A1noun1K

Sentence

UK /["/ˈsentəns/"]/US /["/ˈsentəns/"]/

Definition

a set of words expressing a statement, a question or an order, usually containing a subject and a verb. In written English sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop/period (.), a question mark (?) or an exclamation mark (!).

In simple words: A group of words that express a complete thought.

Examples

  • She wrote a beautiful sentence in her essay.
  • Please complete the sentence with your own words.
  • In English class, we learned how to structure a sentence.
  • The teacher asked us to read the sentence aloud.
  • He started the sentence with an interesting phrase.

Usage notes

Use 'sentence' when talking about written or spoken language. It's neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using it in technical or specialized discussions about grammar.

Grammar pattern

subject + verb + object

Memory hint

Think of 'send' and 'tense' — a sentence sends a thought in the correct tense.

Collocations

  • long
  • short
  • complete
  • begin
  • finish
  • complete
  • contain something
  • have something
  • structure
  • maximum
  • minimum
  • average
  • hand down
  • impose
  • pass
  • sentence for
  • under sentence of death

Synonyms

  • statement
  • clause
  • phrase

Antonyms

  • fragment
  • phrase
  • word

Common mistakes

  • Using 'sentence' when referring to a single word.
  • Confusing 'sentence' with 'phrase', which is not a complete thought.
  • Saying 'sentences' when referring to the concept in a general way.