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Declarative Sentence
Phonetics:
dɪˈklærətɪv
sentəns
Pronunciation:
Mastering the Art of Declarations: A Guide to Declarative Sentences
Comprehensive Definition, Description, Examples & RulesÂ
What is a declarative sentence?
A declarative sentence is a type of sentence that makes a statement, or provides information. It is also known as a declarative statement. Declarative sentences are used to convey facts, opinions or assertions. They do so by not posing questions or giving a command. They are the most common type of sentence in the English language.
What is the importance of Declarative Sentences:
- It Conveys information: Declarative sentences are essential for sharing information straightforwardly and clearly.
- It Asserts facts: declarative statements allow individuals to state facts or express their opinions confidently.
- Promotes understanding: By presenting information in a declarative form, helps the listener or reader grasp the intended message easily.
Declarative Sentence Examples:
- “The sun rises in the east.”
- “Sheila loves to play the piano.”
- “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”
- “I believe in the power of education.”
- “The cat is sleeping on the mat.”
How to write declarative sentences
- Use Active Voice: Active voice makes your sentences more direct and engaging. It emphasizes the subject’s acting, making the sentence clearer and more dynamic. For example:
- Be Concise: Avoid unnecessary words or phrases that don’t add meaning to your sentence. For example:
Wordy: There is a book that I would like to recommend to you.
Concise: I would like to recommend a book to you.
- Stay Focused on the Main Point: Keep your declarative sentences focused on the central idea you want to convey. Avoid introducing unrelated information or going off on tangents. This helps maintain clarity and ensures your message is effectively communicated.
Anatomy of a Declarative Sentence:
The following table demonstrates the ways in which one can define declarative depending on its syntactical positioning.
| Element | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Subject |
This can be defined as a noun or pronoun that performs the action |
"John" in "John eats an apple." |
|
Verb |
The action or state of being
|
"eats" in "John eats an apple." |
|
Object |
This also can be defined as a noun or pronoun that receives the action |
"an apple" in "John eats an apple." |
|
Conveyance |
The way the elements combine to express meaning |
The sentence "John eats an apple" conveys the meaning that John is the doer (subject), eating is the action (verb), and the apple is the recipient (object). |
Types of declarative sentences
Simple Declarative Sentences:
Simple declarative sentences are composed of a single independent phrase and make clear remarks. They express a complete thought and end with a period.
Examples:
- “She plays the piano.”
- “The sun is shining.”
- “I enjoy reading books.”
The simple declarative statement are crucial for clear and effective communication as they convey information concisely, allowing for better understanding and comprehension.
Compound Declarative Sentences:
Using coordinating conjunctions, compound declarative sentences are created by combining two or more independent clauses. They provide related ideas or present additional information.
These compound declarative sentences help connect thoughts, demonstrate relationships between ideas and add complexity to the writing or speech.
Complex Declarative Sentences:
Complex declarative sentences consist of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. They express more nuanced or complicated ideas by including subordinate clauses.
Example:
- “She won the race because she trained consistently.”
The complex declarative sentences enable the expression of cause-and-effect relationships, conditions, concessions, and other complex connections between ideas.
Negative Declarative Sentences:
Negative declarative sentences express negation or denial. They include words like “not” or negative contractions.
Examples:
- “I do not like spicy food.”
- “They aren’t coming to the party.”
- “She didn’t finish her homework on time.”
Interrogative Declarative Sentences:
Interrogative declarative sentences maintain the declarative form while expressing a question. Instead of a question mark, they end with a period.
Examples:
- “He told you the news, didn’t he?”
- “She can speak French, can’t she?”
The interrogative declarative sentences allow for the expression of questions in a declarative style, often used to seek confirmation or clarification.
Exclamatory Declarative Sentences:
Exclamatory declarative sentences express strong emotion, excitement, or emphasis. They convey an exclamation but maintain the declarative structure.
Examples:
- “What a beautiful sunset!”
The exclamatory declarative sentences are used to convey heightened emotions or to make emphatic statements while retaining the declarative sentence structure.
