What Are the Main Parts of a Sentence? Explained with Examples

Do you ever think about what makes up a sentence?

We all write different types of sentences in our daily routine but don’t know about its structure and parts, right?

However, when you write a sentence, you might not think about its different parts. But in reality, these parts work together to convey a clear message.

So, you need to understand the parts of a sentence, whether you're writing a paragraph, essay, story, or any other type of text, 

And if you don't, you won't be able to structure your sentences correctly.

Well! Each part has its own role. When you understand these parts, you can make your sentences that are easy to read and more interesting. 

To create well-structured sentences, try using our AI sentence writer. This tool will help you easily form clear and effective sentences for your writing. 

In this guide, we will explore the main parts of a sentence with simple definitions and examples. 

So, let’s start our topic!

The function of sentence parts in writing 

It's not just students or writers who need to understand parts of sentences.

But, it’s essential for anyone who wants to write clearly and effectively. 

When we write, we use different parts of a sentence to share our thoughts, ideas, and emotions. This helps others understand what we mean more clearly.

Whereas, the subject, predicate, and other parts come together to form a meaningful structure.

So, check the readability of your sentences to make sure that they are simple, clear, and properly structured.

By reading this article, you'll get to know that each part of a sentence has its own function.

And if you understand this fact, you can efficiently create fluent sentences that are more precise and easier for readers to follow.

Whereas, if you feel difficulty in this, use our AI simplifier to make your sentences easy to read and more fluent. 

In addition to helping with clarity, it will also make your writing more interesting and varied. 

It allows you to experiment with different sentence structures and makes your communication more effective.

What are the parts of a sentence? 

A sentence is made up of several key parts, and each part plays a specific role in conveying meaning.

These parts include the subject, predicate, object, complement, and modifiers. 

Together, these parts work together to form a complete thought. They help the writer or speaker communicate clearly and effectively.

1. Subject 

The subject of a sentence tells us who or what the sentence is about. 

So, what’s the subject in the above sentence?

The subject!

Well! It can be a person, thing, or idea. 

The subject often performs the action and it’s the main focus of the sentence.

To find the subject, ask, “Who or what is the sentence talking about?”

For examples:

• The dog barked loudly.
• She loves to read books. 
• The teacher explained the lesson. 
• The sun set behind the mountains. 
• My friends are coming over. 

2. Predicate 

The predicate explains the action of the subject.

Found the predicate in the above sentence?

Explains the action of the subject! 

Therefore, the predicate tells us what the subject is doing or what is happening to the subject. 

It always includes the verb and any additional words to explain the action or condition of the subject.

To find the predicate, look for the verb first. Everything that follows the verb completes the predicate.

For examples:

• The dog barked loudly. 
• She loves to read books. 
• The teacher explained the lesson. 
• The sun set behind the mountains. 
• My friends are coming over. 

Other components of a sentence 

In a sentence, the core components are the subject and predicate. 

These are essential parts that convey the main idea. 

Additionally, sentences may include objects, complements, phrases, and modifiers, all of which add more detail and depth to the meaning of the sentence.

1. Object 

An object receives the action of the verb. 

Well! There are two types of objects: direct and indirect.

i. Direct object

A direct object answers the question “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb.

For examples:

• She read the book. (What did she read? The book.)
• He ate the sandwich. (What did he eat? The sandwich.)
• The teacher gave a test. (What did the teacher give? A test.)
• They played soccer. (What did they play? Soccer.)
• We saw a movie. (What did we see? A movie.)

ii. Indirect object

An indirect object answers the question “To whom?” or “For whom?” after the verb.

For examples:

• She gave me a gift. (To whom? Me.)
• He sent her a letter. (To whom? Her.)
• They made us a cake. (For whom? Us.)
• I told him the news. (To whom? Him.)
• We bought her a present. (For whom? Her.)

2. Complement 

A complement completes the meaning of the sentence. 

And there are two main types of complements: subject complements and object complements.

i. Subject complement

A subject complement follows a linking verb and gives more information about the subject.

For examples:

• The cake is delicious. (Delicious describes the cake.)
• She is happy. (Happy describes she.)
• The sky is blue. (Blue describes the sky.)
• He was tired. (Tired describes he.)
• The movie was exciting. (Exciting describes the movie.)

ii. Object complement

An object complement follows the direct object and gives more information about it.

