Types of sentences in English: Các loại câu đơn, ghép, phức trong tiếng Anh

Tài liệu được soạn ra để dành cho người mới bắt đầu học tiếng Anh, đang loay hoay không biết làm sao để học ngữ pháp cho đúng và hiệu quả. Mệnh đề, câu đơn, câu ghép và câu phức sẽ bao gồm những thành phần gì và cấu trúc như thế nào? Làm sao để viết một câu chuẩn không cần chỉnh? Bạn không có thời gian đọc sách quá dài, vậy tài liệu này là hợp lý vì nó khá súc tích và đầy đủ, cũng như giúp bạn định hướng đúng khi học tiếng Anh.

SIMPLE SENTENCES

A Subjects (Chủ ngữ)

Sentence = Subject + Verb

Subject (Who? Which?)

Verb (an action? a statement?)

e.g

1/ Three hunters (S-who) tramped (V) through the woods

2/ The blue truck (S-what) belong (V) to Ralph

Some sentences have more than one subject, joined by AND:

3/ Her aunt and uncle (compound S) love (V) country music

Sometimes an -ING word can be subject of a sentence.

4/ Reading (S = -ing) strains (V) my eyes

B Prepositional Phrases (Ngữ giới từ)

Ngữ giới từ = Giới từ + ngữ danh từ

Giới từ hay gặp: about, above, across, after, along, among, at, before, behind, between,

by, during, for, from, in, into, like, near, of, on, over, through, to, toward, under, until, up,

with

e.g

1/ The sweaters in the shop look handmade.

(Những chiếc áo len trong cửa hàng trông như được làm thủ công

2/ Last Tuesday, a carton of oranges was left on the porch.

Thứ Ba tuần trước, ai đó đã bỏ một thùng cam ở hiên nhà

)

C Verbs

Action verbs (động từ chỉ hành động)

1/ The star quarterback fumbled.

2/ The carpenters worked all day, but the

bricklayers went home early.

A linking verb (động từ chuyển tiếp) links

an S to words that describe or identify them.

Ví dụ: appear, be, become, feel, look, seem, remain, drive, go, etc.

1/ Don is a fine mathematician.

Don là chuyên gia toán học.

2/ This fabric feels rough and scratchy

Loại vải này thô ráp và dễ gây xước da.

Helping verbs (trợ động từ)

1/ He should have taken the train home.

2/ Are Tanya and Joe practicing the piano?

3/ The lounge was painted last week.

Coordination & Subordination

Clause (Mệnh đề)

Definition: A group of words, including a subject and a verb (là một nhóm từ, bao gồm chủ ngữ và động từ)

Types:

1/ independent clause – mệnh đề độc lập (complete idea; can stand alone

as a simple sentence)

e.g The dog barked all night // The neighbors didn’t complain

2/ dependent clause – mệnh đề phụ thuộc (incomplete idea; cannot stand alone as a simple sentence)

e.g The dog barked all night because many people go by the gate

A Coordination (in compound sentences)

Definition: A compound sentence is a sentence that connects two

independent clauses by placing a comma and a coordinating conjunction

between them.

e.g

1/ The dog barked all night, but the neighbors didn’t complain.

2/ Let’s go to the beach today, for it is too hot to do anything else.

3/ It was late, so I decided to take a bus home.

(The trains don’t run after midnight.)

4/ It was late, yet I decided to take a bus home.

(I knew I might have to wait two hours at the bus stop)

FANBOYS

For - vì

And - và

Nor - cũng không But - nhưng

Or - hoặc Yet - nhưng

So - vậy nên

B Subordination (in complex sentences)

Definition: Two clauses can also be joined with a subordinating

conjunction The clause following a subordinating conjunction is called a

subordinate or dependent clause because it depends on an independent

clause to complete its meaning

e.g.

1/ We will light the candles when Flora arrives.

⇔ When Flora arrives, we will light the candles

When Flora arrives = subordinate/dependent clause introduced

by the subordinating conjunction WHEN.

