Sentences, Phrases and Clauses by Eguriase S. M. Okaka

 

Sentences, Phrases and Clauses

                                        By Eguriase S. M. Okaka

A sentence is a group of words that makes a complete sense, conveys a message and expresses an ideology. A sentence more or less makes its complete sense by containing a verb um the finite verb. That is, the action or doing word that defines the word-sense in a sentence. For a start, let’s consider the following expressions or group of words:

·        At the zoo.

·        We sat down.

·        That beautiful girl smiling at us.

·        When I was a child.

·        I used to act like a child.

Now, which of the above groups of words are Phrases, Clauses and Sentences? How many sentences are there? Do you know? Which are the sentences? Well, there are only two sentences and they are numbers 2 and 5. Let us now examine them together.

·        At the zoo

This group of words makes sense since we know what the zoo means. But the sense is not complete because we are not told what happened or is happening at the zoo. Again, the group of words has no verb. It is neither a sentence nor a clause. It is a phrase.

·        We sat down

This group of words makes complete sense. It is has a subject and a predicate. It is therefore a sentence.

·        That beautiful girl smiling at us

This group of words has no verb and it does not make complete sense. It is therefore a phrase.

·        When I was a child

This group of words has a verb – ‘was’. It is therefore not a phrase. But it does not make complete sense and so it is not a sentence. What is it then? It is a clause – a subordinate Adverb clause of time.

·        I used to act like a child

This group of words makes complete sense and so it is a sentence. We can however combine numbers 4 and 5 together to form one sentence – When I was a child I used to act like a child. ‘I used to act like a child’ becomes the main clause or principal clause while ‘When I was a child’ becomes the subordinate Adverb clause of time.

 

In the light of the above let us now define a phrase, a clause and a sentence.

·        A phrase is a group of words without a finite verb.

·        A clause is a group of words with a finite verb which forms part of a sentence. A Main Clause may make sense by itself but a subordinate clause does not.

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

Note that a phrase can be changed or developed into a sentence by supplying it with a suitable verb and giving it a suitable subject and predicate.  Thus the number 1 phrase could read: ‘We were all at the zoo yesterday’ while the number 3 phrase could read: ‘That beautiful girl is smiling at us’.

 

AFFIRMATION AND NEGATIVE SENTENCES

Sentences whether declarative or interrogative or imperative or optative or exclamatory may either be affirmative or negative.

 

Sentences are affirmative when they do not contain the word “not” or its equivalent, and negative when they do. For example, ‘We have read the Bible’ is an affirmative sentence, but ‘We have not read the Bible’ is a negative sentence.

 

PARTS OF A SENTENCE

A sentence is divided into two main parts called the Subject and the Predicate.

The subject of a sentence is the person or thing we are talking about and is always a noun or a pronoun.

 

The Predicate of a sentence is what we say about the person or thing and it must contain a finite verb to tell us what the subject is doing or what it is in.

 

Subject                                                   Predicate

·        We                                                      are here to learn English.

·        That pretty girl over there                  is smiling at us.

·        I                                                          am reading a book.

·        She                                                     is the tallest girl in the class.

 

TYPES OF SENTENCE

Note the following types of sentence:

 

·        An Assertive or Declarative Sentence: This is the sentence that asserts or state a fact. It is also called a Statement.

Example:

·        A leopard does change its spot.

·        Those who want success must work hard.

 

·        An Imperative Sentence: This is the sentence that expresses a command, or request, or an advice. It is also called a Command.

Example:

·        Get out of this house immediately.

·        Be honest in all your dealings with others.

 

·        An Interrogative Sentence: This is that sentence that asks a question. It is also called a Question.

Examples:

·        Why does God permit wickedness?

·        What is the ingredient for true happiness?

 

·        An Exclamatory Sentence: This is the sentence that expresses strong or sudden feeling joy, pain, surprise, or fear.

Examples:

·        God Almighty, save us!

·        Ah, what a beautiful girl!

·        What! Incredible! I can’t believe it!

 

An Optative Sentence: This is the sentence that expresses a wish or desire or prayer.

Example:

·        I wish you success.

·        May your shadow never grow less?

 

CLAUSES OF SENTENCES

Sentences are further classified into Simple or Complex, Double or Multiple. Now let us look at them in details:

 

A Simple Clause: This is a sentence that contains only one finite verb and expresses just a single thought or idea.

Example:

·        Our teacher is very kind.

·        A good wife should be faithful to her husband.

 

A Complex Sentence: This is a sentence which has one main clause with one or more subordinate clause.

Example:

·        I saw the man who caught the thief last night.

