Beginners Guide to Declarative Sentences

Beginner's Guide to Declarative Sentences In English grammar, a declarative sentence is expressed in the form of a statement- true to its name, it declares something. Also known as a declarative clause, it is the most common type of sentence in the language.   Definition Declaratives express an active state of being in the present tense, in contrast to a command  (imperative), a question  (interrogative), or an exclamation  (exclamatory). In a declarative sentence, the subject normally precedes the verb, and it almost always ends with a period. Types of Declarative Sentences As with other types of sentences, a declarative can be either simple or compound. A simple declaratory sentence is the union of a subject and a predicate, as simple as a subject and verb in the present tense (She sings). A compound declarative joins two related phrases together with a conjunction and a comma. Simple declarative:  Lilly loves gardening. Compound declarative: Lilly loves gardening, but her husband hates weeding. Compound declaratives can also be joined with a semicolon and be equally effective. In the above sentence, you would change the comma to a semicolon and delete the conjunction. Declarative vs. Interrogative Sentences Declarative sentences usually end with a period, but they can also be phrased as a question. Unlike interrogative sentences, asked in order to obtain information, a declarative question is asked in order to clarify.   Interrogative: Did she leave a message? Declarative: She did leave a message? Note that the subject comes before the verb in a declarative sentence. Another easy way to tell the two sentences apart is to substitute the question mark for a period. A declarative sentence like the one above would still make sense, but the interrogative wont make sense with a period. Imperative and Exclamative Sentences It can be fairly easy to confuse a declarative sentence with an interrogative one. But if the sentence expresses a statement of fact, what looks like an exclamative could be declarative (though its a less common form). It all depends on the context. Imperative: Please come to dinner tonight. Exclamative: Come to dinner! my boss demanded. Declarative: Youre coming to dinner tonight! That makes me so happy! Its unlikely that youll come across an instance where an imperative is confused with a declarative. Modifying a Declarative Declaratives,  like other  types of sentences, can be expressed in either positive or negative form, depending on the verb. To distinguish them from imperatives, remember to look for a visible subject. Declarative:  You arent impolite. Interrogative:  Dont be impolite. If youre still having difficulty distinguishing the two types of sentences, try expressing both with a tag question added. A declarative sentence will still make sense; the imperative wont.