Definition

Sentences are

• a grammatical unit, involving
  • a subject and a verb or
  • a subject, verb, and object
• the basic building blocks of thought, the ways we encode and decode information
• a signal, a sign, of education, literacy, professionalism, work ethic.

Related Concepts: Edit for AWK(Awkward); Edit for Sentence Fragments; Edit for Parallelism; Edit for Run-On Sentences; Edit for Sentence Structure

Why Do Sentences Matter?

When you aim to communicate with someone other than yourself in semi-formal and formal circumstances, you are expected use complete sentences.

When you fail to use sentences in those circumstances, your readers are likely to assume that you have not adopted a professional tone, voice, or persona.

[ Professional Writing Prose Style ]

Sentence Errors

• Comma Splice
• Run-on Sentences
• Sentence Fragment

Sentence Mechanics

Sentences are started with a capital letter and then ended with end-mark punctuation–i.e., a period, exclamation, or question mark.

Sentence Parts

The sentence, aka independent clause, has two required and one optional parts:

• an independent clause—i.e.,
  1. a subject
  2. a predicate (aka verb).

[ Subjects, Verbs, & Objects | Parts of a Sentence ]

Sentence Patterns

Sentences conform to five different patterns:

1. S-LV-SC
2. S-TV-DO
3. S-TV-IO-DO
4. S-TV-DO-OC
5. S-ITV

[ Sentence Patterns ]

Sentence Structure

Sentences can be structured in four ways:

Sentence Types

Sentences in Standard English are defined by aim (aka function):

Sentence Word Length

Sentences can range in word length. Generally speaking, the longer a sentence, the harder it is to interpret. At a minimum, a sentence is a single word with a subject implied. Two-word sentences are commonplace.

[ Flesch–Kincaid readability tests ]