CBSE Class 8 English Grammar – The Sentence

CBSE Class 8 English Grammar – The Sentence

Definition of Sentence
When one or more words are grammatically linked and bring out a complete sense, it is called a sentence.
e.g.

1. The Earth revolves around the Sun.
2. The cow gives us milk.
3. It is a hot day.

Kinds of Sentences

Sentences are of four kinds

Assertive or Declarative Sentence

These are the most common types of sentences. The assertive sentences make a statement. Such sentences end with a period (.). e.g.

1. I went to the market yesterday.
2. There is lots of snow in the winter.
3. Sparrow is a beautiful bird.

Interrogative Sentence
The interrogative sentences are those which ask questions. Such sentences end with a question mark (?).
e.g.

1. What is your name?
2. What time do you get up in the morning?
3. What is the capital of India?

Imperative Sentence

The imperative sentences are those that express a command, request and advice. The imperative sentences also end with a period (.). e.g.

1. Please be quite.
2. Clean your room.
3. Obey your parents.

Exclamatory Sentence

The exclamatory sentences are those that expresses a feeling. The exclamatory sentences end with an exclamation mark (!).
e.g.

1. It’s a beautiful day!
2. How hot the day is!
3. I’m excited to watch this movie!

Subject and Predicate
Every complete sentence consists of two parts: a subject and a predicate.
While making a sentence we mention a place or a thing and also say something about that person or thing. While the subject is what the sentence is about, the predicate talks about the subject.

Subject                                  .
The part of the sentence which talks about the person or a thing is called the subject of the sentence. The subject of a sentence could be a noun, a pronoun or even an entire phrase or clause.

Predicate
The part of the sentence which talks about the subject is called the predicate of the sentence.
e.g.

1. Joseph likes to play volleyball.
   Joseph is the subject of the sentence, because the sentence is telling something about the liking of Joseph. And what is it telling? It says that Joseph likes to play volleyball. So, in this example the subject is ‘Joseph’ and the predicate is ‘likes to play volleyball.’
   To determine the subject of the sentence, we first find the verb in the sentence and then ask ‘who?’ or ‘what?’ in the sentence.
   In the above sentence we first find the verb, the verb here is ‘play’. So we first ask, who plays?
   The answer will be, Joseph plays and this is how we determine that the subject is Joseph.
2. The horse ran.
   Here the verb is ran, so we first ask, ‘who ran?’ The answer is ‘horse’.
   So, the subject is ‘The horse’ and the predicate is ‘ran’.
3. The car is red.
   Here the verb is ‘red’, so we first ask, ‘What is red?’ The answer is ‘car’.
   So, the subject is ‘The car’ and the predicate is ‘red’.

Note: The subject usually comes before the sentence, but in exceptional cases, it comes at the end of the sentence.
e.g. Here comes the train.
In the above sentence the verb is ‘comes’, we first ask, ‘what comes?’ The answer is ‘train’.
So, the subject is ‘the train’ and the predicate is ‘here comes’.

The Clause
The clause is a group of words having its own subject and a predicate though it does not make a complete sense. It is rather a part of another sentence.
e.g. Because you are feeling well, you can go out today.
The bold part does not make a complete sentence. But since, it has its own subject and predicate it is a clause on which the other clause ‘you ^can go out today’ depends.

More Examples

1. I will wait for you, although I am hungry.
2. They do whatever they decide.

The Phrase
A group of words at the end of the sentence makes a sense, but not a complete sense, is known as a phrase. The phrase may have nouns or verbs, but it does not have a subject and predicate.

1. Humpty dumpty sat on a wall.
2. The Sun rises in the East.
3. This is not the right way of doing things.

Chapter Practice

Question 1:
Separate the subject and predicate in the following sentences.

1. She has a good memory.
2. No man can serve two masters.
3. The sea has many varieties of fishes.
4. A bus passed our house.
5. My father got a promotion.
6. Here comes the bus.
7. James has a good memory.
8. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind.
9. The Earth revolves around the Sun.
10. It is a very cold day.

Answer:

1. Subject—She
   Predicate—has a good memory
2. Subject—No man
   Predicate— can serve two masters
3. Subject—The sea
   Predicate—has many varieties of fishes
4. Subject—A bus
   Predicate—passed our house
5. Subject—My father
   Predicate—got a promotion
6. Subject—Here comes
   Predicate—the bus
7. Subject—James
   Predicate—has a good memory
8. Subject—A healthy body
   Predicate—leads to a healthy mind
9. Subject—The Earth
   Predicate—revolves around the Sun
10. Subject—It
    Predicate—is a very cold day The Sun

Question 2:
Complete the sentences using suitable  subject.

1. …………………….. rises in the East.
2. ……………………..is good for health.
3. ……………………… is money.
4. ……………………..is wealth.
5. ……………………… is one.
6. ………………………. is a hot day.
7. ……………………… is a big city.
8. ……………………….. is the capital of Pakistan.
9. ………………………. never fit well.
10. ………………………. is the best physician.

Answer:

1. The Sun
2. Milk
3. Time
4. Health
5. God
6. Today
7. Kolkata
8. Islamabad
9. Borrowed garments
10. Nature

Question 3:
Complete the sentences using suitable predicate.

1. The Sun………………………
2. The cow……………………..
3. Delhi………………………….
4. The flower………………………
5. Akbar…………………………
6. The bird……………………..
7. The tree………………………..
8. The Earth……………………………..
9. The slope…………………………….
10. He………………………….

Answer:

1. sets in the West.
2. gives us milk.
3. is the capital of India.
4. is beautiful.
5. was a great king.
6. flies in the sky.
7. is very big.
8. revolves around the Sun.
9. is very steep.
10. has a good memory.

Question 4:
Identify the type of sentences.

1. What is your name?
2. What a clever boy he is!
3. It is a very dirty room.
4. Where do you live?
5. Have some mercy upon us.
6. Dancing is my hobby.
7. Please be quite.
8. All roads lead to Rome.
9. What a shame!
10. This is not my cup of tea.

Answer:

1. Interrogative sentence
2. Exclamatory sentence
3. Assertive sentence
4. Interrogative sentence
5. Imperative sentence
6. Assertive sentence
7. Imperative sentence
8. Assertive sentence                           .
9. Exclamatory sentence
10. Assertive sentence

Question 5:
Complete the following sentences by choosing appropriate phrases from the box given below.
how to do it, to my door,
in the east, on a wall, of gold

1. The sun rises………………………..
2. I asked my friend to show me…………………………
3. My mother has a chain……………………….
4. There came a beggar…………………………
5. Humpty Dumpty sat……………………………..

Answer:

1. in the east
2. how to do it
3. of gold
4. to my door
5. on a wall

Question 6:
Underline the group of words that form a clause in the sentence.

1. People who pay their debts are trusted.
2. We cannot start while it is raining.
3. I think that you have made a mistake.
4. People who rise early stay healthy.
5. I think it is his hard work that has made him successful.

Answer:

1. People who pay their debts are trusted.
2. We cannot start while it is raining.
3. I think that you have made a mistake.
4. People who rise early stay healthy.
5. I think it is his hardwork that has made him successful.

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