(In this sentence, ‘I saw the man is the main clause while ‘who caught the thief last night’ is the subordinate clause).

 

A Double Sentence:  This is a sentence which has two co-ordinate clauses joined together by a coordinating conjunction.

Examples:

·        We entered the house and sat down.

·        The people were singing but nobody was dancing.

 

A Multiple Sentence: This is a sentence which has more or two co-ordinate clause.

Example:

·        We entered the house, sat down began to read.

·        I came, I saw, I conquer.

Note that Double sentences and multiple sentences are also called Compound sentences. This means a Compound sentence may either be Double or Multiple.

 

A Double Complex Sentence: This is a sentence which has two main clauses with one or more subordinate clauses.

Example:

·        We entered the house, sat down until it was dark.

(In this the two main clauses are: ‘we entered the house and ‘We sat down’ while the subordinate clause is ‘Until it was dark’).

 

A Multiple Complex Sentence: This is a sentence that has three or more main clauses with one or more subordinate clauses.

Example:

·        We entered the house, sat down and we began to read until it was dark.

(This sentence has three or more main clauses and one subordinate clause. Can you identify then?)

 

CLAUSES

That part of a sentence that make sense or that can stand by itself is called a Main Clause or Principal Clause or Independent Clause. While that part of a clause that cannot stand alone but is dependent on another clause is called a Subordinate Clause or Dependent Clause.

 

Subordinate Clause

A Subordinate Clause may do the work of a noun (noun clause), an adjective (adjective clause), or an adverb (adverb clause).

 

Noun Clause

A noun clause performs exactly the same function as a noun and is commonly introduce by words like that, what, that which, whether, etc.

Example:

·        What cannot be cured must be endured.

·        Kalu said that he would visit us today.

 

Let us now analyze the above two sentences into clauses.

 

It can be endured. – Main Clause

What cannot be cured,’ – Subordinate Noun Clause, subject to ‘must’ be endured’ in the above sentence

Kalu said, - Main Clause (what did Kalu say?) that he would visit us today. – Subordinate Noun Clause, Object to the verb ‘said’ in it.

 

Adjective Clause

An Adjective Clause usually qualifies a noun or pronoun and is commonly introduced by a relative pronoun – who, which, that, whose or whom.

Examples:

·        This is the man who stole the goat.

·        The lady whose essay won the first prize is here.

 

Now let us analyze the above sentences into clauses.

This is the man – Main Clause

Who stole the goat – Subordinate Adjective Clause qualifying the noun ‘man’?

The lady is here. – Main Clause

Whose essay won the first prize? – Subordinate Adjective Clause qualifying the noun ‘lady’.

 

ADVERB CLAUSE

When a clause qualifies or modifies a verb or its equivalent in a sentence that clause is called an Adverb Clause. Adverb clauses are of various types. Note the following types:

 

Adverb Clause of Time: This is usually introduced by when, before, after, while, till, as, since, as soon as, etc.

Examples:

·        I saw him when I was coming to school.

·        While he was sleeping the thieves broke into his house.

In the above two sentences the clauses in italics are examples of Subordinate Adverb Clause of Time.

 

Adverb Clause of Place: This is usually introduced with the word ‘Where’.

Examples:

·        We saw the boy where he was hiding.

·        Where there is love there is peace.

The italicized clauses above are examples of Adverb Clauses of Place.

 

Adverb Clause of Cause or Reason: This is usually introduced by because, since, as, etc.

Examples:

·        I woke up late because I was reading in the night.

·        As she did not study hard she failed her exam.

In the above sentences the clauses italicized are examples of Adverb Clause of Cause of Reason.

 

Adverb Clause of Purpose: This is usually introduced by that, in order that, etc.

Examples:

·        I read many books so that I may increase my vocabulary.

·        Work hard that you may succeed.

 

Adverb Clause of Result: This is introduced by so…..that.

Examples:

·        The rain was so heavy that everywhere was flooded.

·        The girl is so rude that nobody likes her.

 

Adverb Clause of Condition: This is introduced by if, unless, provided, etc.

Examples:

·        You will be punished if you come late again

·        Unless you stop smoking you will not be accepted by our club.

 

Adverb of Concession:  This is introduced by thought, although, even if, etc.

Examples:

·        The man is honest though poor.

·        We shall continue the game even if it starts to rain.

 

Adverb of Manner: This is usually introduced by as, as if, as though, etc.

Example:

·        Peter ran as if a lion were pursuing her.

 

Adverb Clause of Degree: This is introduced by as, than.

Examples:

·        Joseph is working harder than I expected.

·        The boy is as dirty as a pig.

 

 

THE END