Sentence Structure
How English sentences are built — from the basic skeleton, to conjunctions, clauses, and all the ways they transform.
Once you know words and can pronounce them, the next level is putting those words into sentences. English sentences really only come in a handful of basic shapes — add conjunctions, clauses, and a few transformation rules, and you go from one sentence at a time to whole flowing paragraphs. This page is your map to sentence structure, and every section links to an in-depth article.
Start the syntax challengeBasic patterns: the 5 skeletons
Almost every English sentence is a variation on these 5 skeletons: subject + verb, then ask whether you need an object or a complement. Get comfortable with the skeletons first, and even the longest sentences are easy to take apart.
- She sleeps. (S + V)
- I like coffee. (S + V + O)
- It is easy. (S + V + C)
- He gave me a book. (S + V + O + O)
- We call him Max. (S + V + O + C)
How to ask questions
To turn a statement into a question, you swap the subject and the auxiliary verb — and if there's no auxiliary, you borrow do/does/did. Add a question tag at the end to check what the other person is thinking.
- Do you like coffee?
- Where did she go?
- It's cold, isn't it?
Joining sentences with conjunctions
Conjunctions are the bridges that connect two ideas. Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) link equal things; subordinating conjunctions make one clause depend on another; correlative conjunctions work in matching pairs.
- I like coffee, but I am tired tonight.
- We stayed home because it was raining.
- Both Anna and Ben passed.
Clauses: a sentence inside a sentence
When you tuck one sentence inside another, you get a clause. Relative clauses use who / which / that to add information about a noun; participle clauses use V-ing or p.p. to condense two sentences into one.
- The man who called you is my uncle.
- My phone, which I bought last year, still works.
- Walking home, I saw a rainbow.
Transforming sentences
The same idea can be said in different ways: the passive voice shifts the focus to what's being done; there is/are tells you what exists; imperatives give commands; reported speech takes someone's words and steps them one tense back.
- The cake was eaten by the kids. (passive)
- There is a cat on the roof.
- Please close the door. (imperative)
- She said that she was tired. (reported)
Conditionals and hypotheticals
Use if to set up an 'if… then…' situation, sorted into the zero, first, second, and third conditionals depending on how far it is from reality. To say 'I really wish…', reach for the wish structure.
- If you heat ice, it melts. (zero / first)
- If I were you, I would rest. (second)
- If I had known, I would have come. (third)
- I wish I could fly.
Comparisons
To compare two things, use the comparative (-er / more); to pick the standout among three or more, use the superlative (-est / most). Learn the rules and you'll never say 'more better' again.
- This is bigger than that.
- She is the tallest in the class.