Examples of Declarative Sentences

The following are more examples of declarative

sentences, from very simple to more complex. As you
will see, all declaratives end in a period and are
informative statements. They can also express an
opinion.
 She leaves for college tomorrow morning; the house is
going to feel empty without her.
 The weather is warm and sunny; a perfect day for a
picnic.
 She wears red nail polish.
 The room smells clean.
 I love my cat.
 My family is driving to the beach for the long weekend
and I am meeting them there.
 As the airplane climbed I saw the ocean.
 She is my new friend.
 His shoes were brand new, and now they are missing.
 The dog chased the boy.
 It is a nice day.
 Lucy is sick; therefore, she is not at school today.
 The grass is green after the rain.
 She loves the mountains; he hates the long drive.
 My new dress is black and white.
 My brother loves to run, but my sister prefers to walk.
 My phone is missing.
 The teacher is going on a well-earned vacation.
 Her coat is ripped.
 The baby is hungry, but she does not seem interested
in drinking her bottle of milk.
Different Sentences for Different Purposes
Declarative sentences are the basic building blocks of
conversation and writing. To ask a question, issue a
command or make an exclamation you would use a
different type of
sentence: interrogative, imperative or exclamatory. You
can see the difference in these examples:
Interrogative sentences are questions asked in order to
obtain information. They end in a question mark.
Interrogative: Did he eat lunch? Declarative: He ate
lunch.
Imperative sentences can either end in a period or
exclamation point. They are used to express commands
or requests.
Imperative: Sit down. Declarative: She sits down.
Exclamatory sentences may have the same words as a
declarative but the punctuation is different. The
exclamation point gives the sentence more feeling.
Exclamatory: I'm tired! Declarative: I'm tired.
simple Sentence
A simple sentence is one independent clause
that has a subject and a verb and expresses a
complete thought. Notice that there are some
important requirements for a simple sentence:
1. Must have a subject and a verb.
2. Must express a complete thought.
3. Must only have one clause.
Examples of Simple Sentence:
1. Joe went to the store.
2. Sarah and Jessie are going swimming.
3. The frog jumped and landed in the pond.
4. Can I have some juice to drink?
5. The pizza smells delicious.
6. There is a fly in the car with us.
7. Look on top of the refrigerator for the key.
8. I am out of paper for the printer.
9. Will you help me with the math homework?
10. The music is too loud for my ears.
Related Links:
Examples
Grammar Examples
Sentence Structure Examples
Sentence Types Quiz

Sentence Types Quiz

Appositives Examples
Action Verbs Examples
Sentence structure worksheets
Find the Complete Subject Quiz

Compound Sentences with

Coordinating Conjunctions
As you've seen above, many compound sentences are made
using coordinating conjunctions. In this case, the sentence
must contain a comma before the conjunction for correct
punctuation. For example:
 She did not cheat on the test, for it was the wrong thing to
do.
 I really need to go to work, but I am too sick to drive.
 I am counting my calories, yet I really want dessert.
 He ran out of money, so he had to stop playing poker.
 They got there early, and they got really good seats.
 They had no ice cream left at home, nor did they have
money to go to the store.
 Everyone was busy, so I went to the movie alone.
 I thought the promotion was mine, but my attendance
wasn't good enough.
 Should we start class now, or wait for everyone to get here?
 It was getting dark, and we weren't near the cabin yet.
 Cats are good pets, for they are clean and are not noisy.
 We have never been to Asia, nor have we visited Africa.
 He didn't want to go to the dentist, yet he went anyway.

Compound Sentences With a

Semicolon
It's also possible to join compound sentences simply by
combining two complete sentences into one long sentence
without any additional words. In this case, you must use
a semicolon to join your two independent clauses. For
example:
 Joe made the sugar cookies; Susan decorated them.
While this is grammatically correct, it's also possible to
smooth the transition from one clause to the other
with conjunctive adverbs such as however, besides, therefore
and meanwhile. To use these properly, place them after the
semicolon and add a comma after the conjunctive adverb. For
example:
 It was a difficult assignment; however, Kelly was up to the
challenge.
Observe additional compound sentence examples joined by
semicolons below:
 The sky is clear; the stars are twinkling.
 The waves were crashing on the shore; it was a lovely sight.
 There were white-out conditions in the town; therefore, the
roads were impassable.
 Check back tomorrow; I will see if the book has arrived.
 He said he was not there yesterday; many people saw him
there.
 I am happy to take your donation; any amount will be
greatly appreciated.
 She only paints with bold colors; indeed, she does not like
pastels at all.
 She works two jobs to make ends meet; at least, that was
her reason for not having time to join us.
 Malls are great places to shop; I can find everything I need
under one roof.
 Italy is my favorite country; I plan to spend two weeks there
next year.
 He turned in the research paper on Friday; he would have
not passed the class otherwise.
 You need to pack the appropriate things for camping; for
example, a sleeping bag will keep you warm.
 I have paid my dues; as a result, I expect to receive all the
privileges listed in the bylaws.

