With respect to form, — that is, to the number and relations of their propositions, — sentences are divided into four classes: simple, complex, compound, and compound-complex.
Classification of SentencesWith respect to use, sentences are also divided into four classes: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.
From A New English Grammar for Schools, by Thomas Harvey:
1. A declarative sentence is one used to affirm or deny something.
Fish swim.
Fish do not walk.
Fish do not walk.
a. Direct discourse
tells what somebody thinks or says, by using his own words; as,
Our teacher said, ‘Be frank, honest, and truthful.
b. Indirect discourse
gives the substance of what somebody thinks or says, but does not use his own words; as,
Our teacher said that we should be frank, honest, and truthful
2. An interrogative sentence is one used to ask a question.
Are you hungry?
Where do you live?
Where do you live?
3. An imperative sentence is one used to express a command or an entreaty.
Please bring me that book.
Don’t deceive me.
4. An exclamatory sentence is one used in the expression of strong emotion.
Oh, how glad I am to see you!
I hate pickles!
I hate pickles!
Exercise:
Tell to which class each of the following sentences belongs.
Model. —The dews bring their jewels.
This is a declarative sentence; it is used to affirm something.
1. The days are calm.
2. How many quarts are there in a gallon?
3. The winds bring perfumes.
4. Study diligently.
5. He waved his arm.
6. The fellow calls himself a painter.
7. He deserved pity rather than punishment.
8. O, how careless you are.
9. What was the Rubicon?
10. How brightly the sun shines!
11. Alas for the man who has not learned to work!
12. Bring forth the prisoner now.
13. I had a dream which was not all a dream. — Byron
14. A plague of all cowards, still say I. — Shakespeare
15. Attend to the duties I have assigned you.
16. When shall it be morn in the grave, to bid the slumberer awake?
17. The Commons, faithful to their system, remained in a wise and masterly inactivity. — Mackintosh
18. A wolf saw some shepherds eating for dinner a leg of mutton. “What a clamor you would raise,” said he, “were I to do as you are doing!”
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#grammar #writing #English #ESL #language arts #education #homeschool #sentence types #declarative #interrogative #imperative #exclamatory #direct speech #indirect speech
