Basic Clause Structure

12/3/2016 SentenceStructure(Part1)BasicClauseStructureFreeEnglishGrammarGuideLearnEnglishGrammar/EnglishGrammarRules/GrammarC
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Sent e n c e s
These articles give you all the information you need about
sentence structure in English writing. The following is
important information about sentence patterns and the
rules for proper sentence construction in English writing.
Enjoy your reading and start writing good effective
sentences.
GettingintoSentences
Consider this question: Which one of the following is a good
sentence ?
1) Birds fly .
2) Those beautiful small red-blue African birds, which we
saw at the zoo last week, actually fly around the world every
year looking for a mate.
Actually, from a pure grammatical perspective, these
sentences are both valid as they contain the basic elements
required by grammar. Still, when it comes to good writing,
sentence (2) is by far much more interesting to the reader
than the laconic short sentence (1). It is important to know
the various sentence elements (subjects, predicates,
phrases, clauses) that can make your writing accurate and
grammatically correct but also more interesting and
appealing to your readers.
WhatisaSentence?
A sentence is basically a group of words which are tied
together and convey an idea, event or description. The

words in an English sentence have a certain order and rules
regarding ways to either expand or shorten it. The
boundaries of a sentence are easily recognized, as it begins

with a capital letter and ends with a terminal punctuation
https://sites.google.com/site/englishgrammarguide/Home/sentencestructurepart1basicclausestructure1
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with a capital letter and ends with a terminal punctuation

mark (period, question mark or exclamation point). It is
important for English writers to know the language of
sentence grammar terms in order to be able to analyze and

develop their writing.
The four main sections regarding English sentence
structure are:
1. Basic Clause Structure
2. Phrase
3. Clause Types
4. The 4 Sentence Types
Sent e n c e StructureinEnglishWriting
1.BasicClauseStructure
Right or Wrong ?
In the park a young boy yesterday a black snake bit.

Wrong ! The reader of the above sentence may not
understand who or what bit what or who. In order to make

sure that it is a snake who bit a young boy, the words have
to be placed in a certain order, which in English is usually
fixed. In addition, phrases describing place and time, also

adhere to a certain order. The correct sentence is therefore:
A black snake bit a young boy in the park yesterday.
If you want to know more, read the grammar rules for

basic clause structure below.
If you are ready to read other sentence structure topics,

click here for the index.
The Grammar Rules for Basic Clause Structure in English

Before we begin our review of the rules, you should know
that sentences can be defined according to their purpose:

1) A declarative sentence
-can make a positive statement

Some birds fly south in winter.
-can make a negative statement
These birds do not fly south in winter.

2) An interrogative sentence asks a question
Do these birds fly south in winter ?
2/10
Do these birds fly south in winter ?

3) An imperative sentence gives a command
Fly south this winter !
4) An exclamatory sentence expresses a strong feeling
Oh ! I just love these cute birds !
5) A subjunctive sentence can convey a condition, wish, or
preference which are contrary to fact or reality.
I wish these beautiful birds didn't fly south this winter (but
in reality they will).
1. A basic sentence is composed of at least one

independent clause. A clause is composed of a minimum of
a subject and a predicate. Without one of these elements,
the clause is ungrammatical.
2. A subject of a clause is an entity such as a person, a

place, an object, or an abstract concept, which acts, is
described or is acted upon. The subject usually answers the
question Who/What is the sentence about?
The subject in the "right or wrong" example is "a black
snake."
The lion roared.
[The subjects acts]
The lion is beautiful.
[The subject is described]
The lion was hunted.
[The subject is acted upon]
3. A simple subject is the word or group of words acting as
a subject. A complete subject is the simple subject and its
modifiers. A compound subject consists of two or more
nouns or pronouns, linked by either and or or. A complete
compound subject includes the compound subject and its
modifiers.
The lion roared.
[The lion = simple subject]

The big lion roared.
[The big lion = complete subject]
The lion and the lioness roared.
3/10
The lion and the lioness roared.

[The lion and the lioness = compound subject]
The big strong lion and the beautiful lioness roared.
[The big strong lion and the beautiful lioness = complete
compound subject]
4. The subject usually precedes the predicate but not

always.
The lions ran off.
[subject precedes predicate]
Off ran the lions .