Compound Sentences in
Quotes
Compound sentences are quite common in both speech and
writing. Here are examples of compound sentences used by
famous public figures:
 "Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good
carpenter to build one." - Lyndon B. Johnson
 "The drought had lasted now for 10 million years, and the
reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended." - Arthur
C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey
 "Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them."
- Ronald Reagan
 "I used to be snow white, but I drifted." - Mae West
 "I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get
my wife to go swimming." - Jimmy Carter
 "Tell the truth, work hard, and come to dinner on time." -
Gerald R. Ford
 "I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't
always agree with them." - George H. W. Bush
 "You can put wings on a pig, but you don't make it an
eagle." - Bill Clinton
Related articles on YourDictionary

What Are the 14 Punctuation Marks in English
Grammar?


Rules for Combining Sentences


Writing Compound-Complex Sentences

 More articles

Don't Forget the Punctuation

Now that you have seen different examples of compound
sentences, you can confidently add them to your writing. One
advantage of compound sentences is that you can build more
detail into your writing. Just be careful to follow the
punctuation rules described above and avoid run-on sentences.
Compound Complex Sentences
To understand a compound complex sentence,
let's review compound sentences and complex
sentences.
A compound sentence is made of two simple
sentences joined by a conjunction.
A complex sentence is made of a simple sentence
and a dependent, or subordinate, clause (has a
subject and a verb but does not express a
complete thought.
So, a compound complex sentence is made up
of more than one sentence joined by a
conjunction, and at least one of those sentence
is complex. In other words, it is a compound
sentence with a dependent, or subordinate
clause.
Examples of Compound Complex Sentences:
In these examples, the dependent, or
subordinate, clause is underlined.
1. When I grow up, I want to be a ballerina, and
my mom is proud of me.
2. I will get to watch television, but first, I have
to clean up the dishes after we finish eating.
3. We won the game, but my uniform was
muddy because it rained the entire time.
4. After our trip to the beach, school started
back, and I was excited to see my friends.
5. Sarah cried when her cat got sick, but he soon
got better.
6. The sun is shining through the clouds, so I
think that we can go swimming.

What are Periodic Sentences?

A periodic sentence is a sentence wherein the main point of the sentence is

placed at the end part of the sentence. Basically, the main clause is found at

the last part of the sentence.

Periodic sentences are useful in writing scenes that are suspensefu l because it

builds up suspense. They are more persuasive than the usual and normal way

of writing sentences because it lets the writer adds plot layers before drawing

the conclusion. You may also see compound sentences.

Examples of Periodic Sentences

Despite the humidity and the sun’s scorching heat, the couple continued

jogging until 12 noon.

1. With two deep wounds on my arms and a couple of sprains and strains here

and there, I was still determined to continue moving on the trek by crawling.

You may also see declarative sentences.

2. When she had set her heart on not to fall in love this year, she already found

a new boyfriend on the very first day of new year.

3. Encouraged by that sole person who spoke up against the issue, the rest of

the people affected also began to speak up one by one. You may also

see preposition sentences.

 4. Drowned in his thoughts, thinking about all the memories they spent the

whole night, he still longed for her to come back even though it was no longer

possible. You may also see exclamatory sentences.

5. If you look at Medusa, you will be turned into stone forever.

Examples of Periodic Sentences in

Literature
Literature is abundant of periodic sentences because it makes the narrative

more effective. Here are some examples of periodic sentences found in

literature.

