SentencesSentencesSentencesSentencesPam ClarkPam Clark

City LitCity Lit

Adapted from Discover Grammar by David Crystal

To describe the way sentences of a language are constructed.

To organise our thoughts so that they make sense, to ourselves and to others, in speech and writing.

What is a sentence?

• A unit of language that makes sense.– It must follow the rules of grammar.– It must be complete.

• Able to stand alone.• feel finished – give full information.

– It needs a capital letter and a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.

Are these sentences?

the fast ferry

bigger than

because Mary said

so

can be done

The fast ferry is bigger than the slow ferry.

I believe the job can be done because Mary said so.

Grammar? What for?

The words in a sentence can only be in certain patterns.

The patterns are controlled by grammar.

Grammar controls:

• The order that words can appear in.

• The endings of some words.

What’s wrong with these sentences?

The a car saw man.

The clocks is be ready.

What and why did she go?

We might didn’t not of gone

Sentences can be short or long. One word or hundreds of words! Sorry!

Try activities A, B and C.

Making sentences

Most sentences are regular. They can be broken down into a limited pattern of elements (parts).

My friend has dropped a book on her big toe.

I gave the keys to Luke

Jemima went to town yesterday.

Each of the sentences in the table is a clause.Clauses are made up of elements.

Simple and multiple sentences

How are these two sentences different?

A book fell on John’s toe.

A book fell on John’s toe and a book fell on Janet’s toe.A book fell on John’s toe and a book fell on Janet’s toe.

clause clausejoining word? ??Simple sentence Multiple sentence

clause Clause + linking word + clauseTry activities D, E and F

What’s in a clause?

The teacher / called / Jill / a genius / twice.

Subject

What the clause is going to be about.

Verb

The most important element in a clause.Shows actions, sensations, states of being.

Object

Who or what has been directly affected by the verb’s action.

Complement

Extra information about the subject or object.

Adverbial

Extra information about the situation: when, where, how.

She / called / her / it / twice.

The teacher / was calling / my sister / a genius / last week.

Try activities G, H and I

How do clauses make sentences?

The five clause elements are combined to make simple sentences. Grammar only allows for a small number of clause combinations to be allowed.

S + V

S + V + O

S + V + C

S + V + A

S + V + O + O

S + V + O + C

S + V + O + A

Hilary / yawned.

Hilary / opened / the door.

Hilary / was / ready.

Hilary / lived / in London.

Hilary / gave / me / a pen.

Hilary / got / my shoes / wet.

Hilary / put / the box / on the table.

Try activities J and K

What have we learned?

• A sentence must be complete.• A sentence must have a subject and

a verb.• A simple sentence is made up of

one clause.• Clauses are made up of elements.

Each element must be in the right order so that the clause is grammatical.

To make longer, complex sentences, we combine two or more clauses.