Syntax is the study of the structure of phrases, clauses and sentences in the English language.
However before I start explaining different types of phrases, let's first define what a phrase is. A phrase is a group of words that allow us to extract information about the specified subject and comprises of a relationship grammatically.
There are many different types of phrases in English. There are:
Noun phrase: which consist of nouns and adjective. (A big monkey)
Verb Phrase: which consist of a subject and a predicate
Adjective Phrases refers to the most important word, which is the adjective.
The subject of a sentence is the object the sentence is about
Predicates are the words within the sentence that is describing or is written about the subject
Clauses:
Usually the combination of the subject and the predicate
Independent clauses:
An example of an independent clause is "The dog is wet".
Dependent clauses:
An example of a dependent clause is "it licked me". We are unable to identify what 'it' is.
A simple sentence is simply an independent clause on its own.
Compound sentences are sentences where to independent clauses are joined together.
Complex sentences are the combination of a independent and dependent clauses.
Compound & complex sentence are the combination of both a compound and a complex sentence.
Sentence Type:
Declarative: sentences states facts about the subject and presents information on it):
E.G: "The monkey is cold"
In the example the sentence is just stating that the monkey is cold, nothing less or nothing more.
Imperatives sentences gives instructions or orders to a person or object.
E.G: "Close the window"
The sentence is just instruction us to close the window (because the monkey is cold)
Interrogative sentences that are questions. Within the interrogative category we have another 3 sub-categories, open, closed and tag interrogatives.
Open interrogative are sentences that seeks information from questioneer, They can be your "Who, what, when" questions.
E.G:
"Who are you going to the ball with?"
"What time will you get back?"
These are sentences that require an answer.
Closed interrogative: is when the person wants the truth in a forthright manner. These sentences just require a simple yes or no.
'E.G: Will you be eating that potato?"
Tag interrogative: Request the hearer to express agreement or disagreement
E.G: You're not a potato, are you?
Then there are active and passive sentences. These sentences defines the tense (past or present) of the sentence.
Active: Active sentences follow a specific order. It is often "subject + verb + object".
For example: "Bob sells his mattress"
Bob is the subject of sentence (because it is his mattress he is selling), the verb is sold and the object is the mattress. The sentence is in the present tense because he his selling it.
Passive: Passive sentences follow the exact opposite rule of active sentences, that is "object + verb + subject".
Another example is: "His mattress was sold by Bob"
However before I start explaining different types of phrases, let's first define what a phrase is. A phrase is a group of words that allow us to extract information about the specified subject and comprises of a relationship grammatically.
There are many different types of phrases in English. There are:
Noun phrase: which consist of nouns and adjective. (A big monkey)
Verb Phrase: which consist of a subject and a predicate
Adjective Phrases refers to the most important word, which is the adjective.
The subject of a sentence is the object the sentence is about
Predicates are the words within the sentence that is describing or is written about the subject
Clauses:
Usually the combination of the subject and the predicate
Independent clauses:
- Stands alone as a sentence
An example of an independent clause is "The dog is wet".
Dependent clauses:
- Unable to stand alone in a clause
An example of a dependent clause is "it licked me". We are unable to identify what 'it' is.
A simple sentence is simply an independent clause on its own.
Compound sentences are sentences where to independent clauses are joined together.
- "A monkey was taken by a potato but the monkey attacked the starch enemy"
Complex sentences are the combination of a independent and dependent clauses.
- "The dog is wet and it licked me"
Compound & complex sentence are the combination of both a compound and a complex sentence.
Sentence Type:
Declarative: sentences states facts about the subject and presents information on it):
E.G: "The monkey is cold"
In the example the sentence is just stating that the monkey is cold, nothing less or nothing more.
Imperatives sentences gives instructions or orders to a person or object.
E.G: "Close the window"
The sentence is just instruction us to close the window (because the monkey is cold)
Interrogative sentences that are questions. Within the interrogative category we have another 3 sub-categories, open, closed and tag interrogatives.
Open interrogative are sentences that seeks information from questioneer, They can be your "Who, what, when" questions.
E.G:
"Who are you going to the ball with?"
"What time will you get back?"
These are sentences that require an answer.
Closed interrogative: is when the person wants the truth in a forthright manner. These sentences just require a simple yes or no.
'E.G: Will you be eating that potato?"
Tag interrogative: Request the hearer to express agreement or disagreement
E.G: You're not a potato, are you?
Then there are active and passive sentences. These sentences defines the tense (past or present) of the sentence.
Active: Active sentences follow a specific order. It is often "subject + verb + object".
For example: "Bob sells his mattress"
Bob is the subject of sentence (because it is his mattress he is selling), the verb is sold and the object is the mattress. The sentence is in the present tense because he his selling it.
Passive: Passive sentences follow the exact opposite rule of active sentences, that is "object + verb + subject".
Another example is: "His mattress was sold by Bob"