Close icon
 

Table of contents

1. What is a sentence?

2. Basic sentence structures in English

Two-word sentence structures

The Subject + Verb + Object (SVO) pattern in English sentences

Adding adjectives in sentences

3. Advanced sentence structures

3. 1. Compound-complex sentences

3.2 Parallel structures

3.3 Inverted sentence structures

3.4 Emphatic sentence structures

3.5 Cleft sentences

3.6 Relative clauses with advanced constructions

3.7 Concessive clauses

3.8 Absolute phrases

3.9 Nominalisation

3.10 Conditional sentences

1. What is a sentence?

A sentence is a group of words that express a complete thought. It usually has a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a predicate (what is said about the subject) and expresses a statement, question, command, or exclamation. In English, a sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation like a period, question mark, or exclamation mark. Understanding the structure of a sentence is important because it helps you express your ideas clearly.

2. Basic sentence structures in English

Two-word sentence structures

At its most basic level, a sentence in English is comprised of two elements: a subject and a verb, which together convey a complete idea. The subject indicates the person or thing performing the action and is always a noun or pronoun. The verb demonstrates the action taken or the state of being. This can either be an action verb, such as jump, or a state verb like appear.

Examples
  1. She left.
  2. Fire burns.
  3. Water evaporates.
  4. Humans age.

To make sentences more informative, we can add an object. In the next section, we will look into the SVO pattern in English.

The Subject + Verb + Object (SVO) pattern in English sentences

The SVO pattern is a common structure in English sentences. In the SVO structure, the sentences start with the subject (the person or thing doing the action), followed by the verb (the action itself), and finally the object (the person or thing receiving the action).

  1. Subject (S): The subject is the person or thing that does the action in a sentence.
  2. Verb (V): The verb is the action that the subject is doing.
  3. Object (O): The object is the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb.
Examples
  1. She left yesterday.
  2. She eats breakfast.
  3. I love chocolate.
  4. He is writing a letter.
  5. Humans age over time.

Adding adjectives in sentences

To make our sentence more descriptive, we can add an adjective. An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun.

Examples
  1. The curious dog sniffed the toy.
  2. The dog sniffed the new toy.
  3. The curious dog sniffed the new toy.

3. Advanced sentence structures

3. 1. Compound-complex sentences

Compound-complex sentences combine at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. This structure is useful for conveying detailed information and multiple actions or ideas.

  1. While I was studying, my friend called to invite me to a movie, but I had to decline because I had an exam the next day.
  2. She loves playing the guitar, and although she hasn't had any formal training, she’s become quite skilled.
  3. Although she was tired, she finished her homework, and she went to bed.
  4. When the storm ended, we went outside, and we saw the damage it had caused.
  5. The teacher returned the tests because she finished grading them, but she still had comments to add.
  6. Since it was raining, we decided to stay inside, but we still enjoyed our time together.
  7. He was excited about the trip, yet he felt nervous because he had never traveled alone before.
  8. As soon as the sun rose, they started hiking, and they planned to reach the summit by noon.
  9. If she arrives early, she can join us for dinner, or she can wait until we finish eating.
  10. The car broke down on the way, so they called for help, but no one answered immediately.
  11. Although he tried his best, he couldn’t solve the puzzle, so he asked his friend for help.
  12. Whenever they have free time, they enjoy hiking, and they often explore new trails together.

3.2 Parallel structures

Parallel structure, or parallelism, uses repeated grammatical patterns within a sentence for rhythm and clarity. It’s common in lists, comparisons, and expressions of contrasting ideas. Parallel structures can be joined by using coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so).

  1. He enjoys hiking, biking, and swimming.
  2. The task was neither easy nor quick.
  3. She likes reading books, writing stories, and painting pictures.
  4. He enjoys playing football, swimming in the pool, and hiking in the mountains.
  5. Our team needs to practice more, work together, and communicate better.
  6. She wants to go to the beach, build sandcastles, and explore the city.
  7. The company offers flexible working hours, competitive salaries, and health benefits.
  8. He is good at singing, dancing, and playing the guitar.
  9. They are planning to visit Paris, explore the Louvre, and enjoy French cuisine.
  10. The movie was exciting, funny, and emotionally moving.
  11. He studied for the test, completed his assignments, and practiced his speeches.
  12. The teacher asked the students to write essays, read articles, and participate in discussions.

3.3 Inverted sentence structures

Inversion places the verb or complement before the subject for emphasis or stylistic effect. It’s often seen in formal writing, poetry, and for dramatic emphasis.

  1. Seldom have I seen such dedication.
  2. Into the forest wandered the children.
  3. Never have I seen such a beautiful sunset.
  4. Hardly had she finished her homework when the phone rang.
  5. Only after the meeting did I understand the full details of the project.
  6. At no time should you ignore the safety instructions.
  7. Seldom have we experienced such a warm winter in this area.
  8. Not only did they win the game, but they also set a new record.
  9. Rarely do we get the chance to travel abroad.
  10. Not until the last moment did they decide to leave the event.
  11. So shocked was he that he couldn’t speak for a moment.

3.4 Emphatic sentence structures

Emphasis in English can be added with the use of auxiliary verbs like do/does in affirmative sentences or the cleft structure, which uses "it is/was" or "what".

  1. She does understand the issue.
  2. It was her performance that impressed the judges.
  3. I do like this new book!
  4. She does enjoy playing the piano every day.
  5. We did see the movie last night!
  6. They do work hard to achieve their goals.
  7. He did study for hours before the exam!
  8. You do look amazing in that dress!
  9. I really do believe in your potential!
  10. She does speak five languages fluently.
  11. They did arrive on time for the meeting!
  12. He does know how to play the guitar very well.

