BASIC ENGLISH GRAMMAR

THE SENTENCE: KINDS OF SENTENCES

A sentence may be defined as a group of words which makes a complete sense.

•              God is good.

•              Boys play in the field.

•              Do your duty.

•              Hurrah! we have won the match.

•              What is your name?

•              May God bless you.

Each of the above group of words has a special meaning and each one of them expresses a complete meaning. Each one of them is a sentence. Each sentence begins with a capital letter.

A. Kinds of sentences (according to meaning):

Sentences may be divided into five classes according to their meaning, e.g.-

1.             Assertive Sentence or Declarative Sentence or a Statement.

2.             Imperative Sentence.

3.             Interrogative Sentence or Question.

4.             Optative Sentence.

5.             Exclamatory Sentence.         

1.         Assertive Sentence or Declarative Sentence:

•              God is good.

•              Sunny is a good cricketer.

•              Man is mortal.

•              Delhi is a city.

•              The Ramayana is an epic.

•              There is a school in our village.

•              We shall follow your noble example. 

Each of the above sentences expresses or states an incident, a statement or a fact. Sentences which describe an incident are called Assertive or Declarative Sentences. An Assertive Sentence is called a Statement. A Full Stop(.) is used after such a statement.

2.         Imperative Sentence:

•              Salute the National Flag.

•              Be kind to the poor.

•              Don't waste your time.

•              Don't run in the sun.

•              Get out from here.

•              Please sit down here.

•              Let me go home.

•              Let us play now.

•              March forward and charge for the guns.

The above sentences express an advice, an order, a request or a proposal. Sentences which express an order, a request, an advice or a proposal are called imperative sentences. They are usually called Commands/Requests.

In an Imperative sentence, the subject is always unexpressed or understood.

A Full Stop(.) is usually placed after an Imperative sentence.

3.         Interrogative Sentence or Question:

•              Can you speak Assamese?

•              Does she speak Hindi?

•              Do you like coffee?

•              How are you?

•              Are you happy?

•              Where do you live?

•              What do you want here?

Each of the above sentences asks a question. A sentence which asks a question is called an Interrogative Sentence. The Note of Interrogation (?) is used after an Interrogative Sentence.

4.         Optative Sentence:

•              May God bless you.

•              May you pass the examination.

•              May you live long.

•              Long live our freedom.

•              Long live Netaji.

•              May God punish the guilty.

Each of the above sentences expresses a wish, a desire, a prayer or a blessing. Such a sentence is called an Optative Sentence. A Full Stop (.) is used at the end of an Optative Sentence.

5.         Exclamatory Sentence:

•              How kind God is!

•              What a lovely picture!

•              How lovely is the rose!

•              What a fool I am!

•              Hurrah! we have won the match.

•              What a pity! he has failed again.

•              Alas! I am undone.

•              What a shame!

Each of the above sentences expresses the speaker's emotion or feeling, sudden joy, sorrow or wonder. Such a sentence is called an Exclamatory Sentence. The note of Exclamation (!) is used at the end of an Exclamatory Sentence. Sometimes, it is used after the word expressing joy or sorrow at the beginning of a Exclamatory Sentence and a fall Stop is used at the end of the Sentence.

B. Affirmative and Negative Sentences:

Sentences can also be divided into two groups- Affirmative and Negative Sentences.

•           A Sentence which affirms something is called an Affirmative Sentence.

•           A Sentence which denies something is called a Negative Sentence.

Generally Negative Sentences are formed by using words like 'not' ‘no' 'never' 'nothing' 'nobody' 'none' etc.

Affirmative Sentence	Negative Sentence
Bina is intelligent. I can do this. There is some milk in this pot. Are you well?     Anyone can do this. Somebody came to his help. Everyman is liable to error. Always speak the truth. Everything is transitory.  Do you know this? Run in the sun.	Bina is not intelligent I can not do this. There is not any milk in this pot Aren’t you well? None can do this. Nobody came to his help. No man is free from error. Never tell a lie. Nothing is permanent Don’t you know this? Don’t run in the sun.

           

Exercise.

1.         Classify the sentences according to their meaning.

a.     Sarmistha sings very well. Stand up.

b.     Socrates was famous for his wisdom.

c.     May you pass the examination.

d.     Do you know Shyamal?

e.     What a fool you are!

f.      Never deviate from the path of virtue.

g.     The sun rises in the east.

h.     The moon walks the night with her silvery shoes.

i.      Boys, do your duty. How are you?

j.      Have you seen the Tajmahal?

k.     Prospero was the rightful Duke of Milan.

l.      Don't spread a rumour. Let us go out for a picnic.

m.   How noble he is!

n.     Hurrah! we have won the match.

o.     Nothing can please you.

p.     Have you done your work?

q.     May God bless us all.

2.         Say which of the following are affirmative and which are negative.

a.     Did you attend the meeting?

b.     Didn't he attend the meeting?

c.     Won't you come to our house?

d.     Do not speak ill of others.

e.     The rose smells sweet.

f.      Both Ramlal and Shyamlal came to the court

g.     Never utter a rude word.

h.     Don't run in the sun.

i.      Honesty is the best policy.

j.      Only Ram can do it.

k.     None but Ram can do it.

l.      Neither Hari nor his brother will go.

m.   May you not suffer any disadvantage.

n.     Don't make a noise here.

o.     He could not remember your address.

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