What is a Sentence? Types of Sentences Explained from A to Z

Table of Contents

Sentence Definition

A sentence is a group of meaningful words. The words of the sentence are arranged in a systematic way expressing full meaning / complete sense of the sentence. The sentences can provide different meanings in different situations.

For example:

I go to school. –(Assertive sentence)
I do not go to school.- (Negative sentence)
Do I go to school? – (Interrogative sentence)
Go to school. – ( Imperative sentence)
May Allah bless you. – (Optative sentence )
How nice the bird is! – ( Exclamatory sentence)

Classification of sentence

According to meaning, a sentence is of five kinds. Such as;

Assertive sentence.
Interrogative sentence.
Imperative sentence.
Optative sentence.
Exclamatory sentence.

# Elaborate discussion of sentences:

Assertive Sentence

Definition of assertive sentence: An assertive is a sentence which simply asserts something.

Structure: Subject + verb as per tense + object/extension.

For example:

I go to school.
He is not a good boy.
They are playing football on the field.

# Classification of Assertive sentence: Assertive sentence is of two kinds. Such as;

Affirmative sentence.
Negative sentence

Affirmative sentence

An affirmative sentence is an assertive sentence which affirms something.

For example:

I do it.
He is a boy.
Man is mortal.
They came here.
We did it. etc.

According to tense, example of the affirmative sentence:

Present tense:

Present indefinite/simple tense = I do it.
Present continuous tense = I am doing it.
Present perfect tense = I have done it.
Present perfect continuous tense = I have been doing it for two hours.

Past tense:

Past indefinite/simple tense = I did it.
Past continuous tense = I was doing it.
Past perfect tense = I had done it before my mother came home.
Past perfect continuous tense = I had been doing it for two hours before my mother came home.

Future tense:

Future indefinite/simple tense = I shall do it.
Future continuous tense = I shall be doing it.
Future perfect tense = I shall have done it before my mother comes / will come home.
Future perfect continuous tense = I shall have been doing it for two hours before my mother comes / will come home.

Negative sentence

A negative sentence is an assertive sentence which denies something.

For example:

I do not do it.
He is not a boy.
Man is not immortal.
They did not come here.
We did not do it. etc.

According to tense, example of Negative sentence:

Present tense.

Present indefinite/simple tense = I do not do it.
Present continuous tense = I am not doing it.
Present perfect tense = I have not done it.
Present perfect continuous tense = I have not been doing it for two hours.

Past tense:

Past indefinite/simple tense = I did not do it.
Past continuous tense = I was not doing it.
Past perfect tense = I had not done it before my mother came home.
Past perfect continuous tense = I had not been doing it for two hours before my mother came home.

Future tense:

Future indefinite /simple tense = I shall not do it.
Future continuous tense = I shall not be doing it.
Future perfect tense = I shall not have done it.
Future perfect continuous tense = I shall not have been doing it for two hours before my mother comes / will come home.

For more examples according to auxiliary/modal verbs:

Modal verbs = can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, need, dare, ought to, used to must, have to etc.

may = He may perform on the stage the next day. – (Affirmative)

may = He may not perform on the stage the next day. – ( Negative )

might = I might discuss the relevant issue. – (Affirmative)

might = I might not discuss the relevant issue. – (Negative)

can = He can run five miles at a stretch. – (Affirmative)

can = He cannot run five miles at a stretch. –( Negative)

could = I could solve the problem. – ( Affirmative)

could = I could not solve the problem. –( Negative)

shall/will = I shall/will help you.- ( Affirmative)

shall/will = I shall/will not help you. – (Negative)

should = You should read the lesson attentively. – (Affirmative)

should = You should not do the work. – (Negative)

would = I would like to say you something. –( Affirmative).

would = I would not like to say you something. –( Negative).

need = You need help him. – (Affirmative)

need = You need not help him. –( Negative)

dare = I dare say you anything. –( Affirmative)

dare = I dare not say you anything.-(Negative)

ought to = You ought to read the lesson attentively.-(Affirmative)

ought to = You ought not to read the lesson inattentively. –( Negative)

used to = I used to play football in our village when I was young.

used to = I did not use to play football when I was young. – (Negative).

must = You must win the game. –(Affirmative)

must = You must not win the game. – (Negative).

have to = You have to brush your teeth regularly. –(Affirmative)

have to = You do not have to brush your teeth irregularly. – (Negative)

To be verbs = am, is, are, was, were.

