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Chapter No 1

Sentence, Phrase, Clause

Sentence

A sentence is a combination of words including a subject and a verb which express a complete
idea. A sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question mark or exclamation mark.

Example:

He goes to school She is eating an apple

Who are you? What a beautiful flower!

Parts of Sentence
A sentence consists of two parts i.e. subject and predicate

Subject

The part of sentence which performs some action in a sentence is called subject. A subject is
sometimes also defined as the part of sentence which is being spoken about a sentence (especially a
sentence having a static verb). A subject has a close relationship with what is being discussed in sentence.

A subject can be a noun, pronoun, noun clause or noun phrase

Predicate

The part of sentence which tells about the subject is called predicate

Example:
He is flying a kite Nadeem is driving a car
Ali is playing cricket . Allama Iqbal is our national poet.
Quid-e –Azam was a great leader. She is writing a letter.

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She is washing her clothes.

Subject predicate
Perform action which tells something
About which about subject
Something is told
In sentence
Object

A word or group of words which receive the action of a verb or that completes the description or statement
being made about the subject.
Direct objects

Direct object is a word or group of words that follows transitive verbs, and name the receiver of the action.
Example: I threw the baseball
Indirect Objects

It is a noun or pronoun that comes before or behind a direct object and tells to whom or for whom or what
the action is done.
Example: I gave the ball to Mudasir
Subject Complements

It follows a linking verb and describes or completes the meaning of the subject. These can be noun (I am
the manager), or adjectives (He is so stupid!)
Object complements
It is like a subject complement, but applied to something else : a word or group of words that describe or
completes a direct object’s meaning. These can also be nouns or adjectives.
Example: love makes the world a happier place. Yes I am calling you ridiculous.

Kinds of Sentence

Declarative
A sentence that makes a statement or assertion is called declarative sentence.
Example:
He goes to school She is eating an apple
Interrogative sentence
A sentence that asks a question is called an interrogative sentence. An interrogative sentence ends
with question mark.

Example:
Where are you going? Who are you?

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Imperative sentence
A sentence that expresses a request, command or advice is called an imperative sentence.
Example:
Open the door Please help me
Exclamatory sentence
A sentence that express strong feelings or emotions is called an exclamatory sentence. These
sentence express surprise, joy, sorrow, appreciation, love excitement, frustration, anger etc. An
exclamatory sentence ends with exclamatory mark.
Example:
That is fantastic! Hurrah! We have won the match

Phrase and Clause

Phrase
A phrase is defined as a group of related words that lacks both subject and verb. Though it is a part
of a sentence, yet is a group of words (within a sentence) that does not contain both subject and verb, and
therefore does not express a complete idea.
Example: He is standing near a wall.
The part of above sentence “near a wall” is a [phrase because it does not contain subject and verb, and
does not express a complete idea.
Note: if a group of words include both subject and verb then it becomes a clause, so the difference in a
clause and a phrase is that a clause contains subject and verb but a phrase does not contain subject and
verb
She is making tea for the guests. He is laughing at a joker
A sentence may consist of one or more phrases.
Example: The boy in the red shirt behaves in a strange way
A phrase functions as a noun, adverb, or adjective in a sentence, therefore a phrase is also defined
as “a group of words (lacking subject and verb), that function as a single part of speech, in a sentence.”
Examples:
He is wearing a nice red shirt. (as a noun/object)
The students at the farewell party were dancing. (as a noun/subject)
The man in the room is our teacher (as adjective, modifies noun man)
He gave me a glass full of water (as adjective, modifies noun glass)

On the basis of their functions and constructions, phrases are divided into various types i.e. noun phrase,
verb phrase, adverb phrase, adjective phrase, appositive phrase, infinite phrase, participle phrase
and gerund phrase.

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Clause
A clause is defined as a group of related words that contain a subject and predicate (verb)
Example: He is laughing at a joker
The above sentence has two parts “he is laughing” and “at a joker”
The first part of the sentence “he is laughing” is a clause because it has a subject (he) and a predicate (is
laughing)
The second part of the sentence “at a joker” is a phrase because it does not contain subject and verb.

