Introduction
English syntax consists of different concepts that build the flow of the written text and allow writers and readers to understand each other. Syntax includes combining words and phrases formed into structured sentences (Aarts, 2018). However, some basic rules and principles are applied to ensure that the text is understandable and readers can get the writer’s point across correctly.
Sentences usually involve such components as tenses, voices, agreements, and punctuation (Aarts, 2018). All these methods allow writers to use the same words to change the sense of the sentence. Additionally, English syntax includes diverse stylistic and rhetorical techniques, which can make sentences more complex or clear by including repetitions and figurative language. Therefore, sentences play a significant role in English syntax, and the essay will show how different elements can change the complexity of writing and impact diverse contexts.
Sentences in Syntax
In syntax, sentences are the main aspect of expression and information delivery. The importance of this element is massive as people have a chance to communicate properly and ensure that their thoughts are transferred correctly. Additionally, according to Brown & Miller (2020), people have a huge canvas where they can use punctuation and unique phrases to change the meanings of the message.
All sentences also have a grammatical structure that supports the whole idea of syntax. This aspect can also build the style and tone of the work, which can be unique to specific writers. In general, sentences can help to make papers more engaging and interesting in terms of communication and interaction.
The Elements of a Sentence
A sentence is a group of words that are related to different groups and make up the whole meaning. The main elements of a sentence are subject, verb, object, complement, and modifier (Razzoqovich, 2022). A wide variety of sentences can be created with the use of these elements, and the meaning can differ, making the paper more appealing. Therefore, it is important to understand how every concept is used and what are the differences that can change the meaning of the information.
Subject
The subject is one of the main parts of the sentence structure as it allows to transfer of the message correctly and ensures that it is full and clear. Schlesinger (2019) stated that the subject could be a noun or a pronoun that usually describes the verb’s action. Additionally, this part of the sentence can be explained by the verb. Many topics related to the sentences are created based on subjects, and it is easy to understand where it is located. One of the common examples can be seen in monosyllabic sentences like “he is taking the exam,” where “he” is the subject.
Verb
Verbs have approximately the same importance as subjects in the sentence. The main role of this concept is to show the state of the object and express the action that is happening in the information transferred in the sentence (Schlesinger, 2019). The verb usually follows the subject to build logical flow.
In the sentence “she eats her lunch,” the word “eats” is a verb as it shows an individual’s action. In the majority of cases, verbs can dictate the tense and the voice of the message. The most common example is the use of the Present Simple and Present Continues to change the meaning of the sentence.
Object
Objects can be in different forms such as noun, pronoun, or noun phrase. This part of the sentence is one of the most complicated to understand and is not used in most of the monosyllabic expressions. Object usually explains the person or the thing which is affected by the verb (Schlesinger, 2019). For example, in the sentence “He bought a new phone” the word “phone” is an object as the action was conducted over this product.
Complement
A complement is an additional part of the sentence that increases the delivered information. Schlesinger (2019) explains that a complement can be a noun, adjective, phrase, or clause to make the sentence grammatically correct and full. This concept of sentence structure usually states the condition of the person or object. For instance, “she is a teacher” shows that “teacher” is a word that describes the subject “she” and gives more meaning to the sentence. Additionally, a complement can describe the feeling that was caused by someone or something extraneous.
Modifiers
With the use of modifiers, it becomes easier to get extra information about one specific element in the sentence. This construction can be used to modify verbs, adjectives, and context. The position of these words can be different, and the meaning is rarely changed (Schlesinger, 2019).
However, in some cases, the changes are massive and can change the whole idea of the sentence. “The man with the black hair walked into the building” and “the man walked into the building with the black hair” have two different meanings. In the first sentence, the man has black hair on his head, while in the second, he is carrying the hair in his hands or in the bag.
The Types of Sentences
The English language has diverse types of sentence structuring to ensure the right structure. There are four main types of sentences which are declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory (Wijayanto, 2019). Declarative sentences usually state a specific action that is straightforward.
