleft sentence' that clarifies what others may wrongly assume. These sentences typically start with 'it' followed by the verb 'be', and consist of two consecutive 'it-that' clauses. The first clause is negative, while the second clause is positive and provides clarification. Adverbs such as 'only' or 'just' may be included in an inferential cleft sentence

Example:

 1. It is not that I don't love her. It's just that I show my love in a different way

2. It's not that I'm not trying to help you. It's only that I want you to learn

Wh-cleft (Pseudo-cleft): Generally, wh-cleft sentences (also called pseudo-cleft) begin with 'what', or occasionally other relative pronouns and adverbs, which form a nominal relative clause that acts as the subject of the cleft sentence. Usually, the wh-clause contains given information, while the following clause contains new information.

Example:

•  What I want is some peace.
• What you need to do is rest for a while.
• Where I want to go is a place far away from here.
• How she paid for her food was with her credit card.

Reversed wh-cleft sentence: (also called Inverted pseudo-cleft) is a type of wh-cleft sentence in which the nominal relative clause comes after the "be" verb. Example: Some peace is what I want.

• A place far away from here where I want to go.
• With her credit card how she paid for the food

All-cleft : All-cleft sentences emphasize the object of the verb. We can form questions from all-cleft sentences, but negative sentences are not very common. 

Example: 

• All Jimmy wants for Christmas is a brand new bicycle.
• All she does is complain about everything.
• Was all she wanted a good job?

There-cleft : There-cleft sentences function similarly to 'it-cleft' sentences. They emphasize the existence of something. The subject of these sentences is the dummy pronoun "there" which is typically followed by the main verb be, and sometimes other verbs like 'come', 'exist', and 'remain'. Like "it-cleft" sentences, a relative clause follows the there-clause. 

Example: 

• There's this orphan kid (that) I'm trying to adopt.
• There comes a day in life that you have to give up everything.

If-because cleft: If-because cleft sentences function similarly to inferential cleft sentences. This type of cleft sentence allows the speaker to emphasize the reason for an action. 

Example: 

•  If he wants to be a millionaire, it's because he wants to help poor children.
•  If it seems that she is meddling, it's just because she's trying to help the family.

Conditional Sentences 

Zero conditional Sentence: simple present+simple present (to state a fact or general truth)

Example: 

• If you stand in the rain you get wet.
• If you eat too much you become fat.

First conditional Sentence:

Simple present + will/won’t + verb (A possible situation in the future/ Predicting a likely situation in the future)

Example: 

• If it rains I will cancel the trip.
• If you go there I won't go.

Second Conditional Sentence: 

Simple past + Would + verb 

(Hypothetical, unreal or improbable situation)

Example: 

• If I won the lottery I would travel a lot. 
• If they bought mutual funds they would be rich.

Third Conditional Sentence: 

Past perfect + would have + past participle (An imaginary situation that did not happen in the past)

Example: 

• If you had studied you would have passed the exam.
• If I had not been sick I would have gone to your wedding 

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