 “To believe your own thought, to believe that

what is true for you in your private heart is true
for all men, that is genius.” – Ralph Waldo
Emerson in Self-Reliance
 “In the week before their departure to Arrakis,
when all the final scurrying about had reached a
nearly unbearable frenzy, an old crone came to
visit the mother of the boy, Paul.” – Frank
Herbert in Dune

 “In the almost incredibly brief time which it took

the small but sturdy porter to roll a milk-can
across the platform and bump it, with a clang,
against other milk-cans similarly treated a
moment before, Ashe fell in love.” – P.G.
Wodehouse, Something Fresh (1915)

 “To believe your own thought, to believe that

what is true for you in your private heart is true
for all men, that is genius.” – Ralph Waldo
Emerson, Self-Reliance (1841)

 “In the loveliest town of all, where the houses

were white and high and the elms trees were
 green and higher than the houses, where the
front yards were wide and pleasant and the back
yards were bushy and worth finding out about,
where the streets sloped down to the stream and
the stream flowed quietly under the bridge,
where the lawns ended in orchards and the
orchards ended in fields and the fields ended in
pastures and the pastures climbed the hill and
disappeared over the top toward the wonderful
wide sky, in this loveliest of all towns Stuart
stopped to get a drink of sarsaparilla.” – E.B.
White, Stuart Little (1945)

 “Like the waters of the river, like the motorists

on the highway, and like the yellow trains
streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in
the shape of exceptional happenings, had never
stopped there.” – Truman Capote, In Cold
Blood, 1966
 “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge;
and though I have all faith, so that I could
remove mountains, and have not charity, I am
nothing.” – The King James Bible (I Corinthians
13)

 “In the entrances of office blocks, just outside

the revolving doors, on the fake marble steps
(behind which can be glimpsed internal security
personnel, pompous desks, escalators, hanging
Jim Dine torsos) are these suits. Women in suits.
Slightly shifty blokes. Insiders, badge-wearers,
forced to taste the weather, to step outside–
because they want to, have to, smoke.” – Iain
Sinclair, Lights Out for the Territory (1997).
You may also see interrogative sentences.

 “Democracy is that system of government under

which people, having 60,000,000 native-born
 adults to choose from, including thousands who
are handsome and many who are wise, pick out a
Coolidge to be head of state. It is as if a hungry
man, set before a banquet prepared by master
cooks and covering a table an acre in area,
should turn his back upon the feast and stay his
stomach by catching and eating flies.” – H. L.
Mencken, The Comedian

 “Years and years ago, when I was a boy, when

there were wolves in Wales, and birds the color
of red-flannel petticoats whisked past the harp-
shaped hills, when we sang and wallowed all
night and day in caves that smelt like Sunday
afternoons in damp front farmhouse parlors, and
we chased, with the jawbones of deacons, the
English, and the bears, before the motor car,
before the wheel, before the duchess-faced
horse, when we rode the daft and happy hills
 bareback, it snowed and it snowed.” – Dylan
Thomas, A Child’s Christmas in Wales (1955)

 “And even in the old days, in the days when he

was ‘British,’ in the lovely twenties and thirties
when he lived in Great Russell Street, when he
was acquainted with Maynard Keynes, Lytton
Strachey, and H. G. Wells and loved ‘British’
views, before the great squeeze, the human
physics of the war, with its volumes, its vacuums,
its voids (that period of dynamics and direct
action upon the individual, comparable
biologically to birth), he had never much trusted
his judgment where Germans were
concerned.” – Saul Bellow, Mr. Sammler’s
Planet (1970)

 “Out of the bosom of the Air,

Out of the cloud-folds of her garment shaken,
Over the woodlands brown and bare,
 Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent and soft, and slow,
Descends the snow.” – Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow in Snowflakes

 “Halfway between West Egg and New York City

sprawls a desolate plain, a gray valley where
New York’s ashes are dumped” – Scott
Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby

 “Unprovided with original learning, uninformed

in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of
composition, I resolved— to write a book.” –
Edward Gibbon in Memoirs of My Life

We hope you have learned more about periodic sentences and will be using it

more often in your compositions. You may also see imperative sentences.

