Practice Makes Perfect: Exploring Grammar - Muschla Gary Robert 2010

E. B. White
Kinds and structures of sentences
Sentences

Asentence is an arrangement of words that expresses a complete thought. Sentences are the foundation of communication in English.

The tip sheets and worksheets in this part focus on sentences. One tip sheet and Worksheets 1.1 through 1.3 focus on sentence kinds and structures. One tip sheet and Worksheets 1.4 through 1.14 concentrate on subjects and predicates. The final tip sheet and Worksheets 1.15 through 1.17 concentrate on fragments and run-on sentences, while Worksheets 1.18 through 1.21 review sentences.

Tip sheet

Kinds and structures of sentences

Sentences may be one of four kinds:

1. A declarative sentence makes a statement. It ends with a period.

The game begins at seven.

2. An interrogative sentence asks a question. It ends with a question mark.

Did you finish your homework?

3. An imperative sentence gives an order or asks someone to do something. It ends with a period.

Please answer the phone.

4. An exclamatory sentence shows strong emotion. It ends with an exclamation point.

Watch out!

Sentences have different structures. Here are two of the most common:

✵ A simple sentence has one complete subject and one complete predicate.

Manuel plays the drums.

✵ A compound sentence contains two or more simple sentences joined by a conjunction such as and, but, or or. A comma usually comes before the conjunction.

Sara has brown hair, but her brother has blond hair.

1.1 E. B. White

E. B. White was the author of Charlotte’s Web. What do the initials E. B. stand for?

To answer the question, label each sentence below as declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory. Select your answers from the choices after each sentence. Write the letter of each answer in the space above its sentence number at the bottom of the page. The first letter is given.

1. E. B. White was born in Mount Vernon, New York, in 1899.

N. Declarative

R. Interrogative

D. Imperative

W. Exclamatory

2. He wrote many books for children.

R. Declarative

O. Interrogative

A. Imperative

T. Exclamatory

3. Do you know that he wrote Stuart Little?

R. Declarative

W. Interrogative

N. Imperative

J. Exclamatory

4. Please hand me that book on the shelf.

M. Declarative

I. Interrogative

S. Imperative

L. Exclamatory

5. He also wrote The Trumpet of the Swan.

B. Declarative

U. Interrogative

H. Imperative

Y. Exclamatory

6. That’s a great book!

H. Declarative

L. Interrogative

A. Imperative

K. Exclamatory

7. Isn’t Charlotte’s Web one of the most popular children’s books of all time?

T. Declarative

L. Interrogative

U. Imperative

E. Exclamatory

8. E. B. White is one of my favorite authors.

O. Declarative

D. Interrogative

N. Imperative

E. Exclamatory

9. Check the Internet for more information on E. B. White.

S. Declarative

A. Interrogative

Y. Imperative

M. Exclamatory