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Nick: New page: In the field of linguistics, a '''sentence''' is an expression in natural language, and often defined to indicate a grammatical unit consistin...

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New page: In the field of linguistics, a '''sentence''' is an expression in natural language, and often defined to indicate a grammatical unit consistin...

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In the field of [[linguistics]], a '''sentence''' is an [[Expression (language)|expression]] in [[natural language]], and often defined to indicate a [[grammar|grammatical]] unit consisting of one or more [[word]]s that generally bear minimal syntactic relation to the words that precede or follow it. A sentence can include words grouped meaningfully to express a [[statement]], [[question]], [[exclamation]], [[request]] or [[command]].[1]

As with all [[language]] expressions, sentences may contain both [[function word|function]] and [[content word|content]] words, and contain properties distinct to natural language, such as characteristic [[intonation (linguistics)|intonation]] and timing patterns.

Sentences are generally characterized in most languages by the presence of a [[finite verb]], e.g. "[[The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog|The quick brown fox ''jumps'' over the lazy dog]]".

==Components of a sentence==
===Clauses===
A [[clause]] consists of a ''[[subject (grammar)|subject]]'' and a ''[[predicate (grammar)|predicate]]''. The subject is typically a [[noun phrase]], though other kinds of [[phrase]]s (such as [[gerund]] phrases) work as well, and some languages allow subjects to be omitted. The predicate is a finite [[verb phrase]]: a finite verb together with zero or more [[object (grammar)|objects]], zero or more [[complement (linguistics)|complements]], and zero or more [[adverbial]]s.

There are two types of clauses: ''independent'' and ''subordinate (dependent)''. An independent clause demonstrates a complete thought; it is a complete sentence: for example, "I am sad." A subordinate clause is not a complete sentence: for example, "because I had to move."

See also [[copula (linguistics)|copula]] for the consequences of the verb ''to be'' on the theory of sentence structure.

===Complete sentences===
A simple complete sentence consists of a single clause (subject and predicate). Other complete sentences consist of two or more clauses (see below).

==Classification==
===By structure===
One traditional scheme for classifying [[English language|English]] sentences is by the number and types of [[finite verb|finite]] [[clause]]s:

* A ''[[simple sentence]]'' consists of a single [[independent clause]] with no [[dependent clause]]s.
* A ''[[compound sentence (linguistics)|compound sentence]]'' consists of multiple independent clauses with no dependent clauses. These clauses are joined together using [[grammatical conjunction|conjunctions]], [[punctuation]], or both.
* A ''[[complex sentence]]'' consists of at least one independent clause and one dependent clause.
* A ''[[complex-compound sentence]]'' (or ''compound-complex sentence'') consists of multiple independent clauses, at least one of which has at least one dependent clause.

===By purpose===
Sentences can also be classified based on their purpose:

*A ''declarative sentence'' or [[declaration]], the most common type, commonly makes a statement: "I am going home."
*An ''interrogative sentence'' or [[question]] is commonly used to request information — "When are you going to work?" — but sometimes not; "see" [[rhetorical question]].
*An ''exclamative sentence'' or [[exclamation]] is generally a more emphatic form of statement expressing emotion: "What a wonderful day this is!"
*An ''imperative sentence'' or [[command]] tells someone to do something: "Go to work at 7:30 in the morning."

===Major and minor sentences===
A major sentence is a ''regular'' sentence; it has a [[subject (grammar)|subject]] and a [[predicate (grammar)|predicate]].
For example: ''I have a ball.'' In this sentence one can change the persons: ''We have a ball.'' However, a minor sentence is an irregular type of sentence. It does not contain a finite verb. For example, "Mary!" "Yes." "Coffee." etc. Other examples of minor sentences are headings (e.g. the heading of this entry), stereotyped expressions (''Hello!''), emotional expressions (''Wow!''), proverbs, etc. This can also include [[nominal sentence]]s like ''The more, the merrier''. These do not contain verbs in order to intensify the meaning around the nouns and are normally found in poetry and catchphrases.[2]

Sentences that comprise a single word are called [[sentence words|word sentences]], and the words themselves [[sentence words]].[3]

==See also==
* [[Affirmation]]
* [[Assertion]]
* [[Clause]]
* [[Grammatical polarity]]
* [[Inflectional phrase]]
* [[Periodic sentence]]
* [[Phrase]]
* [[Sentence arrangement]]
* [[Sentence function]]
* [[Statement]]
* [[T-unit]]

==References==

* 1. "'Sentence' - Definitions from Dictionary.com". Dictionary.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sentence. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
* 2. Exploring Language: Sentences
* 3. Jan Noordegraaf (2001). "J. M. Hoogvliet as a teacher and theoretician". In Marcel Bax, C. Jan-Wouter Zwart, and A. J. van Essen. Reflections on Language and Language Learning. John Benjamins B.V.. pp. 24. ISBN 9027225842.

==External links==
*[http://grammar.about.com/od/basicsentencegrammar/a/basicstructures.htm Basic Sentence Structures]
*[http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/573/02/ Sentence Variety: Sentence Types]
*[http://www.brighthub.com/education/languages/articles/20570.aspx The Sentence: A Group of Words Expressing a Meaning]
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/books/review/Park-t.html "The Book-Length Sentence"] and [http://papercuts.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/03/the-art-of-the-very-long-sentence/ "The Art of the Very Long Sentence"], a history of very long sentences. Ed Park, ''[[New York Times Book Review]]'', December 24, 2010 and January 3, 2011 (respectively).
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentence_(linguistics) Wikipedia Article on Sentence]

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[[Category:Semantic units]]
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Sentence (linguistics) - Revision history

Beza 1598: /* External links */

Nick: New page: In the field of linguistics, a '''sentence''' is an expression in natural language, and often defined to indicate a grammatical unit consistin...