For examples:

• They painted the house red. (Red describes the house.)
• She called him a genius. (A genius describes him.)
• The teacher made the lesson interesting. (Interesting describes the lesson.)
• We elected her president. (President describes her.)
• The chef prepared the dish perfectly. (Perfectly describes the dish.)

3. Phrases and clauses 

Phrases and clauses are important parts of a sentence. 

i. Phrase

A phrase is a group of words that work together but don’t contain a subject and a verb.

For examples:

• With a smile, she greeted me.
• In the morning, we went jogging.
• After the meeting, he went home.
• During the game, they cheered loudly.
• Before the show, we had dinner.

ii. Clause

A clause is a group of words with both a subject and a verb.

For examples:

• She left after the meeting. (Independent clause)
• Although it was raining, they went outside. (Dependent clause)
• He sang because he was happy. (Independent clause)
• We stayed home because it was cold. (Dependent clause)
• I missed the bus, so I walked. (Independent clause)

1. Independent clause 

An independent clause is a complete sentence that can stand alone. 

It has both a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

For examples:

• She went to the store.
• The sun is shining brightly.
• We decided to stay inside.
• He enjoys reading books.
• They played soccer in the park.

1. Dependent clause 

A dependent clause cannot stand alone. 

It needs an independent clause to form a complete thought.

For examples:

• Although it was raining, we stayed outside.
• Because he was tired, he took a nap.
• If you need help, ask me.
• While we were walking, it started snowing.
• After the party ended, everyone went home.

4. Modifiers 

Modifiers add more details or information to a sentence. 

They can be adjectives, adverbs, or other descriptive words that clarify the meaning.

i. Adjectives

Adjectives describe nouns.

For examples:

• The big dog barked. (Big describes the dog.)
• She wore a red dress. (Red describes the dress.)
• The tall tree swayed in the wind. (Tall describes the tree.)
• He has a friendly smile. (Friendly describes the smile.)
• The old house was abandoned. (Old describes the house.)

ii. Adverbs

Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

For examples:

• She sings beautifully. (Beautifully describes how she sings.)
• He ran quickly. (Quickly describes how he ran.)
• They lived happily. (Happily describes how they laughed.)
• She spoke softly. (Softly describes how she spoke.)
• The dog barked loudly. (Loudly describes how the dog barked.)

iii. Prepositional phrases 

A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and includes a noun or pronoun. 

It adds more information about time, place, or direction.

For examples:

• We went to the park. (To the park is the prepositional phrase.)
• She sat on the chair. (On the chair is the prepositional phrase.)
• He walked through the door. (Through the door is the prepositional phrase.)
• The book is on the table. (On the table is the prepositional phrase.)
• They stayed at home. (At home is the prepositional phrase.)

5. Punctuation and capitalization 

Punctuation and capitalization help organize a sentence and clarify meaning.

Proper punctuation marks in a sentence guide the reader. Like periods, commas, question marks. 

Capitalization is used for proper nouns and the start of sentences.

So, check the grammar after writing your text. This practice will help you find common grammar mistakes like punctuation and capitalization. 

For examples:

• The dog ran fast. (Period ends the sentence.)
• Where are you going? (Question mark shows a question.)
• She likes pizza, and he likes pasta. (Comma separates clauses.)
• I live in New York. (Capitalization for proper noun.)
• He said, “Let’s go!” (Quotation marks show speech.)

Important point:

Transition words in a sentence can also be a component of a sentence. These words connect ideas in a sentence and make your writing clear and smooth. Words like “and”, “also”, “moreover”, “however”, “but”, “although”, “because”, “therefore”, “finally”, and many others.

Now structure your sentence! 

When you understand the parts of a sentence, it will transform your writing. 

Each part serves a purpose, whether it’s the subject, or the predicate. 

With knowledge of sentence components like the subject, verb, object, and modifiers, you’ll be able to write sentences that are clear, precise, and engaging. 

So, next time you write, think about how each part works together to make your ideas clear and easy to understand. 

Here, you should try our AI paraphraser to make your writing easy, clear, and more meaningful. This tool rewrites your sentences to make it well-structured and also improves its overall quality.

Frequently asked questions

What are the components of sentence structure?

Sentence structure includes the subject, predicate, object, complement, and modifiers.

What is the number of elements of a sentence?

A sentence can have several elements like the subject, predicate, object, and modifiers.

What are the four types of sentence structures?

The four types are simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.