Sentence

Definition

Sentence is a group of words which contains, at least, one subject and one predicate and has a certain meaning. A sentence is different of a phrase like we discussed in the previous lessons. Phrase does not have subject or predicate. Even a phrase positions itself as a part of a sentence.

Compare this following:

(a) A smart student (a phrase).

(b) He is a smart student. (a sentence).

in (a), article /a/, adjective /smart/ or noun /student/ is not a subject or a predicate. When we say that /a student/ or /a smart student/ as a subject, which is the predicate? when we say that /a smart student/ is a predicate then which is the subject?

in (b), we see that /He is a smart student./ is a sentence because it contains one subject /he/ and one predicate /a smart student/.

Sentence = one subject + one predicate