Noticing how many and what types of clauses sentences contain and identifying whether they make a statement, ask a question, issue a command, or express an exclamation can help you analyze sentences as you write and revise.

Identifying sentences by grammatical structure

Grammatically, sentences may be simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex.

Simple sentences

A simple sentence consists of one independent clause and no dependent clause. The subject or the verb, or both, may be compound.

Compound sentences

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses and no dependent clause. The clauses may be joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (36g) or by a semicolon.

Complex sentences

A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Compound-complex sentences

A compound-complex sentence consists of two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

Identifying sentences by function

In terms of function, sentences can be declarative (making a statement), interrogative (asking a question), imperative (giving a command), or exclamatory (expressing strong feeling).