3.5 Cleft sentences

Cleft sentences split information into two parts, often starting with It is/was or What. This structure adds focus to a specific part of the sentence.

  1. It was at midnight that the alarm went off.
  2. What she needed was love.
  3. It was John who fixed the broken chair.
  4. What I need right now is a cup of tea.
  5. The reason she left early was because she had a meeting.
  6. It was yesterday that we saw the movie.
  7. What made him happy was the surprise party.
  8. It is my sister who plays the piano so well.
  9. What they need is more time to complete the project.
  10. It was in New York where they met for the first time.
  11. The thing that surprised me most was his reaction.
  12. It was at the conference that she made her big announcement.

3.6 Relative clauses with advanced constructions

Relative clauses add information about nouns. Advanced relative constructions often use non-essential (non-restrictive) clauses, beginning with which, whose, where, and when.

  1. The project, which took months to complete, was finally a success.
  2. This is the place where I first met him.
  3. The book, which she finished in one night, became her favorite.
  4. He moved to a city where he could find better job opportunities.
  5. The artist, whose work has won numerous awards, continues to inspire young creatives.
  6. My sister, whom I admire greatly, is a talented musician.
  7. The team that wins the tournament will receive a grand prize.
  8. The car, which was purchased only last year, already needs repairs.
  9. His friend, who lives abroad, will be visiting next summer.
  10. The professor, whose lectures are always engaging, is highly respected by students.
  11. She chose the dress that best suited her style and personality.
  12. The neighborhood in which they grew up has changed significantly over the years.

3.7 Concessive clauses

Concessive clauses express a contrast and often start with although, though, or even though.

  1. Although he was tired, he continued working through the night.
  2. Even though it was raining, we decided to go hiking.
  3. Although it was raining, we went for a walk.
  4. Even though she was tired, she finished the project.
  5. Although he is young, he is very responsible.
  6. Even if it snows tomorrow, we will still go skiing.
  7. Though she tried hard, she couldn't solve the puzzle.
  8. Although they were late, they managed to catch the train.
  9. Even though he was nervous, he gave a great presentation.
  10. Though the exam was difficult, I passed with good grades.
  11. Even if we disagree, we should respect each other's opinions.
  12. Although I don't like pizza, I ate it to be polite.

3.8 Absolute phrases

Absolute phrases provide additional information about the sentence without directly modifying it and often include a noun and a participle. They follow one of the following structures:

  1. [Noun] + [Participle]: Weather permitting, we will go hiking tomorrow.
  2. [Noun] + [Participle] + [Modifiers]: His confidence restored, he began his presentation.
  3. [Noun] + [Participle] + [Object]: Her eyes shining with excitement, she opened her gift.
  1. Her voice trembling, she spoke about her experiences.
  2. The storm having passed, we resumed our journey.
  3. The sun setting over the horizon, the beach looked breathtaking.
  4. His arms folded across his chest, he waited patiently for his turn.
  5. Their work complete, the team celebrated their success.
  6. Her voice trembling with excitement, she announced the winner.
  7. The storm approaching quickly, they hurried to find shelter.
  8. Her eyes filled with tears, she hugged her friend goodbye.
  9. The car engine running smoothly, they set off on their road trip.
  10. All hope lost, they began searching for a new solution.
  11. The crowd cheering wildly, the athlete crossed the finish line.
  12. The stars twinkling above, they enjoyed their evening under the open sky.

3.9 Nominalisation

Nominalisation turns verbs or adjectives into nouns, creating more formal or academic sentence structures. In the following exemples, we use nominalisations like discovery, explanation, implementation, etc. to present actions or descriptions as nouns, shifting the focus from the actions themselves to the results or concepts.

  1. Their decision to withdraw was unexpected.
  2. The implementation of new policies changed the workplace dynamics.
  3. The discovery of the ancient ruins excited the archaeologists.
  4. Her explanation of the problem helped us understand it better.
  5. The implementation of new policies improved the company's performance.
  6. The reduction in costs led to increased profits.
  7. His refusal to participate disappointed the team.
  8. The completion of the project took longer than expected.
  9. The increase in temperature affected the results of the experiment.
  10. Preparation for the test is essential for success.
  11. The failure of the plan surprised everyone involved.
  12. Our decision to relocate was met with mixed reactions.

3.10 Conditional sentences

Conditional sentences express a condition and its possible result. They usually consist of two clauses: a conditional (or "if") clause that presents the condition, and a main clause that describes the result or outcome if the condition is met. Conditional sentences are used to talk about possible, hypothetical, or even unreal situations, often involving possibilities, probabilities, or hypothetical scenarios.

  1. Provided that she arrives on time, we can start the meeting.
  2. If he had studied harder, he might have succeeded.
  3. If it weren’t for her dedication, the team would have struggled to succeed.
  4. Had they anticipated the issue, they might have prepared a better solution.
  5. Provided he agrees to the terms, the contract will be signed tomorrow.
  6. If you should encounter any issues, please reach out to our support team.
  7. Should they change their policy, we would need to adjust our approach as well.
  8. If only I had realized sooner, I could have made different choices.
  9. Even if he apologizes, she may still be reluctant to forgive him.
  10. Were they more cautious, they might have avoided the accident.
  11. Supposing we had more time, we could consider additional options.
  12. Unless the weather improves, the event will have to be postponed.
Share this content on social media