How to Master Sentence Structures

Understanding how sentences work – otherwise known as syntax – is in important issue, and it is usually one of the first things new language learners look at when approaching an unfamiliar language.

In writing, especially when writing a foreign language, mastery of sentence structures is even more important than in speech because weak, unclear, and disorganised sentences will undermine the reader’s ability to understand the meaning of the text.

The tasks of proofreading and editing, both of which are essential stages in writing that authors may or may not perform with the assistance of proofreading and editing services, depend on an in-depth knowledge of sentence structures.

Given that proofreaders and editors are adept in terms of their knowledge of syntax and sentence construction, an easy way to improve the quality of your writing is simply to make use of their services.

However, if you cannot afford proofreading and editing services, or if you would prefer to complete the activity yourself (e.g., for learning purposes), reading this article will teach you the key points about sentence structures that are needed for clear writing in English.

 

What is a sentence?

Sentences are strings of clauses.

For example, in English grammar, a complex sentence is said to consist of 1 independent clause + 1 or more subordinate clauses.

 

What is a clause?

A clause is a series of words containing both a subject and a verb. One clause may form a sentence, but sentences usually consist of several clauses that are added together.

For example, an independent clause, which is defined as a clause that could be a grammatical and complete sentence, is shown below:

            We’ll eat lunch at seven.

            James and David helped the Duke.

As another example, a dependent clause, which is defined as a clause that is not a grammatical and complete sentence, is shown as follows:

            …because it was sunny.

Dependent clauses are often referred to as subordinate clauses.

The ellipsis (…) in the above example indicates that some text, not shown, must precede the dependent clause, which gives the clause its name. That is to say, the clause is dependent on (or subordinate to) to another clause for its full meaning.

If we add another dependent clause (or an independent clause, as below) to this, we will have a complete sentence:

            The roads were in good condition yesterday because it was sunny.

 

What are the types of sentence structure?

To master sentence structure, and thereby to improve your writing (and make life easier for your proofreader or editor), it’s worth knowing about the four types of sentence structure.

As explained already, a sentence is a string of clauses. The four possible types of sentence are:

·         Simple: 1 independent clause

·         Compound: 2 or more independent clauses

·         Complex: 1 independent clause + 1 or more dependent clauses

·         Compound-complex: 2 or more independent clauses + 1 or more dependent clauses

By varying your use of sentences and applying different sentence structures in your writing, you can create much more interesting, descriptive, and powerful text.