Declarative sentences, compared to other sentence types (interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory), primarily focus on making statements and conveying information. However, the other sentence types serve different purposes: interrogative sentences ask questions, imperative sentences give commands or instructions, and exclamatory sentences express strong emotions or exclamations.
Declarative vs. Other Sentences:
Each type of sentence serves a distinct purpose in communication. Let’s see how they compare:
Declarative vs. Interrogative Sentences:
A declarative sentence makes statements or conveys information, while an interrogative asks questions to seek information or clarification.
- Declarative: “The movie starts at 7 p.m.”
- Interrogative: “What time does the movie start?”
Declarative vs. Imperative Sentences:
Declarative sentences state facts, express opinions, or provide information, while Imperative sentences give commands, make requests, or provide instructions.
- Declarative: “The party was a success.”
- Imperative: “Please bring snacks to the party.”
Declarative vs. Exclamatory Sentences:
Declarative sentences make straightforward statements or observations. On the other hand, exclamatory sentences express strong emotions, or excitement, or emphasize a point.
- Declarative:Â “The concert was fantastic.”
- Exclamatory: “What an incredible concert!”
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Key Takeaways
- Declarative sentences make statements or convey information, using a subject, verb, and optional object. They end with a period and do not ask a question, give a command, or express strong emotion.
- Common mistakes to avoid when writing declarative sentences include omitting the subject or verb, using incorrect punctuation, and creating run-on sentences or fragments.
- Declarative sentences can be categorized into different types, such as simple, complex, negative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Declarative sentences make statements or convey information. They end with a period (.) and typically have a subject, verb, and object. To identify a declarative sentence, look for a sentence that provides a fact, expresses an opinion, or shares information without asking a question or giving a command.
To write a declarative sentence, follow these steps:
- Start with a subject (noun or pronoun) that acts.
- Include a verb that represents the action or state of being.
- Optionally, add an object to receive the action.
- End the sentence with a period to indicate a complete thought.
A negative declarative sentence expresses negation or denial. It includes words like “not” or negative contractions such as “isn’t,” “don’t,” or “can’t.” Negative declarative sentences negate a statement that would otherwise be positive. For example, “I do not like coffee.”
A simple declarative sentence is a basic sentence that contains a single independent clause. It consists of a subject, verb, and optional object. Simple declarative sentences express straightforward statements or facts, such as “She sings beautifully.”
A complex declarative sentence consists of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. It combines multiple ideas, often showing cause-and-effect relationships or introducing conditions or concessions. An example is “Although she was tired (dependent clause), she continued working (independent clause).”
Key features of a declarative sentence include:
- Statements or conveying information
- Subject, verb, and an optional object
- Ends with a period to indicate a complete thought
Declarative sentences are punctuated with a period (.) at the end. No other punctuation marks, such as question marks or exclamation points, are used unless the sentence falls into another category (interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory).
Here are a few common mistakes to avoid:
- Forgetting to include a subject or verb, which results in an incomplete sentence.
- Using question marks or exclamation points instead of periods at the end of declarative sentences.
- Mixing multiple independent clauses without appropriate conjunctions, resulting in run-on sentences.
- Neglecting subject-verb agreement leads to grammatical errors.
- Remember to proofread your writing and ensure that your declarative sentences are clear, complete, and accurately convey your intended message.
Assertive sentences and declarative sentences are often used interchangeably. Both types of sentences make statements or convey information. However, assertive sentences are sometimes used to emphasize the speaker’s confidence or certainty in the statement being made. Essentially, all assertive sentences can be considered declarative sentences, but not all declarative sentences are necessarily assertive.
Yes, a declarative sentence can have multiple subjects or verbs, depending on its structure. This is common in complex declarative sentences that include coordinating conjunctions or dependent clauses. For example, “John and Sarah went to the store, bought groceries, and cooked dinner.” In this sentence, there are two subjects (John and Sarah) and three verbs (went, bought, cooked).Â