Kinds of sentences According to structure

A sentence may consist of one clause (independent clause) or more clauses (independent and dependent
clauses). An independent clause is also called main clause. A dependent clause is also called subordinate
clause. On the basis of number of clause and type of clause present in a sentence, sentences are divided in
to four kinds.
Simple sentence
A simple sentence consists of only one independent clause containing a subject and a verb and it
express a complete thought. There is no dependent clause
Example:

He laughed She is eating an apple

Compound sentence
A compound sentence consists at least of two independent clause joined by coordinating
conjunctions. There is no dependent clause in compound sentence. The coordinating conjunction use to
join independent clause are “for, and, nor, but, yet, so”. Independent clause can also be joined by a
semicolon (;). A comma may or may not be used before the conjunction in compound sentence.
Example:
1. I like an apple but my brother likes a mangoes
2. I helped him and he became happy

Complex sentence
A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause joined
by subordinating conjunction (because, although, since, when, unless etc.) or relative pronoun (that, who,
which etc.).
Example:
I met the boy who had helped me. He is wearing a shirt which looks nice.
If a complex sentence begins with an independent clause, a comma is not used between clauses in a
complex sentence. If a complex sentence begins with dependent clause, then a comma is used after
dependent clause in a complex sentence.
He is playing well although he is ill Although he is ill, he is playing well

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Complex-Compound sentence
A complex-compound sentence consists of at least two independents and one or more dependent
clause. It is also sometimes called compound-complex sentence
Example:
He went to college and I went to a market where I bought a book
I like mathematics but my brother likes biology because he want to be a
doctor.
Bold sentence independent clause
Underline sentence dependent clause

Short Questions
Q#1. Define sentence.
Ans: A group of words which expresses a complete idea or thought is called a sentence.
Q#2. Can one words be called a sentence?
Ans: Sometimes a sentence may have only one word. It may be a command.
Q#3. Name the types of a sentence based on function.
Ans: Declarative Interrogative imperative Exclamatory
Q#4. Define Declarative sentence
Ans: A sentence that makes a statement or assertion is called declarative sentence.
Q#5. What are the other names of a declarative sentence?
Ans. A declarative sentence is also called a statement or an assertive sentence.
Q#6. What is an interrogative sentence?
Ans. A sentence that asks a question is called an interrogative sentence. Interrogative sentence ends with
question mark.
Q#7. Define an imperative sentence.
Ans: A sentence that expresses a request, command or advice is called an imperative sentence
Q#8. What does an exclamatory mark come after an imperative sentence?
Ans: if an imperative sentence is a strong command, it ends with an exclamatory mark.
Q#9. Define exclamatory sentence.
Ans: A sentence that expresses strong feelings or emotions is called an exclamatory sentence. These
sentence express surprise, joy, sorrow, appreciation, love excitement, frustration, anger etc. An
exclamatory sentence ends with exclamatory mark.
Q#10. When does an exclamation take comma after it?
Ans: sometimes an exclamation forms only part of a sentence. It takes a comma after it and the next word
starts with a small letter.

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Q#11. How many parts does a sentence have?

Ans: A sentence has two parts. Subject and Predicate.
Q#12. Define subject.
Ans: The part of sentence which performs some action in a sentence is called subject.
Q#13. Define predicate?
Ans: The part of sentence which tells about the subject is called predicate.
Q#14. Can we use a subject after the predicate in a sentence?
Ans: A subject usually comes before the predicate but sometimes it can be used after the predicate.
Q#15. What do you understand by an object?
Ans: The noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb is called object.
Q#16. Define complement
Ans: a noun or adjective used to complete the meaning of a linking verb or Be form of verb is called
complement.
Q#17. What is phrase?
Ans: A phrase is defined as a group of related words that lacks both subject and verb.
Q#18. What is a clause?
Ans: A clause is defined as a group of related words that contain a subject and predicate (verb).

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