Writing sentences

A sentence is a group of words that makes complete sense. It has a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a verb (what they do or are). It starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark.

Key facts

  • Subject + verb: ⟦The dog barked.⟧ ⟦The dog⟧ is the subject, ⟦barked⟧ is the verb.
  • Groups of words without a subject or a verb are not sentences: ⟦The big red bus.⟧ ⟦Ran to the shop.⟧
  • Join two ideas with ⟦and⟧ (to add), ⟦but⟧ (to show a difference), ⟦because⟧ (to give a reason) or ⟦so⟧ (to give a result).
  • When you join two sentences, take away the first full stop and use a small letter for the second part: ⟦We stayed inside because it was raining.⟧
  • Read your sentence aloud: does it make sense on its own?

Worked examples

Example 1

Put the words in order: ⟦park.⟧ ⟦We⟧ ⟦the⟧ ⟦like⟧

  1. ⟦We⟧ has the capital letter, so it starts the sentence.
  2. ⟦park.⟧ has the full stop, so it ends it: ⟦We like the park.⟧

Answer: ⟦We like the park.⟧

Example 2

Which is a complete sentence: ⟦In the garden.⟧ or ⟦The baby is asleep.⟧?

  1. ⟦In the garden.⟧ has no subject and no verb.
  2. ⟦The baby is asleep.⟧ has a subject (⟦The baby⟧) and a verb (⟦is⟧).

Answer: ⟦The baby is asleep.⟧

Example 3

Join with ⟦so⟧: ⟦It was cold. I wore my coat.⟧

  1. Wearing a coat is the result of the cold, so ⟦so⟧ fits.
  2. Take away the first full stop: ⟦It was cold, so I wore my coat.⟧

Answer: ⟦It was cold, so I wore my coat.⟧