At the same time, interrogative sentences end with a question mark and try to get more information about the person or an object (Wijayanto, 2019). In the imperative structure, the request appears and is usually used with the exclamation mark. However, this sign can also be used in exclamatory sentences where people are trying to show their feelings and emotions.
In addition to these four types, experts in the English language define three extra and basic kinds of sentences. They are known as simple, compound, and complex, and they can be combined and modified in different ways to change the complexity of the papers (Das et al., 2018). All three concepts allow for the addition of sense to the messages and let readers of different ages and with diverse educations understand the texts.
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence has an easy structure and only one independent clause. Lingard and Watling (2021) stated that these sentences have subjects and predicates that build the whole idea without additional features. A verb’s presence creates a complete sentence and allows it to stand alone. One common example is “she is sleeping,” where three words make a clear and straightforward message.
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence is more complicated compared to a simple one, and it is important to understand the difference. This type usually consists of two or more independent clauses that stand independent. They are usually connected to each other with the use of such coordinating conjunctions as “and” and “but” (Rahma & Rosa, 2021).
Compound sentencing can be used to compare or contrast two ideas. For example, “I woke up and brushed my teeth” has two different actions when the author wakes up and then does the morning routine. This technique may help to make the writing more interesting and catch the attention of a wider audience.
Complex Sentences
In complex structures, a dependent and independent clause always have a strong connection. A dependent clause includes a verb and a subject, but their combination does not clarify the sentence (Rahma & Rosa, 2021). Such conjunctions as “because,” “since,” and “while” are the main part of the complex sentencing (Rahma & Rosa, 2021). These constructions help to build a relationship between dependent and independent clauses. For example, “because she worked hard, her salary increased” can be considered a complex sentence.
Role of Sentences in Different Contexts
Sentences have different roles in diverse contexts, and they can change depending on the audience’s purpose, structure, and interaction. The most common functions are information expression, emphasis creation, relationship building, and provision of direction (Tenney et al., 2019). When expressing information, sentences are formed to state facts and opinions (Tenney et al., 2019). Moreover, this construction usually has a present tense and concise manner to show personal experience or emotions. In creating emphasis, writers use specific language and methods of repetition to state a particular point of view.
Sentences are also used to build relationships between ideas and concepts. Coherent writing can help connect reading and writing to ensure that readers and authors understand each other (Schoonen, 2019). Finally, sentences often play the role of providing instructions and ensuring that readers complete the task accurately. People can retrieve unique and helpful information depending on the context and writing style.
Moreover, interreact with writers and other readers to understand more from the papers. Such writing as academic, creative, and everyday communication allow structuring sentences in different ways and catching the attention of individuals with diverse interests and preferences. Therefore, it is important to understand the difference in sentence creation in the context of these three types of writing.
Academic Writing
In academic writing, the structure of sentences is one of the most important parts, and all grammatical and constructional aspects should be strictly followed to achieve high-quality results. The usage of concise language helps to avoid complex sentences, but makes them professional at the same time. Moreover, it is crucial to vary the sentences’ length and ensure that they are not too long or too short (Wu et al., 2020).
In academic writing, people should use active voice to avoid confusion and problems with the tenses. This technique can create a more engaging and straightforward paper. Transitional sentences can also improve the quality of the work as the use of such words as “because” or “however” in the beginning allows the text to be smoother (Wu et al., 2020). When the writing is done, the punctuation should be checked seriously to clarify all meanings in sentences.
Creative Writing
Creative works do not ask writers to use specific sentence structures. They are free to use their unique techniques according to individual intentions. However, they should be aware of typical mistakes, usually caused by incorrect passive voice or other uncommon writing methods. Therefore, creative authors need to know the basics of simple, compound, and complex sentences to ensure their text has logic (Roemmele & Gordon, 2018).
Writers can use a combination of styles in their creative works, and such concepts as compound and complex sentences can be mixed together if the situation requires a deeper explanation of the scene. Additionally, fragmented sentences can be used in this style to add more mystery to the work (Roemmele & Gordon, 2018). A common example of fragmented sentences is “Sunny. Silence. Relax.”