[predicate precedes subject]
Under the tree lay a pride of lions .
[predicate precedes subject]
Why did the lions run ?
[predicate element precedes subject in questions]
5. A predicate of a clause gives information on the subject,
either describing it or identifying the action it performs or
that is performed upon it (its predicament). The predicate
contains the verb in the sentence and objects that are
affected by the subject's actions. It usually answers the
question What happens/ is described?

The predicate in the "right or wrong" example is bit a young
boy in the park yesterday, the verb is bit, the (direct) object
in the above example is a young boy.
The lion roared .
[The predicate tells what the subject does]

The lion is beautiful .
[The predicate describes the subject]

The lion was hunted .
[The predicate tells what was done to the subject]

6. A simple predicate consists of only the verb. A complete
predicate consists of the verb and its modifiers. A

compound predicate consists of two or more verbs with or
without objects, or a verb with one object or more, linked by
either and or or. A complete compound subject includes
the compound predicate and its modifiers.
The lion roared .
[roared = simple predicate]
4/10
The lion roared .
[roared = simple predicate]

The lion roared loudly .
[roared loudly = complete predicate]

The lion roared and growled at the foxes.
[roared and growled at the foxes = compound subject]

The lion roared and growled at the small foxes loudly.
[roared and growled at the small foxes loudly = complete
compound subject]
7. A direct object is a noun, pronoun or group of words
acting as a noun that receives the action of a transitive verb

without a linking preposition. A direct object answers the
question whom? Or what?
The teacher read the story.
[the story = direct object]
8. An indirect object is a noun, pronoun or a group of

words acting as a noun that answers the question to
whom/what ? or for whom/what ? the action expressed by a

transitive verb was done.
The teacher read the story to the students.
[the story = direct object, to the students = indirect object]

9. In sentences where the indirect object follows the word to
or for, always put the direct object before the indirect
object. If the indirect object does not follow to or for, put
the indirect object before the direct object.
Yes: The teacher gave an assignment to the students.

No: The teacher gave to the students an assignment.
Yes: The teacher gave the students an assignment.
[the verb give can be used without to]
10. When a pronoun is used as an indirect object, some
verbs require to or for before the pronoun, while others do
not. Consult a dictionary if you are unsure (the best place to

look this up is in the example sentences within the entry of
the verb in the dictionary).
The teacher explained the grammar rule to the students.

No: The teacher explained them the grammar rule.
Yes: The teacher explained the grammar rule to them.
[the verb explain follows only one pattern, with to]
The teacher gave an assignment to the students.
Yes: The teacher gave an assignment to them.
Yes: The teacher gave them an assignment.
5/10

[The verb give follows both patterns, with and without to]
12. When both the direct object and the indirect object are
pronouns, put the direct object before the indirect object
and use to or for with the indirect object.

No: The teacher gave them it.
Yes: The teacher gave it to them.

[the verb give can also be used without to before indirect
object]
13. A typical word order for an English one-clause-sentence

would therefore be:
Subject-Verb-Direct Object-Indirect Object

14. To expand the basic one-clause-sentence, you can add
manner (how?), place (where?) and time (when?how often?)
modifiers. These usually appear in the above mentioned
order. An easy formula to help you remember the basic
word order for a basic English sentence is:
Subject-Verb-Object-Manner-Place-Time , or conversely
the acronym SVOMPT (pronounced like swamp). You usually

do not have to include all six parts, but if you do, this order
is recommended.
The teacher gave an assignment to the students quickly in

class yesterday.
[subject] [verb] [direct object] [indirect object] [manner]
[place] [time]
15. A complement is an element appearing in the predicate
that renames or describes a subject or an object. A subject

complememt is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows a
linking verb (e.g. b e, look, appear). An object complement
follows a direct object and either renames or describes it.
This student is a 12th-grader .
[ is = linking verb, a student = subject complement]
This student refers to himself as "Professor X. "
[ refers = verb, himself = direct object, Professor X = object

complement]
16. A modifier is a word or group of words that describes

or limits other words. Modifiers can appear in both the
subject and the predicate of the sentence. Modifiers may be 6/10
subject and the predicate of the sentence. Modifiers may be

single words, phrases or whole clauses.
The best student got an A on the biology test.