A loose sentence, also called a cumulative sentence, begins

with a main clause that is followed by phrases and/or clauses
that modify the main clause. These phrases or clauses add
information to the main or independent clause.
Loose Sentences: Main Followed by Detail
Here are some loose sentence examples:
 I went to the movies yesterday, bought candy, and shopped
at the mall.
 He might consider paying the higher fees at a private
university, if the teacher/student ratio is small, the teachers
are highly qualified, and the job placement rate is high.
 Florida is a great vacation spot for families, with Disney
World, Universal Studios, and Sea World.
 I could tell my mother was upset from her tapping foot and
her stern expression.
 The fire alarm went off, making a loud clanging noise,
startling everyone, and causing some people to knock over
their chairs.
 The elephants proceeded on their walk, pounding the dry
dirt, and swinging their trunks.
 You can pass all your classes with good study habits and
good attendance.
 The Libertarian had a good showing at the polls,
considering she joined the race after the others and had
limited funds to spend.
 The renovated mall is finally opening today, with an ice
skating rink and a multiplex theater.
 Having a clogged air filter on your HVAC system can cost
you money in several ways, including repair bills,
inefficiency, and dirty air.
 Wolves are important in a habitat because they control the
numbers of elk, which in turn allows trees to mature so they
can offer shelter to birds and insects.
 He decided to major in science, even though he really
wanted to study art, philosophy, and religion.
 Lewis and Clark
Examples of Complete Sentences
Complete sentences come in many shapes and sizes. Although
every sentence tells a story, some only require a scant number
of words while others give a fuller description with commas
and clauses. Let's take a look.
 I ate dinner.
 We had a three-course meal.
 Brad came to dinner with us.
 He loves fish tacos.
 In the end, we all felt like we ate too much.
 We all agreed; it was a magnificent evening.
 I hope that, when I've built up my savings, I'll be able to
travel to Mexico.
 Did you know that, along with gorgeous architecture, it's
home to the largest tamale?
 Wouldn't it be lovely to enjoy a week soaking up the
culture?
 Oh, how I'd love to go!
 Of all the places to travel, Mexico is at the top of my list.
 Would you like to travel with me?
 Isn't language learning fun?
 There is so much to understand.
 I love learning!
 Sentences come in many shapes and sizes.
 Nothing beats a complete sentence.
 Once you know all the elements, it's not difficult to pull
together a sentence.
Crafting a Sentence
The art of crafting a single sentence brings together subjects,
verbs, and objects with cohesion. Punctuation also makes its
mark, too. A period indicates a declarative or informative
sentence. An exclamation mark indicates an exclamatory
sentence. And, of course, our friend the question mark
indicates an interrogative sentence. You've also got simple
sentences that merely contain subjects and verbs, and more
complex sentences that contain more than one clause,
connected by commas, colons or semi-colons.

ncomplete sentences
DECEMBER 25, 2013 -

Sentence fragments are a common mistake. A

sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence. It
could be a prepositional phrase. Or it could be a
dependent clause.

An English sentence must have a subject and a verb

of its own. Study the sentences given below.

 Mike took out his pen.

 He started writing.
As you can see, both sentences given above have a
subject and a verb of their own. They also make
complete sense.

A sentence can have any number of clauses but it

must have at least one main or independent
clause.

A dependent or subordinate clause, too, will have

a subject and a verb of its own. However, a
dependent clause cannot stand on its own. It needs
to be attached to an independent clause.

It is easy to determine whether a clause is a

dependent clause or an independent clause.

A dependent clause will almost always begin with

a subordinating conjunction. Examples are: if,
when, whether, before, after, unless, though,
although, even if, because, as, since etc.

Study the examples given below.

 ‘Why are you crying?’ ‘Because mummy hit

me.’
Here the dependent clause ‘Because mummy hit
me’ is perfectly normal in spoken English, but it is
considered incorrect in writing.

When you write you have to use complete

sentences.

 I am crying because mummy hit me.

 ‘Why did he lose his job?’ ‘Because he was
never on time.’
The sentence fragment ‘because he was never on
time’ needs to be attached to an independent
clause.

 He lost his job because he was never on

time.
Sentence fragments are perfectly acceptable in
spoken English. In fact, when you speak if you use
complete sentences all the time, you will sound very
unnatural. However, you must make a conscious
effort to avoid fragments in writing.

Remember that all dependent clauses need to be

attached to an independent clause.
ubordinate Clauses Examples

Subordinate Clauses

A subordinate clause is a clause that cannot stand alone. It

is not independent. Remember that an independent clause has a subject
and a verb and expresses a complete thought-it can stand alone.
A subordinate clause has a subject and a verb, but it cannot stand alone.
It doesn't express a complete thought.
A subordinate clause is different from a phrase. A phrase is a group of
related words, but it doesn't have both a subject and a verb.
A subordinate clause has a subject and a verb. But it doesn't express a
complete thought. Another word for subordinate is dependent.
Sometimes you will hear these clauses called dependent clauses.
Examples of Subordinate Clauses:

1. Because I said so (I=subject; said=verb)

2. When I was five (I=subject; was=verb)
3. Since it will rain today (it=subject; will rain=verb)
4. Who is my best friend (not written as a question-who=subject;
is=verb)
5. If you pass the test (you=subject; pass=verb)
Practice:
1. When I get to the beach. _____
2. The chair is too small for me. _____
3. Where the dog is sleeping. _____
Answer:
1. When I get to the beach. __S___
2. The chair is too small for me. _I____
3. Where the dog is sleeping. _S____

Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions

In the following examples, the coordinating conjunctions have been italicized for easy
identification.

