A right sentence follows proper grammar rules with a subject, verb, and complete thought. It begins with a capital letter and ends with punctuation.
Every sentence expresses a complete idea. The most basic structure is subject-verb-object (SVO). For example:
Subject: The cat Verb: chased Object: the mouse.
This structure applies to 80% of English sentences (Huddleston & Pullum, 2002). Sentences can also be subject-verb (The dog barked) or subject-link-verb (She is happy).
| Type | Example | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Declarative | The sun rises in the east | States facts |
| Interrogative | Will you attend the meeting? | Asks questions |
| Imperative | Please close the door | Gives commands |
| Exclamatory | What a beautiful sunset! | Expresses strong emotion |
Many people confuse fragments with complete sentences. A fragment lacks a subject, verb, or complete thought. For example:
Running down the street (fragment) vs. She was running down the street (complete sentence).
Another common error is run-on sentences, which join independent clauses without proper punctuation. Example:
I went to the store I bought some milk should be I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
Who is at the door? instead of Who is at the door?
There are many birds in the tree.
To check if your sentence is correct, ask these questions:
If you answered yes to all three, you likely have a right sentence.