[the adjective best modifies the noun student, the noun
biology modifies the noun test]
The students in class were very excited when the teacher

read the story funnily .
[ the preopositional phrase in class modifies students, the

adverb very modifies the adjective excited, the adverb
funnily modifies the verb read]
Consequently , the teacher continued reading the story. He

did not finish it because the lesson ended.
[the adverb consequently modifies the independent clause

the teacher continued reading the story,
the dependent clause because the lesson ended modifies
the independent clause he did not finish it]
17. An appositive is a word or group of words that renames
the noun or pronoun preceding it. When an appositive is not

essential to identifying what it renames (when it is nonrestrictive), use a comma to separate it from the rest of the
sentence.
Berlin, the capital of Germany , is developing rapidly.
[the appositive the capital of Germany renames Berlin]

The student talked to Mr. Smith, his counselor .
[the appositive his counselor renames Mr. Smith]

SentenceStructure:Summingitup
As our brief article shows, sentence structure rules are the
basic building blocks of English writing. If you know the
basics, you will be able to make your writing more complex

as you advance your writing skills.
Grammar Guide Index
Grammar Rules
Grammar Exercises
Parts of Speech - General Overview
Singular and Plural Nouns
English Adjectives - Basic Terms
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English Adjectives - Basic Terms

English Verbs (Part 1) - Basic Terms
English Verbs (Part 2) - More Terms

The Verb To Be
Negative Sentences and Question Formation

The Irregular Verbs in English (Part 1)
The Irregular Verbs in English (Part 2)
The Verb Tenses in English
Spelling Rules for the Verb Tenses

Present Tenses:
The Present Simple Tense
The Present Progressive Tense

Past Tenses:
The Past Simple Tense
The Past Progressive Tense

Sentence Structure (Part 1) - Basic Clause Structure
Sentence Structure (Part 2) - Phrases
Sentence Structure (Part 3) - Clauses

Sentence Structure (Part 4) - Sentence Types
Recommended Software
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12/3/2016 SentenceStructure(Part1)BasicClauseStructureFreeEnglishGrammarGuideLearnEnglishGrammar/EnglishGrammarRules/GrammarC

Search this site

Sentence Structure (Part 1) Basic

together and convey an idea, event or description. The

boundaries of a sentence are easily recognized, as it begins

with a capital letter and ends with a terminal punctuation

sentence grammar terms in order to be able to analyze and

4. The 4 Sentence Types

In the park a young boy yesterday a black snake bit.

understand who or what bit what or who. In order to make

fixed. In addition, phrases describing place and time, also

If you want to know more, read the grammar rules for

If you are ready to read other sentence structure topics,

The Grammar Rules for Basic Clause Structure in English

that sentences can be defined according to their purpose:

-can make a positive statement

These birds do not fly south in winter.

Do these birds fly south in winter ?

1. A basic sentence is composed of at least one

2. A subject of a clause is an entity such as a person, a

[The lion = simple subject]

[The big lion = complete subject]

The lion and the lioness roared.

The lion and the lioness roared.

4. The subject usually precedes the predicate but not

Off ran the lions .

question What happens/ is described?

[The predicate tells what the subject does]

[The predicate describes the subject]

[The predicate tells what was done to the subject]

predicate consists of the verb and its modifiers. A

The lion roared .

[roared = simple predicate]

[roared loudly = complete predicate]

[roared and growled at the foxes = compound subject]

acting as a noun that receives the action of a transitive verb

8. An indirect object is a noun, pronoun or a group of

whom/what ? or for whom/what ? the action expressed by a

[the story = direct object, to the students = indirect object]

Yes: The teacher gave an assignment to the students.

10. When a pronoun is used as an indirect object, some

verbs require to or for before the pronoun, while others do

not. Consult a dictionary if you are unsure (the best place to

The teacher explained the grammar rule to the students.

Yes: The teacher gave them an assignment.

The teacher gave an assignment to the students.

Yes: The teacher gave them an assignment.

13. A typical word order for an English one-clause-sentence

Subject-Verb-Direct Object-Indirect Object

the acronym SVOMPT (pronounced like swamp). You usually

The teacher gave an assignment to the students quickly in

15. A complement is an element appearing in the predicate

that renames or describes a subject or an object. A subject

[ refers = verb, himself = direct object, Professor X = object

16. A modifier is a word or group of words that describes

subject and the predicate of the sentence. Modifiers may be 6/10

subject and the predicate of the sentence. Modifiers may be

The best student got an A on the biology test.

The students in class were very excited when the teacher

[ the preopositional phrase in class modifies students, the

Consequently , the teacher continued reading the story. He

[the adverb consequently modifies the independent clause