2/ This course was excellent because Professor Green taught it

(Professor Green – a great teacher)

3/ This course was excellent although Professor Green taught it

(Professor Green – a bad teacher)

Subordinating conjunctions: after,

although, as, as if,

as though, because, before, even if, even though, if, if only, in order that, once, provided that, rather than, since, so that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether, while

A semicolon can join two independent clauses of a sentence, and it takes the place of a conjunction [Dấu chấm phẩy có thể nối hai mệnh

đề chính của một câu và thế chỗ cho liên từ]

e.g

1/ Tony is a careless driver, and he has had three minor accidents this year alone

⇔ Tony is a careless driver; he has had three minor accidents this year alone

2/ My brother is a excellent piano player; he have had a lot of prizes

D Conjunctive Adverbs A conjunctive adverbs are normally placed after a

semicolon They help clarify the relationship between two

clauses.

Addition : also; besides; furthermore, in addition,

moreover

1/ My sister speaks English very well ; in addition , she also knows French 2/ Mary is very beautiful; furthermore , she has very much money.

Comparison : likewise, similarly They returned home; likewise , I went home.

Contrast : however, nevertheless, on the

contrary, on the other hand

1/ I like the sound of that stereo; however , the price is too high 2/

My boss is of few words; nevertheless ; he often says his employees 3/ Peter is a handsome man; however , he is rather old

Example : for example, for instance You cannot rely on her; for instance , she arrived an hour late for an

important meeting yesterday.

Emphasis : indeed, in fact, of course The economy is very difficult nowadays ; indeed , to find good work

will be very difficult

Result : consequently, therefore, thus 1/ I’m busy with my study; therefore , I have little free time 2/ Tom is

very busy with his work; consequently , he seldom goes to see his parents.

Avoiding Sentence Errors

What is a run-on sentence?

>>> Two independent clauses

>>> No conjunction/punctuation

E.g My neighbor Mr Hoffman is seventy-five years old he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon

=> My neighbor, Mr Hoffman, is seventy-five years old He plays tennis every Saturday afternoon

A1 Run-on sentences

What is a comma splice?

>>> two independent clauses

>>> a comma, no conjunction

E.g My neighbor Mr Hoffman is seventy-five years old, he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon

=> My neighbor, Mr Hoffman, is seventy-five years old, but he plays

tennis every Saturday afternoon

A2 Comma Splices

Five tips to correct run-on sentences & comma splices?

1/ Use two separate sentences

e.g slide 24

2/ Use a coordinating conjunction

e.g slide 25

3/ Use a subordinating conjunction

e.g Although my neighbor, Mr Hoffman, is seventy-five years old, he

plays tennis every Saturday afternoon

4/ Use a semicolon

e.g My neighbor, Mr Hoffman, is seventy-five years old; he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon

5/ Use a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb

e.g My neighbor, Mr Hoffman, is seventy-five years old; nevertheless,

he plays tennis every Saturday afternoon

B Avoiding Fragments

A sentence must contain a subject (S) and a verb (V) and

must be able to stand alone as a complete idea

A sentence fragment is incomplete It lacks an S, a V,

or both—or it does not stand alone as a complete idea.

Six types of sentence fragments & how to fix them

Dependent Clause Fragments,

starting with a subordinating

conjunction like although,

because, if, when, etc.

Kirk decided to major in psychology

After his sister was diagnosed with anorexia.

Kirk decided to major in psychology after his sister was diagnosed with anorexia /Kirk decided to major in psychology His sister was diagnosed with anorexia.

Relative Clause Fragments,

starting with who, whose, which, or

that

Mrs Costa is a popular history professor Who never runs out of creative ideas.

Mrs Costa is a popular history professor who never runs out

of creative ideas./ Mrs Costa is a popular history professor

She never runs out of creative ideas.

-ing Fragments Joaquin can be seen on the track every

morning Running a mile or two before breakfast.

Joaquin can be seen on the track every morning , running a mile or two before breakfast /Joaquin can be seen on the track every morning He runs a mile or two before breakfast.

Prepositional Phrase Fragments A huge telescope in Green Bank, West

Virginia, scans for signs of life On stars twenty to thirty light years away.

A huge telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia, scans for signs of life on stars twenty to thirty light years away./ A huge telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia, scans for signs of life Its targets is stars twenty to thirty light years away.

Appositive Phrase Fragments A fine pianist Marsha won a

scholarship to Juilliard.

Marsha is a fine pianist She won a scholarship to Juilliard./ A fine pianist, Marsha won a scholarship to Juilliard.

Infinitive Phrase Fragments Lauri has always wanted to become a

biology To protect the environment.

Lauri has always wanted to become a biology to protect the environment./ Lauri has always wanted to become a biology Her goal is to protect the environment.