Most people come across different types of sentences every day but they don’t pay much attention to their differences. When people speak or write, they express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas using different types of sentences. However, there are only 4 types of sentences. And, each of these types serves a unique purpose.
Nevertheless, these types can be categorized further into three based on their conditions or how they are made. Here is the basic categorization of sentences presented by our assignment writers.
- Simple sentence – This is a sentence with a single independent clause. Only a single punctuation mark like a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark is required in this sentence. Here is an example, “Your essay is late.”
- Compound sentence – This sentence type comprises simple joining sentences. It is made by joining closely related sentences using words like but, and, yet, and so. A comma or a semi-colon can also be used to make this sentence. Here is an example, “Your essay is late, so you will lose some marks”.
- Complex sentence – Complex sentence types are made by combining independent clauses with dependent clauses using a comma. However, a comma is not required when a sentence starts with an independent clause. Here is an example, “You lost marks because your essay was late”.
Apart from these three types of sentences in English, they can be categorized into four major classes.
4 Major Types of Sentences
As hinted, people use four sentences types in speaking and writing. But, what are the 4 types of sentences? These categories of sentences are as follows:
- Declarative sentences
- Imperative sentences
- Interrogative sentences
- Exclamatory sentences
These four types of sentences enable humans to express themselves and communicate. What’s more, people use different sentences types to add interest to what they say and pass their ideas effectively. But, to communicate more effectively, you should know how each of the four types of sentences functions. Here is an explanation of different types of sentences with examples.
Declarative Sentences
These are basic sentences. It is probably the most common of the 4 sentences types.
Declarative sentences simply declare something or relay information.
A period is used to punctuate a declarative sentence. Here are examples of declarative sentences.
- The girl walked home.
- I love coffee
- He wants cookies but he does not know how they are made.
These examples show that a declarative sentence is used to make a statement. This can be an opinion or a fact. It can be a simple or a compound sentence but the purpose is the same. What’s more, this sentence can be different tenses provided it serves the purpose of presenting the information.
Interrogative Sentences
Just like the name suggests, these sentences ask questions.
They are simply direct questions with a question mark at the end. Here are examples of interrogative sentences.
- Whose car is that?
- Why is the sun shining?
- Will Antony keep his lottery winnings?
Question words like “why” and “how” mark the beginning of most interrogative sentences. However, some of them are simple yes or no questions. That means they start with a verb. Nevertheless, interrogative sentences require a verb and a noun to make sense.
Exclamatory Sentences
Just like declarative sentences, exclamatory sentences make statements. They do not ask questions.
A person uses an exclamatory sentence to express strong emotion. These sentences have an exclamation mark at the end.
Here are examples of exclamatory sentences.
- Come here right away!
- I wanted tacos and not pizza!
- Hurry, you’ve just won the medal!
Exclamatory sentences also come with a verb and a subject. This is a requirement for most sentences to be complete. In most cases, people use exclamatory sentences in casual conversations. They can also be used to express emotions in written dialogues. However, they are not common in expository or academic writing. Instead, declarative sentences are used to make points in such serious works.
Imperative Sentences
No type of sentences worksheets can be complete without the mention of imperative sentences. These sentences do more than stating facts.
They tell the person to do something. They can be used to provide basic instructions, friendly advice, or issue a forceful command.
Here are examples of imperative sentences.
- Shut that window to keep bugs away.
- Stop disturbing me!
- Turn left on reaching the tall building.
An imperative sentence can end with a period. However, a forceful demand can end with an exclamation mark. This is used to highlight emotion. Imperative sentences are identified by the fact that they miss a subject. Nevertheless, each imperative sentence has a command that is directed at the audience. This makes imperative sentences use the second-person. What’s more, the sentence can omit the subject. Now that we have answered the, what are the four types of sentences question, it’s imperative to know how to learn more about them.
How to Learn More about Sentences
Perhaps, you want to be telling people how many types of sentences are there in a text after skimming through it within minutes. Well, that’s possible if you take the time to learn more about the above categories of sentences. Several activities can help you learn more about different sentences. What’s more, you should differentiate a phrase vs. sentence with ease. But, how do you learn all this?
The best approach is probably to practice with somebody that knows different sentences in the English language. Sit down with them and read a book or newspaper together. Identify statements, commands, questions, and exclamations when reading. Use websites, magazines, and song lyrics to learn about different sentences. You can even have somebody ask random questions like: “What type of sentence is this?”
Your answer should help you determine whether you’re learning to differentiate sentences. It’s also crucial to learn how to punctuate sentences to make the message more impactful. This entails learning to use a full stop, exclamation mark, semicolon, comma, and other punctuation marks. This will enable you to learn how to compose different sentences. It will also teach you more about the structure of different categories of sentences. Once you think you’ve learned more about different sentences, consider taking a sentences types quiz online to gauge your learning.
Another activity that can help you learn more about sentences is having a conversation. For instance, you can select an interesting topic and start a conversation on it in the English language. This activity will teach you the importance of different sentences in both writing and speech.
Are you still asking, what are the 4 types of sentence structure?
Well, this article has answered this question. It has elaborated on the different categories of sentences based on their structure, complexity, or simplicity. Based on this elaboration, the choice of the sentence to use in every situation should depend on what you want to accomplish. For instance, you should use declarative sentences when you want to answer questions or relay information. Try to avoid passive voice. You should use interrogative sentences to ask questions. Use imperative sentences to ask somebody to something and exclamatory sentences to express emotions.
