|
Sentence Structure & Punctuation |
|
Basic English Sentence
Structures
S - V
S - V - O
S - V - IO - DO |
Jack is sleeping.
Jack ate an apple.
Jack gave Jill a ring. |
S - LV - Adj.
S - LV - Adv
S - LV - Noun |
Jack is sick.
Jack is here.
Jack is a doctor. |
Combinations: One verb
or one subject (no comma)
S V
S and S V
S V and V
S V O and O
S and S V O and O |
Jack is drinking.
Jack and Jill are
drinking.
Jack is eating and
drinking.
Jack drinks coffee and
tea.
Jack and Jill drink tea
and coffee. |
Combinations: Two
subjects, two verbs
Subordination (One idea is
stronger.
Jack drinks coffee
although Jill drinks tea. (without a comma)
Although Jack drinks coffee,
Jill drinks tea. (with a comma)
Coordination (equal
ideas, with coordinator: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet)
Jack is drinking,
and Jill is eating. (A comma [,] is needed
here.)
Jack drinks coffee,
but Jill drinks tea. (closest connection
between ideas)
Closely related ideas
(without coordinator)
Jack drinks coffee; Jill drinks
tea. (A semi-colon [;] is used here.)
Jack drinks coffee; however, Jill
drinks tea. (with a sentence connector)
Separate sentences
(strongest break between ideas)
Jack drinks coffee. Jill drinks
tea. (Use a period [.] to separate complete sentences.)
Jack drinks coffee. However, Jill
drinks tea. (with a sentence connector)
Jack drinks coffee. Jill,
however, drinks tea. (variation)
Note:
Do not use subordinators and
coordinators to connect ideas in the same sentence:
Although Jack drinks
coffee, but Jill drinks tea.
Jack drinks coffee, but
Jill drinks tea.
Although Jack drinks
coffee, Jill drinks tea. |
(INCORRECT)
(Okay)
(Okay) |
See also:
Grammar: Coodinators
Grammar: Subordinators
Grammar: Sentence Connectors
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