STRUCTURE: SENTENCE

Sentence is a group of words that use to communicate the ideas in writing or speech. Every complete sentence contains two parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject is what (or whom) the sentence is about, while the predicate tells something about the subject. In the following sentences, the predicate is enclosed in braces ({}), while the subject is highlighted.

A clause is a collection of grammatically-related words including a predicate and a subject (though sometimes the subject is implied). A collection of grammatically related words without a subject or without a predicate is called a phrase.  Clauses are the building blocks of sentences: every sentence consists of one or more clauses.  A clause is a group of words that contains at least a subject and a verb.

The example of clauses:

o   The President of Indonesia is Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

o   The students will exam tomorrow.

Two kinds of clauses, there are independent clause (main clause) and dependent clause (subordinate clause).

F Independent Clause

An independent clause contains a subject and a verb. It can stand alone as a sentence itself.  The formed an independent clause:

Subject + Verb (+ Complement)

The examples of an independent clause:

ü Hyokie studies in his room.

ü Yayank watches the World Cup 2010 in Africa.

ü Arif spent four years in his college.

F Dependent Clause

A dependent clause begins with a subordinator., followed by a subject, verb, and complement. It does not express complete thought and cannot standby itself as a complete sentence. The formed a dependent clause:

Subordinator + Subject + Verb (+ Complement)

The subordinator divided three kinds, there are:

oSubordinating conjunctions

After, although, as, as if, as soon as, because, before, even though, how, if, since, so that, that, though, unless, until, what, when, whenever, where, wherever, whether, which, while, who, whom.

oCoordinating conjunctions

For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

oSentence connectors

Accordingly, besides, consequently, thus, hence, however, moreover, then, likewise, meanwhile, therefore, for example, nevertheless, otherwise, furthermore, on the other hand.

The examples of a dependent clause:

ü … after he leaves his room.

ü … because you love me.

ü … if you hurt me

Four kinds of sentence in English, there are:

1.     The Simple Sentence

The most basic type of sentence is the simple sentence, which contains one independent clause and no dependent clause only one clause. A simple sentence can be as short as one word. And simple sentence also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought.

The example:

ü Run !

The sentence “run” is one word.

ü The baby cried.

This simple sentence has one independent clause, which contains one subject, baby, and one predicate, cried.

ü Indonesia is a rich country

This simple sentence has one independent clause, which contains one subject, Indonesia, and one predicate, is a rich country.

ü Ezha and I go to school together.

This simple sentence has one independent clause, which contains two subject, Ezha and I, and one predicate, go to school together.

2.     Compound sentence

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clause. It does not require a dependent clause. The clauses are joined by a coordinating  conjunction  (with or without a comma), a correlative conjunction (with or without a comma), or a semicolon  that functions as a conjunction. A conjunction can be used to make a compound sentence. The use of a comma to separate two short independent clauses in a sentence is accepted.

The example

• My friend invited me to a tea party, but my parents didn't let me go.
• Max usually eat snack and watch TV at the same time.
• Do you want to stay here or go shopping with me?
• Ukie enjoys playing footsal; he hates playing golf.
• Canada is a rich country, but still it has many poor people.
• My campus is located in besides terminal, so it is very easy to find the bus.

3.     Complex sentence

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.  Unlike a compound sentence, however, a complex sentence contains clauses, which are not equal.  Consider the following examples: 

The example

-          Although my friend invited me to a party, I do not want to go.

-          I do not want to go although my friend invited me to a party.

-          Ukie hates playing golf although he enjoys playing footsal.

-          Although Ukie enjoys playing footsal, he hates playing golf.

-          I was scared, but I did not run away.

-          Because the evening was terribly chilly, we lit a roaring fire

-          The puppy will sleep through the night assuming he tires himself out.

4.     Compound-complex sentence

A sentence with compound – complex sentence is combination at least two independent clause  and one or more dependent clause (which can also be called subordinate clause or main clause).

The example

☻    Ukie hates playing golf, but he enjoys playing footsal even though he is not very good at it.

☻    My brother goes to sport ground although he still ill and he have to come to training for competition next week.

☻    If I had much money, I will go to New Zealand or Hawaii.

☻    I will go to school because I will study so for getting the future.

☻    The dog lived in the backyard, but the cat, who knew he was superior, lived inside the house.