Basic Writing Skills (Sentence Level) By Belachew Weldegebriel (bellachew@gmail.com) Sentence What is a sentence? Definitions, Examples, . . . A sentence is a group of words which consists of subject and predicate and expresses a complete thought. Subject – names who/what is being talked about Predicate – tells us something about the subject (action/ state of being). Examples: Subject + verb The baby cried. The old man died. She has gone. The game ended. Everyone laughed. The beautiful girl giggled. Examples: Subject (verb + adverb) The baby cried bitterly. The old man died yesterday. We worked hard. They played well. Examples: Subject + trans verb + object The boy kicked the ball. The dog bit the girl. The satellite rotates the earth. Edison invented the electric bulb. The chairman made a livelily speech. Examples: Subject + trans verb + Direct object + Indirect Object The President awarded him a gold medal. I bade my friends a sad farewell. He gave her some flowers. She told me an interesting story.  Subject + link verb + complement The room smells bad. She felt sick. Samuel is an engineer. The boy is clever. We are soldiers. This is a disastrous action. She was a beloved girl. They were very friendly. To sum up, a sentence: must have subject and predicate (verb); must express a complete thought; needs to make sense; must have a logical word order; has to begin with a capital letter and end with appropriate terminal/end punctuation mark (./?/!) can be short or long. should be acceptable to native speakers of the language. Look at the following group of wordsCan they qualify a sentence? The clever student in our class. If you go home earlier. Samuel killed a big stone. the party ruled South Africa for the past 40 years. are Ethiopians we all The beautiful girl walking down stairs. The rain was envious. She sang a beautiful song.

1. Basic Writing Skills
Sentence
What is a sentence?
Definitions, Examples, . . .
Compiled by: Belachew Weldegebriel
Jimma University
CSSH
Department of English Language and Literature

2. A sentence
• is a group of words which consists of subject and
predicate and
• expresses a complete thought.
Subject – names who/what is being talked about
Predicate – tells us something about the subject
(action/ state of being).
Subject can be Predicate can be
Noun
Pronoun or
Noun Phrase
etc
Verb alone
Verb + adverb
Verb + object (Direct and/or Indirect)
Verb + complement
etc

3. Examples: Subject + verb
• The baby cried.
• The old man died.
• She has gone.
• The game ended.
• Everyone laughed.
• The beautiful girl giggled.

4. Examples: Subject (verb + adverb)
The baby cried bitterly.
The old man died yesterday.
We worked hard.
They played well.

5. Examples: Subject + trans verb + object
• The boy kicked the ball.
• The dog bit the girl.
• The satellite rotates the earth.
• Edison invented the electric bulb.
• The chairman made a livelily speech.

6. Examples: Subject + trans verb +
Direct object + Indirect Object
• The President awarded him a gold medal.
• I bade my friends a sad farewell.
• He gave her some flowers.
• She told me an interesting story.

7. Subject + link verb + complement
• The room smells bad.
• She felt sick.
• Samuel is an engineer.
• The boy is clever.
• We are soldiers.
• This is a disastrous action.
• She was a beloved girl.
• They were very friendly.

8. To sum up, a sentence:
• must have subject and predicate (verb);
• must express a complete thought;
• needs to make sense;
• must have a logical word order;
• has to begin with a capital letter and end with
appropriate terminal/end punctuation mark
(./?/!)
• can be short or long.
• should be acceptable to native speakers of the
language.

9. Look at the following group of words
Can they qualify a sentence?
1. The clever student in our class.
2. If you go home earlier.
3. Samuel killed a big stone.
4. the party ruled South Africa for the past 40 years.
5. are Ethiopians we all
6. The beautiful girl walking down stairs.
7. The rain was envious.
8. She sang a beautiful song.