Everyday Communication Writing
The effectiveness of everyday communication writing depends on the simplicity of the given information. Sentences can be short but have to be informative and engaging. Moreover, the use of present tenses and active voice can make it easier for the readers to understand the message quickly. This method was commonly used during the COVID-19 times when people did not want to read a lot about the problem but aimed to get structured information about the situation in the world (Fuchs, 2021).
When the writing is completed, it is important to proofread the sentences for grammatical errors and odd use of words that can confuse readers. People may prefer to receive easy and clear information in everyday communication, and grammatical mistakes might ruin the experience, as more time may be needed to understand the text. Therefore, every sentence should be accurately checked and structured in a clear form to send the right message.
Errors in Sentences
Sentence errors include the most common issues people face when allocating subjects, verbs, and other elements. Problems can appear not only in understanding the part of the sentence but also in structuring. Therefore, experts define such issues as sentence fragments, run-on sentences, comma splices, and misplaced modifiers (Hendrawati, 2018). All these errors can be corrected after reviewing the paper with full attention by using external tools like a grammar checker.
Fragmented Sentences
Fragmented sentences are one of the common issues that are usually detected in large texts. According to Schlueter et al. (2019), this error lacks a subject or verb because of the writer’s mistake. This problem can negatively affect the clarity and coherence of the writing, and it is important to apply working solutions to avoid further problems with the paper.
For example, the sentence “in the kitchen” does not look full, and the verb is absent here. The author should say what happened in the kitchen to correct the error. The sentence “I saw a cat in the kitchen” makes more sense when the action is described in more depth.
Run-on Sentences
In the run-on error, the problem occurs in the punctuation, which misleads readers. When a sentence has two independent clauses that are not connected appropriately with punctuation marks, the error can confuse the writing (Zheng et al., 2018). For instance, “I woke up I brushed my teeth” does not make sense without a comma between “up” and “I.” Therefore, to solve the problem, the sentence should be structured as follows: “I woke up, I brushed my teeth.” By separating two independent clauses, the writer can make several sentences that are combined into one. Individuals should study the basic punctuation rules to avoid this type of mistake.
Comma Splices
The comma splices issue can be confused with the run-on sentence error, as they relate to the punctuation. Some experts think that comma splices are not a specific type of error, and it does not change the sentence’s meaning (Barnette, 2021). However, in some cases coordinating conjunction makes more sense and allows readers to understand the text better. When writers can add “and” between two independent clauses, the comma should be avoided to ensure that no error appears. For example, in the sentence “I went to the shop, I bought bananas,” the writer can add “and” between the states. Therefore, it is more correct to write, “I went to the shop; I bought bananas.”
Misplaced Modifiers
The misplaced modifiers error is related to the wrong position of words and phrases in sentences. Confusion and misleading create ambiguity, which means that some people understand the meaning, but others do not (Hendrawati, 2018). The sentence is structured incorrectly in the following example: “After taking a shower, the breakfast was prepared.”
In the first part of the sentence, the writer describes the person’s action, but it is unclear who has done the action in the second part. Consequently, to ensure the flow and correctness, this is the structure of the sentence: “After taking a shower, I prepared breakfast.” This allocation of words and the use of an extra subject allows readers to spend less time understanding the text.
Passive Voice in Sentences
Passive voice is one of the main grammatical constructions in which the subject receives the action of the verb rather than performing the action itself. In this concept, the verb’s object usually becomes the subject of the sentence (Chan & Maglio, 2020). In some cases, using passive voice in different types of sentence construction may be odd.
For example, in academic writing and sentence creation, using many passive voice structures is not suggested to allow readers to show that real people who conducted the research and object were not performing themselves. One common example of the passive voice is “the door was closed by him,” where the “door” is the main object of the sentence. Although it is not recommended to use the passive voice often, it should be used when the performer is unknown, or it is not important to know about this person.