am = I am an honest man. – (Affirmative)

am = I am not a dishonest man. – ( Negative)

is = He is a good boy. –(Affirmative)

is = He is not a bad boy. –( Negative)

are = You are a good boy. – (Affirmative)

are = You are not a bad boy. –(Negative)

was = Rahim was playing. –( Affirmative)

was = Rahim was not playing .- ( Negative)

were = They were eating rice .- ( Affirmative)

were = They were not eating ring. –( Negative)

Have verb = Have, has, had.

have = I have a pen.-(Affirmative)

have = I do not have a pen.-(Negative)

has = She has done it.-(Affirmative)

has = She has not done it. –(Negative)

had = I had done the work before he came.-(Affirmative)

had = I had not done the work before he came.-(Negative)

Interrogative Sentence

Definition of interrogative sentence: An interrogative sentence is a sentence which asks a question about something.

For example according to tense:

Present indefinite:

I eat rice. –(Affirmative)

Do I eat rice? –(Interrogative)

I do not eat rice. –(Negative )

Do I eat rice? – (Interrogative)

He eats rice. – ( Affirmative)

Does he eat rice? –(Interrogative)

Note: In above mentioned sentences “Do”/”Does” is used before subject for making interrogative sentence, because there is no auxiliary verb except main verb in affirmative sentence.

Past indefinite:

I ate rice. – (Affirmative)

Did I eat rice? – (Interrogative)

I did not eat rice. –(Negative)

Did I eat rice? – (Interrogative)

Note: In above mentioned sentences “Did” is used before subject for making interrogative sentence, because there is no auxiliary verb except main verb in affirmative/negative sentence.

Future tense:

I will eat rice. – (Affirmative)

Will I eat rice?-(Interrogative)

I will not eat rice. – (Affirmative)

Will I not eat rice? – (Interrogative)

I will be eating rice. – ( Affirmative)

Will I be eating rice? – (Interrogative)

Note: In above mentioned sentences “Will” is used before subject for making interrogative sentence, because there is auxiliary verb “Will” with main verb in affirmative/negative sentence.

For more examples:

I am a teacher. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Am I a teacher? – (Interrogative)

He is honest. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Is he honest? – (Interrogative)

They are happy. (Assertive/affirmative)

Are they Happy? –(Interrogative)

She was hungry. –( Assertive/affirmative)

Was she hungry? –( Interrogative)

I have a cow.- (Assertive/affirmative)

Have I a cow? Or do I have a cow? – (Interrogative)

They were tired. –( Assertive/affirmative)

Were they tired? – (Interrogative)

Note: Though am, is are, was, were, have, has are auxiliary verb, but in above sentences these auxiliary verbs are used as main verb. so these auxiliary verbs are used before subject for making interrogative sentence and question mark (?) is used at the end of the sentences. This is grammatical rules.

For more examples:

He can do it.-(Assertive/affirmative)

Can he do it? –(Interrogative)

They may come today. –(Assertive/affirmative)

May they come today? –(Interrogative)

You should do it. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Should you do it? – (Interrogative)

She could do it. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Could she do it? –(Interrogative)

He dared not say so.- (Negative)

Did he say so? –(Interrogative)

Note: The auxiliary verbs like can, could, would, may, might, dare must, should etc. are used in above assertive sentences as auxiliary verbs. So these auxiliary verbs are used before subject for making interrogative sentences and accordingly question mark (?) is used at the end of the sentences.

For more examples:

I go. – ( Assertive/affirmative)

Do I go? – ( Interrogative)

He goes. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Does he go? – (Interrogative)

Rahim reads a book. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Does Rahim read a book? –(Interrogative)

Note: If assertive/affirmative sentence is present indefinite tense with main verb, then do / does are used before subject for making interrogative sentence and accordingly interrogation mark (?) is used at the end of the sentence.

For more examples:

He went there. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Did he go there? –(Interrogative)

She came.-( Assertive/affirmative)

Did she come? – (Interrogative)

We played football. – .-( Assertive/affirmative)

Did we play football? – ( Interrogative)

Note: If assertive/affirmative sentence is past indefinite tense with main verb, then “Did” is used before subject for making interrogative sentence and accordingly interrogation mark (?) is used at the end of the sentence.

