Sentence: What Is a Simple Sentence?
What Is a Simple Sentence?
A simple sentence is a simple statement about casual day-to-day matters, facts, information about something and more. Another fact about simple sentences is that it has just one verb constituting a single independent clause.
Look at the following definitions from various dictionaries for a clearer understanding of what simple sentences are.
Definition of a Simple Sentence
A simple sentence, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is “a sentence that has only one verb.” The Collins Dictionary defines a simple sentence as “a sentence consisting of a single main clause .” A simple sentence is defined as “a sentence consisting of one independent clause only. It usually has a subject and verb, and often an object or complement and one or more adjuncts”, according to the Macmillan Dictionary.
Points to be Remembered When Forming Simple Sentences
All of us communicate with the help of language and most often, it is done using simple sentences. Forming simple sentences is easier than you think. Go through the following points to find out how you can effortlessly form and use simple sentences.
- A simple sentence should have at least one subject and one predicate.
- A simple sentence can have multiple subjects which can be combined using conjunctions. They are called compound subjects.
- Likewise, a simple sentence can also have compound predicates. Compound predicates have two or more verbs but they share the same subject/s.
- A simple sentence does not have a dependent clause or a subordinate clause but just one independent clause/main clause.
- A simple sentence should express a complete thought.
- A simple sentence can be a declarative sentence, an interrogative sentence or an exclamatory sentence. So punctuation marks like a full stop, a comma, a question mark and an exclamation mark can be used in simple sentences.
- A simple sentence can have a sentence structure as short as just an SV, SVO or SVC pattern and also as long as an ASVIODO, SVIODO or SVAA pattern.
- A simple sentence can have prepositions, adverbs, adjectives, adverb clauses and prepositional phrases.
Examples of Simple Sentences
Looking at some practical examples will definitely help you in a much better way. So, here are a few examples that you can go through and use as reference when you need to form simple sentences.
- I / am a student at New York Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Subject / Predicate
- Navya, Dhaya and Priya / are going to Thailand for their vacation.
Compound Subject / Predicate
- Jake / was singing and dancing.
Subject / Compound Predicate
- This / is a wonderful place!
Subject / Predicate
- I / don’t like milk.
Subject / Predicate
- I / was waiting at the park.
Subject / Predicate
At the park – Prepositional phrase
- Both of us / will reach around 4 p.m.
Subject / Predicate
Around 4 p.m. – Prepositional phrase
- Continuous effort / is the only way to success.
Subject / Predicate
- Pavitra and Akila / are best friends.
Compound Subject / Predicate
- Nobody but you / can do it.
Compound Subject / Predicate
Check Your Understanding of Simple Sentences
Rearrange the following sentences and use appropriate punctuations to form simple sentences and identify the subject/compound subject and predicate/compound predicate.
1. Dogs / were / the / barking
2. Do / you / spellings / how / know / the / all
3. Sorry / I / am
4. Happy / are / you
5. Likes / novels / Nancy / fantasy
6. Now / are / where / you
7. Wonderful / is / this
8. Alex / listening / likes / music / to
9. My / are / home / friends / coming
10. Work / Matty / Cyril / and / together / Kendall
Look at the answers given below. Check out if you got it right.
1. The dogs were barking.
Subject – The dogs
Predicate – Were barking
2. How do you know all the spellings?
Subject – You
Predicate – How / know / all the spellings
3. I am sorry.
Subject – I
Predicate – am sorry
4. Are you happy?
Subject – You
Predicate – Are happy
5. Nancy likes fantasy novels.
Subject – Nancy
Predicate – Likes fantasy novels
6. Where are you now?
Subject – You
Predicate – Where/ are / now
7. This is wonderful!
Subject – This
Predicate – Is wonderful
8. Alex likes listening to music.
Subject – Alex
Predicate – Likes listening to music
9. My friends are coming home.
Subject – My friends
Predicate – Are coming home
10. Cyril, Kendall and Matty work together.
Subject – Cyril, Kendall and Matty
Predicate – Work together
