Sentence Types and Functions A Simple Presentation!

Sentence Types Sentence Functions When discussing grammatical features of text it is useful to focus on the TYPE of sentence used and the FUNCTION of that sentence. Sentence Types Minor Simple Compound Complex Sentence Functions Declarative Interrogative Imperative Exclamation

Sentence Types There are four main sentences types. A simple sentence contains only one verb group. It expresses one idea. A compound sentence has clauses linked by simple conjunctions such as ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’. They express more than one idea. A complex sentence uses more complex conjunctions and expresses a more complex combination of ideas. A minor sentence is a fragment, missing some grammatical element.

A quick test… See if you can spot which is which. I go to Havering and it’s great. Havering is a sixth form college. Havering results shocker! Havering college, which is a sixth form, has been awarded a top prize.

Answers. I go to St. Brendan’s and it’s great. Compound St. Brendan’s is a sixth form college. Simple St. Brendan’s results shocker! Minor St. Brendan’s college, which is a sixth form, has been awarded a top prize. Complex

Why do I need to know this? The reason for the writer or speaker’s choice could be to do with audience, genre, purpose, or desired effect, and may be worth commenting on. It’s always worthwhile commenting on variations in sentence type in texts if the writer is selecting the types for a reason.

Sentence Functions There are four main functions of sentences. Declarative Interrogative Imperative Exclamation

Declaratives A declarative is a statement. Declaratives are very common in written texts. They allow writers to express ideas, tell stories, and comment on the word around them. Because they are the most common, it is often redundant to comment on their use , unless there is something striking about the sentence itself. Declaratives can have pragmatic functions, which we shall look at later.

Interrogatives An interrogative is a question. Most questions begin with the words why, where, when, what, which and how. Questions have their own punctuation, represented by the question mark in written discourse. Questions can be implied pragmatically, which we shall look at later.

Imperatives. Imperatives are commands. They omit the pronoun, and begin with a verb. Imperatives can be softened by using a modal verb to turn the command into a statement. Imperatives are common in spoken discourse, particularly when one speaker has more authority in the conversation than the others.

Exclamations Exclamations are rare in modern written discourse. They are like inverted questions, beginning with how or what. Sentences with other functions can take exclamation marks to give them an exclamatory tone, but it does not mean that they are exclamations in grammatical terms.

A quick quiz… Spot the sentence function. Shut the door. I’m from England. Where is your hat? How lovely the weather is today! Answers… Imperative-Declarative-Interrogative-Exclamation.

But… What is happening here? Going to the shops? It’s my birthday today! It’s freezing in here. (Meaning - shut the window.) Sentence functions in reality can be different from their grammatical structure. They can have force which is different from their sense. This is a form of pragmatic meaning.

Remember… …how to spell the terms. …to only comment on significant effects. …to refer to sentence in written discourse and utterance in spoken discourse.