SENTENCE

Sentences are constructed according to a system of rules known by the mother-tongue speaker at the subconsciouslevel.( competence)

They are the largest constructions to whichthe rules of grammar apply.

They are difficult to define, for there are different levels of analysis

Sentences are grouped into 2 main types, according to whether they are regularly or irregularly formed:

MAJOR senteces regulary formed :

I love you

MINOR sentences irregulary formed :

No Smoking

Major sentences can be broken down intophrases or into specific pattterns of

elements : clauses

SIMPLE sentences : cointain 1 clause

MULTIPLE sentences: contain more than 1 clause.

Sentence Sentence

Clause clause clause clause

MULTIPLE sentences can be either compound orcomplex

Compound sentences have clauses at the samelevel ( main clause + main clause) :

clause + and / but + clause

Complex sentences have clauses at different levels(main clause + subordinate clause) :

clause +if / when / while + clause

There are 4 levels of structure which comprise the grammatical hierarchy:

Sentences

Clause

Phrase

Word

( with its morphological level)

ACTIVITIES

Find examples of all types of sentences from authentic texts .

Classify the senteces you have found and mark the clauses as main or subordinate in multiple sentences .