TheEffective Sentence

I. Complete Sentences & Sentence Fragments

1.Whatis a completesentence?

    It contains at least a subject and a predicate(or finite) verb(谓语动词); if the verb is transitive（及物动词）,there must be an object（宾语）;if the verb is a link-verb（系动词）,there must be a predicative （表语）or complement（补语）:

e.g.

        He left. （主谓）

        She wrote a letter.（主谓宾）

        Dr. Smith is a professor.（主系表）

Five Basic Structures of Sentences

1.SV(主谓)

        The baby smiled. 

2.SVO（主谓宾）

       The student wrote an excellent essay.

3.SVP（主系表）

        The idea sounds good.

4.SVOC（主谓复合宾语）

         Her father will make her a doctor.

5.SVOiOd（主谓双宾）

         They gave me some books.

Remember basic sentence structures andavoid mistakes!

※Acomplete sentence begins with a capital  letter and endswith a period.

e. g

   1. He came to the classroom veryearly. (adverbial 状语)

   2. Dr. Smith is awell-known professor of physics. (attribute定语)

It was raining hard, they could not work in the fields.  (×)（comma fault）

It was raining hard; they could not work in thefield.

It was raining hard.They could not work in thefield.

It was raining so hardthat they could not work in thefield.

It was raining hard, so they could not work in the fields.

Do not make the commafault:

        A comma is used in place of a period, a semicolon,a colonor a dashin English writing!!

※ In fiction（小说）: twoshort sentences closely connected in meaning are occasionally joined by a comma; in expository writing(说明文): acomplete sentence must be closed by a period.

** Summary:

         Now you should makesentences that are grammatically complete and avoid making sentences without asubject or a predicate verb!!!!

II   Types of Sentences

According to their use

        Declarative Sentence（陈述句）

                The earth goes around the sun.

        Interrogative sentence(疑问句)

                Can you get up earlier? Whathappened to you?

        Imperative sentence (祈使句)

                Keep silent, please.

        Exclamatory Sentence (感叹句)

                What lovely weather!

According to  their structure

1.Simple Sentence(简单句)：

         one subject and one predicate-verb.

  e.g. I bought a book yesterday in the bookstore.

Emphatic(明确), clear and provide variety

2.Compound Sentence(并列句):two or more independent simple sentences are related to eachother in meaning, and linked by a coordinating conjunction (and, but ,or ,etc),or by a semicolon.

        e.g. I am a teacher and you are astudent.

Coordinated ideas are compatible and roughly equal in importance, or in orderly sequence.

3.ComplexSentence(复合句):

        one main clause(主句)and one or more dependent clauses, with a connective word(连接词)denoting the relation between the two parts.

         The dependent clause（从句）mayplay the part of a subject, an object, a predicative , an attribute or anadverbial in the main clause.

        e.g. She is the girl who helped meyesterday.

4 Compound-ComplexSentence(并列复合句) a combination of a compound and acomplex sentence.

       e.g. Probably, they aren’t comingbecause it’s the end of a long day and I’m tired.

What sentence structure should you choose in your writing? 

Variety in sentence structure isgenerally required!!!

 #Short simple sentences are often used to make emphaticor important statements.

   # Long complex sentences expresscomplex ideas clearlyand accurately, for they have room for all kinds ofmodifiers（修饰语）.

From a rhetorical point of view (修辞)

1. A Loose Sentence(松散句)

     It puts the main idea before all supplementary (补充的) information, in other words, it puts first things first and lets the readers know what it ismainly about when they have read the first few words.

e.g. 1. She decided to study English though she was interested in music.

        2.Stoptalking ifyou have nothing to say.

2. A Periodic Sentence(圆周句)

The main idea isexpressed at ornear the endof it, and it is not grammatically complete until the end is reached.

e.g. 1. Although she was interested inmusic, she finally decided to study English.

       2. If you have nothing to say, stop talking.

Comparisonbetween loose S & periodic S

Loose Ss: easier, more naturaland direct;

Periodic Ss: morecomplex, emphatic,  formal  or literary;

3. A Balanced Sentence(对偶句)

When a sentence contains two parallel(平行的)clausessimilar in structure but contrasted in meaning, it is a balanced sentence.

e.g. On hearing the news, he was angered and I was saddened.

Balanced sentences are impressivebecauseof the contrast, and pleasing to hear because of the rhythm. They are mainly used in formal writing.