Sentence Types
You already know that there are different types of sentences. Now let us practise telling them apart and learn more about when and why we use each type.
What You'll Learn
- How to identify statements, questions, and commands in longer sentences
- How to choose the correct punctuation for each sentence type
- How to tell the difference between a command and a statement when they look alike
When to Use
- Sharing information: "My brother plays football every Saturday." (This is a statement because it tells us something.)
- Finding out something: "Did you go to the hawker centre yesterday?" (This is a question because it asks for an answer.)
- Giving an instruction: "Bring your water bottle to school." (This is a command because it tells someone what to do.)
- Making a request politely: "Please help me carry this bag." (This is still a command, even though it sounds polite.)
How to Form
Statements
A statement gives information. It always ends with a full stop.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Someone + does something | Ali eats his lunch at noon. |
| Something + is described | The playground is very big. |
| Someone + has something | She has two pet hamsters. |
Questions
A question asks for information. It always ends with a question mark.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Question word + helping word + someone + action | Where does your father work? |
| Helping word + someone + action | Can you swim? |
| Question word + is/are + something | What is inside the box? |
Commands
A command tells someone to do something. It usually starts with an action word and ends with a full stop.
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Action word + the rest | Line up quietly. |
| Please + action word + the rest | Please sit down now. |
| Do not + action word + the rest | Do not run in the corridor. |
Key Rules
- Statements tell, they do not ask or order: A statement shares a fact or idea. "We have music class on Wednesday."
- Questions always need a question mark: Even if a question is short, it must end with ?. "Really?" is a question.
- Commands start with action words: The subject "you" is hidden. "Clean your desk." really means "You clean your desk."
- Polite commands are still commands: Adding "please" does not change a command into a statement. "Please close the window." is a command.
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Can I borrow your pencil. | Can I borrow your pencil? | This sentence is asking, so it needs a question mark |
| please pass me the salt. | Please pass me the salt. | Every sentence must start with a capital letter |
| Read your book? | Read your book. | This tells someone to do something, so it is a command and needs a full stop |
| The dog is cute? | The dog is cute. | This tells us something about the dog, so it is a statement and needs a full stop |
Clue Words
Words that help you spot a question:
who, what, where, when, why, how, do, does, did, is, are, was, were, can, could, will, would, shall
Words that help you spot a command:
sit, stand, open, close, bring, take, put, come, go, stop, look, listen, write, read, clean, tidy, please, do not
Words that help you spot a statement:
is, are, was, were, has, have, had (when they are NOT at the start of the sentence)
Tip: Read the sentence and ask: "Does it want an answer? Does it tell me to do something? Or does it just give me information?" The answer tells you the sentence type.
Practice Tips
- Read aloud: When you read the sentence out loud, your voice goes up at the end of a question. If your voice stays flat, it is probably a statement or command.
- Find the action word: If the sentence starts with an action word (like "Sit" or "Open"), it is most likely a command.
- Look at the end mark: The punctuation at the end is your biggest clue. A question mark means it is a question. A full stop means it is a statement or a command.
- Try adding "please": If the sentence still makes sense when you add "please" at the start, it is probably a command. "Please the cat is sleeping" does not make sense, so it is a statement. "Please open the door" makes sense, so it is a command.
Quick Reference
| Type | What It Does | How to Spot It | End Mark | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statement | tells something | gives facts or ideas | full stop (.) | My sister likes to draw. |
| Question | asks something | starts with a question word or helping word | question mark (?) | Where did you put my eraser? |
| Command | tells someone to do something | starts with an action word; "you" is hidden | full stop (.) | Put away your toys. |