Sentence structure with examples 

What is THE STRUCTURE OF A SENTENCE

A sentence is a group of words that makes complete sense.

Every group of words is not a sentence.

The words must be arranged properly to make sense. The difference in the arrangement of words may make a sentence meaningless, or change its meaning

1. Horse grass eats only (Meaningless -no

sentence).

2. Horse eats only grass. (only grass and nothing else).

3 Only a horse eats grass. (only horse and no other animal).

The following hints will help you in constructing correct sentences.

I. Assertive Sentences:

1. The subject usually comes before the verb:

• The Baby eats quickly.
• The train came late.
• The boy plays well.
• Mr. Adam went to the bank.
• They go to school.

2. The object usually comes after the verb:

• The boy loved flowers.
• My brother read novels.
• She went to the store.
• We are sitting on the couch.
• I think about my life.

3. If a sentence has a Direct Object and an 

Indirect Object, the indirect Object usually comes first:

• Give me your pen.
• My mother told me a story.
• Peter bought me a bicycle.
• My friend gave me a wonderful gift.
• He broke the glass.

4. The Adjective generally comes before the noun it qualifies:

• The fast train comes in the morning.
• He is a lazy boy in his class.
• She is the most beautiful girl.
• My younger brother is a driver.
• It was a rainy day when we met.

5. But when an Adjective is used predicatively, it comes after the noun

• Zach is honest.
• Sarah is intelligent.
• My uncle is brave.
• These flowers are so pretty.
• My shirt is yellow.

6. The Adjectival Phrase, comes immediately after the noun:

• The students of our school went on a picnic.
• His father is a man of courage.
• One of my colleagues told me a book about comics.
• The girl next to me in the picture is my sister.
• He wore a red shirt and black trousers during his birthday party.

7. The Adverb is generally placed close to the word it modifies:

• Nancy always comes late. (modifying “comes”)
• They arrived early for the meeting. (Modifying “arrived”)
• She will go early in the morning. (Modifying “go”
• Our newspaper comes daily. (Modifying “come”)
• He never tells a lie. (Modifying  “tells”)

8. All qualifying clauses are placed as close as possible to the words they qualify:

• The boys who do not work hard, often fail.
• He went to the school where he was educated.
• He is the best singer in his group.
• My mother went to the hospital which is near to our house.

Note: The normal order of words in a sentence is sometimes changed for the sake of emphasis.

• The money I have none ( object coming first)
• Blessed are the merciful. ( object coming
• first).
• Farid dear, why did not you write
• to me. (Adjective after the noun)

II. Interrogative Sentences:

The rules given above are generally applicable to Interrogative sentences as

well. But in an Interrogative Sentence, the verb, Auxiliary Verb, or the Question

word is placed first :

• Are you happy?
• Was she doing her work well?
• Who will come with me?
• Did you go to the studio?
• Have you ever been to England?

III. The Imperative Sentences:

The subject of an Imperative Sentence is often suppressed but it is understood to be there:

• Do not shout. (i.e.., you do not shout)
• Give me your torch, (i.e., you give me your torch)
• Have breakfast quickly. (i.e., you have your breakfast quickly)
• Close the door. (i.e., you must go to close the door)
• Come here. (i.e., you come here)

IV. Exclamatory Sentences:

The Interjection comes first in an Exclamatory Sentence: the rest of the sentence has a structure just like

that of an Assertive Sentence:

• Alas! We have lost a noble soul.
• Ouch! That hurts me.
• Hurrah! We passed the exam.
• Alas! Our leader is dead.
• Bravo! You have done your work well.

Note : 

But when ‘Who or How are used for exclamation, the Adjectives or Adverbs they modify, follow them.

Study carefully :

• What a pretty face she has!
• How happy we were!
• How brave boy did it!
• What a great deal it is!
• What a beautiful place I have ever seen!

V. Optative Sentences :

In the case of an Optative Sentence the words

“may” or ‘would’ are added before the sentences. Study carefully :

• May you win this match!
• May you get the victory!
• May God bless us all.
• Would that I were the king of any nation.
• Would that I were a bird!
• May all your desires come true.