The Basic Rules of Writing Sentences
Made Easy
The Grammar Detective's Guide for Constructing
Sentences Correctly
Source: http://resourcesforwriters.suite101.com/article.cfm/the-basic-rules-of-writingsentences-made-easy
Several basic rules form the foundation of all sentences. The Grammar
Detective's Guide for constructing a proper sentence helps anyone avoid
common writing mistakes.
A sentence is easy to construct, once the rules are understood. The Grammar
Detective's Guide helps anyone find the correct rules to write a sentence
properly. Proofreading becomes easier.
With practice, it is possible to avoid the common mistakes found in essays,
blogs, term papers, reports, articles and personal letters. These mistakes occur
because people do not use or know the rules of written grammar.
Spoken and Written English are Frequently Quite Different.
People often speak without following grammar rules. They can take shortcuts
because their facial expressions, inflections and gestures help them say what
they mean. However, in writing, the proper use of grammar rules must be
observed in order to communicate accurately. Rules may sound complex, but the
Grammar Detective's sentence basics are quite easy.
The following seven rules are the Grammar Detective's Guide to creating proper
sentences. They serve as a ready reference to remind anyone, who needs to
proofread, what to look for in sentence construction.
Rule 1: Sentences Must Have Subjects and Predicates
Every sentence must have a subject made up of a noun e.g. "People" or pronoun
"They" and a predicate, which must include an action verb, e.g. "ran" or state of
being verb, e.g. "are."
E.g."Many people ran in the marathon."
E.g. "They are physically fit."
Rule 2: Sentence Order-Subject first, Then Predicate
For the majority of sentences, the subject comes first and the predicate follows.
E.g. "I ran." is a sentence. The subject is the pronoun "I". "Ran" is the action verb
that follows, creating a simple predicate. Yoda, in Star Wars, reversed his
sentence order, e.g. "Speaking backward, did he."
Rule 3: Some Sentences Have Implied Subjects
Sometimes a subject can be implied, e.g. "Stop!" The subject "You" doesn't need
to be said. "Stop" is the action verb and makes a complete sentence.
Rule 4: Sentences Need Beginning Capitals and Ending
Punctuation
A sentence must begin with a capital letter and end with a period (.), a question
mark (?) or an exclamation mark (!).
Rule 4a: Capitals and Periods jn Sentences
A sentence begins with a capital, e.g. "I": "I ran to the store." It ends with a period
(.).
Rule 4b: Capitals and Question Marks
The sentence begins with a capital, e.g. "D.": "Did you run to the store?" It ends
with a question mark (?).
Rule 4c: Capitals and Exclamation Marks
This sentence begins with a capital, e.g. "Y": "You ran to the store in your fastest
time ever!" It ends with an exclamation mark (!).
Rule 5: Sentences and Clauses
Sentences are built around clauses, which have subjects, predicates and form a
whole or part of a sentence. They can be independent or dependent. E.g. "I ran
to the store because I needed food."
Rule 5a: Independent Clauses
An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. E.g. "I ran to the store."
can be its own sentence, although it may combine with another clause. (see 5b)
Rule 5b: Dependent Clauses
A dependent clause "depends" on another clause to make the sentence
complete. It cannot stand on its own as a sentence, e.g. "..because I needed
food."
Rule 6: Four Types of Sentences
Sentences can be simple, compound, complex or a combination of compound
and complex.
Rule 6a: Simple Sentences
A simple sentence has one independent clause and no dependent clauses, e.g.
"I ran to the store."
Rule 6b: Compound Sentences
A compound sentence includes one independent clauses and another
independent clause connected with a conjunction, but it does not have
dependent clauses, e.g. "I ran to the store and I bought groceries."
Rule 6c: Complex Sentences
A complex sentence has an independent clause, e.g. "I ran to the store…" and a
dependent clause, e.g. "…because I needed food."
"I ran to the store because I needed food."
Rule 6d: Complex-Compound Sentences
A complex compound sentence has more than one independent clause, e.g. "I
ran to the store and I bought groceries…" and one or more dependent clauses,
e.g. "…because I needed food. "I ran to the store and I bought groceries because
I needed food."
To have two dependent clauses requires that one add a conjunction and another
clause, e.g. "because I needed food and had to stop at the ATM before it closed."
The two dependent clauses explain why the person ran to the store but cannot
stand alone.
Rule 7: Subject and Verbs Must Agree
Sentences must have agreement between the subject and the verb. This means
the "person" e.g. "he=third person" and "number=one person" e.g. singular must
match with the verb conjugation, e.g. third person singular.
"He goes running every morning." not "He go running every morning."
"Goes" agrees with third person singular or "He goes running every morning."
"Go" agrees with the first person singular and would be "I go running every
morning."
Keeping the Grammar Detective's Guide for Constructing Sentences Correctly
handy will help anyone who wants a quick reminder of what is needed in a
sentence.