Active Voice in Sentences
Active voice is a more frequently used construction compared to passive voice. It is considered a typical rule for sentence structure as the subject performs the action itself, and it is represented by the verb (Chan & Maglio, 2020). Active voice shows who or what is doing something, and the mentioned person or object in the sentence is the main in the whole structure.
Compared to the example mentioned in the passive voice section, the active construction can be created: “he closed the door.” In this sentence, the subject is performing an action, and this action is connected to the verb. For clarity, using an active voice in different types of writing is important. Moreover, this writing technique can help readers to retell the story more accurately.
Mistakes in Sentence Construction
Mistakes may differ as technical and grammatical errors do not allow the writer to produce a high-quality result, and readers can understand the writing more deeply. It is extremely important for academic writing to follow all style rules and maintain the professional appearance of the sentences and the text. Therefore, additional spaces between words and unnecessary capitalizations may decrease the proficiency of the sentence.
Moreover, using unverified references, which do not look qualified, may ruin the general appearance of the sentence. From a grammatical point of view, it is important to avoid extra commas and ensure that the writer does not include them to try to look professional. In some cases, it might be better to forget about one punctuation mark and name this action as a unique author’s method of writing.
Conclusion
Sentence structuring is one of the main parts of the English language, as different types of constructions can convey diverse messages and explain readers’ current problems or news more deeply. When writers understand how to use punctuation marks, the quality of their sentences increases significantly. Moreover, professionals in the writing sphere need to know all elements of conviction to use passive and active voice correctly for a better and clearer flow of the text.
Even though the rules are simple, some errors may occur in producing compound and complex sentences. For example, in some cases, commas may be odd, and it might be more necessary to put a semicolon to divide two parts of the sentence into independent parts. To avoid similar issues, writers should understand all types of errors and proofread their work for these errors to increase the quality of their papers.
References
Aarts, B. (2018). English syntax and argumentation. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Barnette, S. (2021). It’s not an error, it’s a tool: Comma splices in first-year college writing. SSWC Presentations. Web.
Brown, K., & Miller, J. (2020). Syntax: A linguistic introduction to sentence structure. Routledge.
Chan, E. Y., & Maglio, S. J. (2020). The voice of cognition: Active and passive voice influence distance and construal. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46(4), 547-558. Web.
Fuchs, C. (2021). Everyday life and everyday communication in Coronavirus capitalism. Communication COVID-19. Web.
Hendrawati. N. (2018). An analysis on students’ errors in writing sentence patterns. Loquen, 11(1). Web.
Lingard, L., & Watling, C. (2021). Mastering the sentence. Story, Not Study: 30 Brief Lessons to Inspire Health Researchers as Writers, 77-81. Web.
Rahma, A. A., & Rosa, R. N. (2021). An analysis on students’ ability in using compound-complex sentences in writing a short essay. Journal of English Language Teaching, 10(1). Web.
Razzoqovich, S. H. (2022). Adverbs modifying special elements in the sentence. Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry. Web.
Roemmele, M., & Gordon, A. S. (2018). Automated assistance for creative writing with an RNN language model. IUI’18 Companion, 21, 1-2. Web.
Schlesinger, I. M. (2019). Sentence structure and the reading process. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.
Schlueter, Z., Parker, D., & Lau, E. (2019). Error-driven retrieval in agreement attraction rarely leads to misinterpretations. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. Web.
Schoonen, R. (2019). Are reading and writing building on the same skills? The relationship between reading and writing in L1 and EFL. Reading and Writing, 32, 511-535. Web.
Tenney, I., Xia, P., & Chen, B. (2019). What do you learn from context? Probing for sentence structure in contextualized word representations. Cornell University. Web.
Wijayanto, P. W. (2019). A contrastive analysis of imperative sentences in English and Javanese Language. Social Sciences & Humanities, 27(3), 2047-2053. Web.
Wu, X., Mauranen, A., & Lei, L. (2020). Syntactic complexity in English as a lingua franca academic writing. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 43. Web.
Zheng, J., Napoles, C., & Tetreault, J. (2018). How do you correct run-on sentences it’s not as easy as it seems. Cornell University. Web.