English Grammar and Composition chapter 11: The Sentence

Unit Eleven

The Sentence

Lesson 1: Different Kinds of Sentences

A. Look at the picture and talk about it:

Figure

Description: A child sits bent over a table with both arms resting on it, looking down at something in front of them.

Read the following passage:

Mina draws pictures. She puts colours on her drawings. She likes to use bright colours. She shows her drawings to her teachers. She also shows the drawings to her friends. All of them like the drawings and praise her. Drawing pictures is her favourite pastime.

Count the sentences in the passage.

A sentence is a group of words which gives a complete meaning and it must have a subject and a verb.

Birds sing in the morning.

Subject + v + extension

B. Ask and answer the following questions:

a) What do you do in your spare time?

b) Write 3 sentences about your pastime.

1. ……………………………………

2. ……………………………………

3. ……………………………………

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c) What class do you read in?

I ……………………………

d) What is the name of your school?

The name ………………….

e) What is the name of your country?

……………………………………

Now divide the answers into the basic elements: subject + verb + extension

C. Read the following passage:

Sumi writes stories. Story writing is her hobby. She writes stories both in Bangla and English. Some of her stories are published in the school magazine. Her friends and teachers read those stories. They praise her write-up. Her parents also encourage her to write stories. ……….

Write more sentences to complete the passage about Sumi.

Note. To write anything we have to use sentences. To describe anything in speech or writing we have to use sentences. We also listen to and read sentences in conversations and in text books, newspapers and other written materials. Without using correct sentences we cannot communicate effectively.

D. Read the following passage:

Milon is very attentive in his studies. He never spends time playing only. One day his father was going to market. He said to Milon, "What do you want me to buy for you?" Milon said, "Bring some paper for me father, please." His father brought paper for him and a beautiful pen also. Milon said to his father, "What a beautiful pen it is! Thank you, father." His father said, "You are welcome. May you be happy."

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Note: There are different kinds of sentences in the passage. Note the types:

1. Milon is very attentive in study. (Affirmative statement)

2. He never spends time playing only. (Negative statement)

3. What do you want me to buy for you? (Interrogative sentence)

4. Bring some paper for me father, please. (Imperative sentence)

5. What a beautiful pen it is! (Exclamatory sentence)

6. May you be happy. (Optative sentence)

We will learn more about all these kinds of sentences in the following lessons.

E. 1. Look at the following picture and talk about it:

Figure

Description: A black-and-white photograph of a village homestead: a tin-roofed house stands among trees, a cow grazes near the house, and a path curves through the grass in the foreground.

2. Write 10 sentences about what you see in the picture.

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Lesson 2: Affirmative and Negative Statements

A. Read the passage below:

Saheen : Hi Keya! You're here; I was looking for you.

Keya : Hi Saheen! I'm playing 'Cricket 2007'

Saheen : Are you? I tried it also. But I like outdoor games more.

Keya : I can't play cricket outside. I play basket ball.

Saheen : Do you have a court at your house?

Keya : No, I play in our school. We've a basket ball court in our school. Our game teacher supervises us when we practise basket ball.

Saheen : That's good. We don't have any basket ball court in our school. We have an open field. We play cricket and football. Our game teacher supervises us.

Keya : I can swim. What about you?

Saheen : Yes, I too can swim. Can you ride a bicycle?

Keya : No, I can't ride a bicycle. I'll learn it in the winter vacation.

Saheen : Try it. Cycling is a useful exercise.

The underlined sentences are statements. Statements are of two types. 1. Affirmative and 2. Negative.

B. Ask and answer the following questions:

a) Can you write your name?

b) Can you ride a bicycle?

c) Can you swim?

d) Do you have a computer at your home?

e) Do you like to speak English?

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These are Yes/No questions. The answers to these questions will begin with Yes /No. Answer the questions in full sentences. One is done for you:

Yes, I can write my name. / No, I can't write my name.

1. ……………………../…………………………

2. ……………………… / …………………………

3. ……………………. / …………………………

4. ………………….. / ……………………………

In each case, the first answer is affirmative and the second answer is negative.

Read the following sentences:

a) I have a car. (affirmative)

b) I don't have any car. (negative)

c) Sumon went to Dhaka last week. (affirmative)

d) Milon didn't go to Dhaka last week. (negative)

C. Read the sentences in the table below and write three more pairs of sentences in the empty rows:

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Note : When we say or state something in a positive sense, it is affirmative. On the other hand, when we state something in a negative sense, it is a negative sentence.

Read the following text:

Mita is reading in class 7. She is a good student. She is always attentive to her study. All her teachers like her. She is the best student in the class.

What kind of sentences are these?

Read the text with negative sentences:

Mita is not reading in class seven. Is she not a good student? She is never inattentive to her study. None of the teachers dislikes her. No other student in the class is as good as she.

Note: Affirmative sentences can be changed into negative sentences without changing the meaning. The examples are given above.

D. Read the following sentences in Column A and match them with the negative sentences in Column B. One is done for you:

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E. Match the sentences on the right column with those on the left. One is done for you:

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