Business English: A Practice Book by Rose Buhlig

THE SENTENCE AND ITS ELEMENTS In the preceding chapters we have seen words as they are used singly. We studied their pronunciation and the way in which they were formed to express a definite meaning. In this chapter we shall begin a review of grammar, a study of words not according to their pronunciation or their definition, but according to their use as they are arranged with other words to express complete ideas. The simplest group into which words are thus arranged is the sentence, consisting of two important parts, the subject and the predicate. The subject is the part about which something is told, and the predicate is the part that tells about the subject; as, _Subject_ _Predicate_ The sun shines brightly There are several different kinds of sentences, named according to the meaning which they express. They are as follows: The _declarative_ sentence states a fact. The _interrogative_ sentence asks a question. The _imperative_ sentence commands or entreats. The _exclamatory_ sentence expresses deep feeling. _Illustrations_ _Declarative_: John closed the door. _Interrogative_: Did John close the door? _Imperative_: Close the door. _Exclamatory_: What a noise the door made! Sentences are classified, also, according to their structure or form. If a sentence has one subject and one predicate, it is a _simple_ sentence. If it is made up of two independent parts, it is a _compound_ sentence. If it has one independent part and one or more dependent parts, each of which contains a subject and a predicate of its own, the sentence is _complex_. The independent part of the sentence is called a _principal clause_, and the dependent part is called a _subordinate clause_. A _phrase_ is also a dependent part of a sentence, but it differs from a subordinate clause in that it contains no subject or predicate. Both phrases and subordinate clauses are used as parts of speech, as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Thus we have the following definitions: A _simple_ sentence contains one principal clause. A _compound_ sentence contains two or more principal clauses. A _complex_ sentence contains one principal clause and one or more subordinate clauses. A _phrase_ is a group of related words used as a part of speech. (See Exercises 68 and 69.) A _clause_ is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate. A subordinate clause is used as a part of speech. It usually has an introductory word to distinguish it from a principal clause. (See Exercise 71.) _Illustrations_ _Simple sentence_: To-day most of the world's big questions are business questions. _Complex sentence_: The view _that_ business is only humdrum routine and sordid money-making needs revising, _since_ most of the world's big questions are business questions. _Compound sentence_: Many people still belittle business, calling it humdrum routine and sordid money-making, _but_ this view needs revising. _Phrase_: (_a_) _of_ the world's big questions. (_b_) _calling_ it humdrum routine and sordid money-making. _Subordinate clause_: (_a_) _that_ business is only humdrum routine and sordid money-making. (_b_) _since_ most of the world's big questions are business questions. =Exercise 59= Write two of each of the following kinds of sentences: _a._ Declarative, _b._ Interrogative, _c._ Imperative, _d._ Exclamatory. Examine each of the sentences below and tell _a._ Whether it is simple, complex, or compound. _b._ Its subject and its predicate. _c._ Its phrases and its subordinate clause (if there are any).