1. You can eat your cake with a spoon or fork.

2. My dog enjoys being bathed but hates getting his nails trimmed.
3. Bill refuses to eat peas, nor will he touch carrots.
4. I hate to waste a drop of gas, for it is very expensive these days.

Coordinating Conjunctions Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how coordinating
conjunctions work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. Would you rather have cheese _____ bologna on your sandwich?

1. For
2. Nor
3. Or
4. So
Answer: 3. Would you rather have cheese or bologna on your sandwich?

2. His two favorite sports are football ______ tennis.

1. Or
2. And
3. Nor
4. For
Answer: 2. His two favorite sports are football and tennis.

3. I wanted to go to the beach, _______ Mary refused.

1. But
2. Or
3. So
 4. For
Answer: 1. I wanted to go to the beach, but Mary refused.

4. I am allergic to cats, ______ I have three of them.

1. Or
2. For
3. Yet
4. So
Answer: 3. I am allergic to cats, yet I have three of them.

5. I am a vegetarian, _______ I don’t eat any meat.

1. So
2. Yet
3. Nor
4. But
Answer: 1. I am a vegetarian, so I don’t eat any meat.

Coordinating Conjunctions List

Remember, there are only seven coordinating conjunctions. This list contains all of
them.

 For
 And
 Nor
 But
 Or
 Yet
 So

Coordinating Conjunctions Exercises

1. Thomas will be late to work, _____ he has a dental appointment.
A. but
B. or
C. for
D. nor

2. Jennifer does not like to swim, ____ does she enjoy cycling.
A. and
B. or
C. but
D. nor

3. Jackson wanted to eat another piece of cake, ____ he was on a diet.

A. for
B. but
C. yet
D. so

Semicolon between sentences joined by a coordinating conjunction

Is separating two coordinating-conjunction-linked sentences, the former

having a comma(s), with a semicolon instead of a comma logically justified?

In GrammarBook.com’s Semicolons category, Rule 5. reads:

Use the semicolon between two sentences joined by a coordinating

conjunction when one or more commas appear in the first sentence.

Examples: When I finish here, I will be glad to help you; and that is a promise I
will keep.

If she can, she will attempt that feat; and if her husband is able, he will be
there to see her.

his exercise you will be presented with a sentence punctuated in

different ways. You will have to decide which of the alternatives is
punctuated correctly. This exercise tests your understanding of
colons, semi-colons and commas.

1 a) Steve always went to watch football: he loved the atmosphere at t

b) Steve always went to watch football, he loved the atmosphere at t

c) Steve always went to watch football; he loved the atmosphere at t

2 a) I love eating; eggs, bacon, cheese and toast.

b) I love eating eggs bacon cheese and toast.

c) I love eating eggs, bacon, cheese and toast.

3 a) These are my favourite countries; Spain Hungary India and Greec

b) These are my favourite countries: Spain, Hungary, India and Gree

c) These are my favourite countries: Spain Hungary India and Greec

4 a) As the sun was rising. Steve was getting into bed.

b) As the sun was rising, Steve was getting into bed.

c) As the sun was rising; Steve was getting into bed.

5 a) I love writing; English was always my favourite subject.

b) I love writing English; was always my favourite subject.

c) I love writing, English was always my favourite subject.

6 a) My old boss used to say: 'Chin up lad.'

b) My old boss used to say; 'Chin up lad.'

c) My old boss used to say, 'Chin up lad.'

7 a) Paul hates anything technical so, he never turns his computer on.

b) Paul hates anything technical, so he never turns his computer on.

 c) Paul hates anything technical; so he never turns his computer on.

8 a) Jill Paul's wife was kind, generous, clever and a fantastic cook.

b) Jill, Paul's wife, was kind generous clever and a fantastic cook.

c) Jill, Paul's wife, was kind, generous, clever and a fantastic cook.

9 a) I love travelling: Spain, India, Thailand and Hungary are my favourite cou

b) I love travelling Spain, India, Thailand and Hungary are my favourite cou

c) I love travelling; Spain, India, Thailand and Hungary are my favourite cou

10 a) "I love it here," he said. "It's so peaceful."

b) "I love it here," he said, It's so peaceful."

c) "I love it here" he said "It's so peaceful."