INTRODUCTION
To write well in English Language and literature, students and other language and literature learners
have to master how to put sentences together. Students have to exercise their
writing skills in their exercise books, diaries and other note taking tools. By mastering
various grammatical sentence structures, the students and other learners will
keep themselves on the right track of professionalism as far as language and
literature are concerned. In this article, we will discuss kinds of sentence according
to the purpose of the writer or speaker in English Language.
For
other articles about English sentences, visit the following:
KINDS OF SENTENCES BY PURPOSE
There are four kinds of sentences according to the
purpose or the speaker or writer. They are:
1. Declarative
Sentence
It's
a kind of sentence that makes a statement. It always ends with a full stop or
period (.). It has a normal or falling tone.
Examples:
I planted a beautiful flower yesterday.
The President of United Republic of Tanzania is John
Pombe Magufuli.
2. Interrogative
Sentence
It's
a kind of sentence that asks a question. It always ends with a question mark(?)
and it has a rising tone.
Examples:
Did I plant a beautiful flower yesterday?
Who is the President of the United Republic of
Tanzania?
When did Tanganyika get independence?
3. Imperative
Sentence
An
imperative sentence is the kind of sentence that gives a command. It usually
ends with a period (.) like declarative sentence. But an imperative sentence
may sometimes end with an exclamation mark (!) when the speaker or writer wants
to make a strong command.
Examples:
Clean this room.
Bring me that cup.
Stop here!
Come here!
Do ten more push-ups!
Hurry up!
4. Exclamation
Sentence
This
is the kind of sentence that expresses strong emotion of the speaker or writer.
It ends with an exclamation mark (!).
Examples:
Wow! You have nice shoes!
I passed the test!
Hooray! We have won!
What a day this has been!
THE TEXT
Ask the student to read the following passage and ask
them:
To identify any five declarative sentences
To identify any interrogative sentences
To identify any imperative sentences
To identify any exclamation sentences
Despite the fact
that discipline is always a cornerstone to the students' success at school,
colleges, or universities, commitment to the students' goals is important as
well. Whether you agree or not, your good discipline is your only way to reach
your goals. Despite being intelligent, a student who lacks discipline will make
no impact when it comes to studies. I like to advise students that there is a
certain point in the life of a person when someone should sacrifice for the
better future. One of those points in life is education. The young people like
you should sacrifice for your better future through studying hard. Don't ask
yourself foolish questions like; will mere ownership of the phone get me
expelled from school? How can fighting with my enemies at school get me
suspended? Notwithstanding the strength you have, you are always obliged to
obey the school rules and regulations. And in order to accomplish your studies,
your good discipline is vital. Ask yourself questions: Is it really necessary
to have the phone? Is it necessary to fight? Or do I really have the time to
waste breaking school rules and regulations? Although you may make various
mistakes at school, you will still have the chance to learn from your mistakes
and swear not to repeat the same mistakes for one more time. As a student, you
have to spend your time studying or refreshing your minds in various acceptable
activities like sports and games. Teachers and students should cooperatively
work together. So, students should make sure they follow teacher’s guidance
properly. Though teachers teach you, you and your parents, should work
cooperatively. You can consult them any time before deciding on the things that
can retard your progress at school. Being a student does not free you from
committing human mistakes, but it is possible to refrain from doing bad things
at school for the sake of your future. Although teachers are your guides at
school, you still need your own commitment to school rules and laws. Stop
misbehaving! Stay calm and committed. Your success is at your own hands. You
may choose to succeed or fail by your own decisions.
GROUP QUESTIONS
Ask students to
form four groups. First groups should discuss five declarative sentences, the
second group identify and discusses any interrogative sentences, the third
group identifies and discusses any imperative sentences, and the fourth group
identifies and discusses any exclamation sentences. The answers of each group
should be presented before the class and the class should ask questions from
the presenting group in case they need more clarification on the presented
answers.
Note: A teacher can use any text that can be appropriate and use it to test
students on identifying the particular sentence structures. The teacher should
scan the text first to see if it contains the right or target grammatical
practice for students. It may be a passage from the newspapers, and online
content, or any excerpt of the book.
CONCLUSION
The writing process starts when you start thinking
about writing. You think about the subject, about the words, about the kind of
writing (description, composition, letter, e-mail, report, essay), about the
best way to put the words together.
For
more on how to study & teach English Language topics, visit the following
class links:
Resources
Microsoft Encarta Dictionaries 2009 © 1993 – 2008
Microsoft Corporation.