For more examples:

I am eating rice. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Am I eating rice? –(Interrogative)

She has done this. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Has she done this? –(Interrogative)

I have been reading a book for an hour. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Have I been reading a book for an hour? –(Interrogative)

He was swimming. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Was he swimming? –(Interrogative)

They will go. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Will they go? –(Interrogative)

They will be eating rice. –(Assertive/affirmative)

Will they be eating rice? –(Interrogative)

Note: In other tenses except indefinite tense of present and past, “auxiliary verb” is used before subject for making interrogative sentence and accordingly interrogation mark (?) is used at the end of the sentence)

For more examples:

When does he go?
When did he go?
When will he go?
Where does he go?
Where did he go?
Where will he go?
How does he do it?
How did he do it?
How has he done?
How will he do it?
Which pen do you want?
Which pen will you buy?
Who went there?
Who did it?
Who will do it?

Note: Interrogative pronoun, adverb etc. are used at the beginning of the sentence and then auxiliary verbs like do, did, have, has, is, was, were etc. are used according to tenses, after then subject is used for making an interrogative sentence and accordingly interrogation mark (?) is used at the end of the sentence..

For more examples:

He goes to school.- Assertive/affirmative)
He does not go to school. – (Negative )
Does he not go to school? –(Negative-Interrogative )
Rahim does not go to school. – (Negative)
Does not Rahim go to school?

Note: If the subject of interrogative is pronoun, then “Does” is used before subject. On the contrary if the subject of interrogative is noun, then “Does not” is used before subject and accordingly interrogation mark (?) is used at the end of the sentence.

Imperative Sentence

Definition of Imperative sentence: An imperative sentence is a sentence that expresses an order, an advice, and a request.

Structure/characteristics of imperative sentence:

Second person (You) is the subject of imperative sentence.
Second person “You” is hidden in imperative sentence.
Sentence begins with principal verb.

For examples:

Do the work.
Go home.
Come here.
Take care of your health.

Note: In above sentences “You” is hidden and all the sentences have begun with principal verbs like Do, Go, Come and Take care etc.

Exception:

An imperative sentence can be formed with “Let”.

Structure: Let + object of subject of 1st and 3rd person + verb (V1) + object / extension.

For examples:

Let me go.
Let him do the work.
Let him go.
Let us go.
Let them go.
Let us do the work.
Let them do the work.

Note: The above sentences start with “Let”. Then object of subject of 1st and 3rd person is used. After then ‘Verb” / verb with object /extension.

Optative Sentence

Definition of Optative Sentence: An optative sentence is a sentence which expresses a wish or desire of a mind.

Structure / Characteristics of an optative sentence:

An optative sentence begins with “May” auxiliary verb.
Then use subject (noun, pronoun) for whose wish/desire is expected.
After that bare infinitive verb is used.
Structure: May + subject (NP) + bare infinitive verb + object/extension.

For example:

Example	Structure
● May you live long. ● May Allah bless you. ● May she return safe. ● May Allah help you. ● May Rahim live long. ● May our president live long. ● May they be happy	● Structure: May + subject (NP) + bare infinitive verb + object / extension.

Note: The above sentences start with “May”, then ‘subject” is placed. After then bare infinitive verb + object/extension are placed.

Exclamatory Sentence

Definition of exclamatory sentence: An exclamatory sentence is a sentence which expresses a sudden emotion or strong feeling of human mind.

Structure/characteristics of an exclamatory sentence:

It expresses a sudden emotion / strong feeling of human mind.
Subject (NP) is placed before verb.
At last “Note of exclamation” (!) is used.
Structure:
How + adjective + NP + be verb + !
What + a/an + adjective + NP +NP + be verb + !
What + a/an + NP + !
What + a/an + adjective + NP + !

For example of structure-i shown in table:

Example	Structure
● How nice the house is! ● How interesting the poem is! ● How honest the man is! ● How good she was! ● How honest a man he is! ● How beautiful a flower is!	Structure-i: How + adjective + NP + be verb + !

For example of structure-ii shown in table:

Example	Structure
● What a nice house is! ● What an interesting the poem is! ● What an honest man he is! ● What a beautiful flower it is!	Structure: What + a/an + adjective + NP +NP + be verb + !

For example of structure-iii shown in table:

Example	Structure
● What a chance! ● What a luck! ● What a fool! ● What a scoundrel!	Structure-iii: What + a/an + NP + !

For example of structure-iv shown in table:

Example	Structure
● What a fine picture ! ● What a good luck ! ● What a lucky chance ! ● What a bad luck ! ● What a bad time ! ● What a bad man !	Structure-iv: What + a/an + adjective + NP + !