Hierarchy of Word Units

What is chapter and paragraph?

Chapters can be defined as long-form paragraphs. There's a singular theme, idea, or concept surrounding most chapters in both fiction and nonfiction work. Yet, they are longer than the average paragraph when you look at them by word count. A good chapter always fits.

What is the definition of a paragraph?

A paragraph is a series of sentences that are organized and coherent, and are all related to a single topic. Almost every piece of writing you do that is longer than a few sentences should be organized into paragraphs.

par·a·graph

/ˈperəˌɡraf/

noun

a distinct section of a piece of writing, usually dealing with a single theme and indicated by a new line, indentation, or numbering.

"the concluding paragraph"

Sinonim:

section

subdivision

part

subsection

division

portion

segment

bit

passage

clause

report

article

item

piece

notice

write-up

note

mention

verb

arrange (a piece of writing) in paragraphs.

"his style deploys a lack of conventional paragraphing"

What is a Paragraph?

A paragraph is a component of fictional prose and non-fiction writings.

When writing essays, research papers, books, etc., new paragraphs are indented to show their beginnings. Each new paragraph begins with a new indentation.

The purpose of a paragraph is to express a speaker’s thoughts on a particular point in a clear way that is unique and specific to that paragraph. In other words, paragraphs shouldn’t be mixing thoughts or ideas. When a new idea is introduced, generally, a writer will introduce a new paragraph.

Summary: What are Paragraphs?

Define paragraph: the definition of paragraph is a group of sentence in which a single topic is developed. ( What is a Paragraph? Definition, Examples of Paragraphs - Writing Explained )

In summary, a paragraph is:

a unit of writing
used in non-fiction and fictional prose
a part of writing that expresses a certain topic

What is a paragraph?

Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. In reality, though, the unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. A paragraph is defined as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some styles of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one sentence long. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph. ( Paragraphs – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (unc.edu)

What are 4 types of paragraphs?

The 4 types of paragraphs are:

A narrative paragraph which tells a story of a certain event. A descriptive paragraph which gives details about a person, place thing or idea. An expository paragraph which explains something, gives directions or shows how something happens and a persuasive paragraph which is opinionated and tries to sway the reader

( Paragraph | Definition, Types & Examples - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com )

Type of Paragraph	Description
Narrative	A narrative paragraph tells a story of a certain event and gives details that relate to the event being told.
Descriptive	A descriptive paragraph gives details about a person, place, thing, or idea. The topic sentence states what is being described and the details relate to that topic.
Expository	An expository paragraph also can give information, but it can also explain something, give directions or show how something happens. The detailed sentences in expository paragraphs often have linking words such as first, next, then, or after.
Argumentative	An argumentative paragraph, sometimes referred to as a persuasive paragraph, is a paragraph where the topic sentence takes a specific position or request. The details of a persuasive paragraph are written to prove why the argument is valid.

sen·tence

Lihat definisi di:

All

Grammar

Logic

Law

noun

plural noun: sentences

a set of words that is complete in itself, typically containing a subject and predicate, conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses.

the punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court, or fixed by law for a particular offense.

"her husband is serving a three-year sentence for fraud"

Sinonim:

judgment

ruling

pronouncement

decision

determination

decree

verdict

punishment

prison term

prison sentence

jail sentence

penal sentence

life sentence

suspended sentence

time

stretch

stint

porridge

rap

bird

verb

What is the definition of a sentence?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a sentence is defined as “a group of words, usually containing a verb, that expresses a thought in the form of a statement, question, instruction, or exclamation”.

What is sentence and its types and definition?

The 4 English Sentence Types | Grammar | EnglishClub

There are four types of English sentence, classified by their purpose: declarative sentence (statement) interrogative sentence (question) imperative sentence (command) exclamative sentence (exclamation)

Sentence types are sometimes called clause types.

	form	function	example sentence (clause)	final punctuation
1	declarative	statement: It tells us something	John likes Mary.	.
2	interrogative	question: It asks us something	Does Mary like John?	?
3	imperative	command: It tells us to do something	Stop! Close the door.	! or .
4	exclamative	exclamation: It expresses surprise	What a funny story he told us!	!

(form = structure / function = job)

1. Declarative Sentence (statement)

Declarative sentences make a statement. They tell us something. They give us information, and they normally end with a full-stop/period.

The usual word order for the declarative sentence is:

subject + verb...

Declarative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive	negative
I like coffee.	I do not like coffee.
We watched TV last night.	We did not watch TV last night.

Declarative sentences are the most common type of sentence.

2. Interrogative Sentence (question)

Interrogative sentences ask a question. They ask us something. They want information, and they always end with a question mark.

The usual word order for the interrogative sentence is:

(wh-word +) auxiliary + subject + verb...

Interrogative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive	negative
Do you like coffee?	Don't you like coffee?
Why did you go?	Why didn't you go?

3. Imperative Sentence (command)

Imperative sentences give a command. They tell us to do something, and they end with a full-stop/period (.) or exclamation mark/point (!).

The usual word order for the imperative sentence is:

base verb...

Note that there is usually no subject—because the subject is understood, it is YOU.

Imperative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive	negative
Stop!	Do not stop!
Give her coffee.	Don't give her coffee.

4. Exclamative Sentence (exclamation)

Exclamative sentences express strong emotion/surprise—an exclamation—and they always end with an exclamation mark/point (!).

The usual word order for the exclamative sentence is:

What (+ adjective) + noun + subject + verb
How (+ adjective/adverb) + subject + verb

Look at these examples:

What a liar he is!
What an exciting movie it was!
How he lied!
How exciting the movie was!

What is a Sentence?

What is a sentence?

In simple terms, a sentence is a set of words that contain:

a subject (what the sentence is about, the topic of the sentence), and
a predicate (what is said about the subject)

Look at this simple example:

sentence
subject	predicate
subject	verb
You	speak	English.

The above example sentence is very short. Of course, a sentence can be longer and more complicated, but basically there is always a subject and a predicate. Look at this longer example:

sentence
subject	predicate
subject	verb
Ram and Tara	speak	English when they are working.

Note that the predicate always contains a verb. Sometimes, in fact, the predicate is only a verb:

sentence
subject	predicate
subject	verb
Smoke	rises.

So we can say that a sentence must contain at least a subject and verb.

There is one apparent exception to this – the imperative. When someone gives a command (the imperative), they usually do not use a subject. They don't say the subject because it is obvious - the subject is YOU! Look at these examples of the imperative, with and without a subject:

sentence
subject	predicate
subject	verb
	Stop!
	Wait	a minute!
You	look!
Everybody	look!

Note that a sentence expresses a complete thought. Here are some examples of complete and incomplete thoughts:

		*complete thought?*
sentence	He opened the door.	YES
	Come in, please.
	Do you like coffee?
not a sentence	people who work hard	NO
	a fast-moving animal with big ears

Note also that a sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop (AmE period) or a question mark or an exclamation mark (AmE exclamation point). Look at these examples:

People need food.
How are you?
Look out!

What is a Sentence?

A sentence is a group of words giving a complete thought. A sentence must contain a subject and a verb (although one may be implied). For example:

The cat sat on the mat.

(Here, the subject is "the cat" and the verb is "sat." The words convey a complete thought. This is a sentence.)

Eat!

(It's only one word, but this is also a sentence. In this example, the subject is implied. In full, it would be "you eat." Remember that a sentence must have a subject and verb, even if one is implied, and must express a complete thought.)

A More Formal Definition of Sentence

A sentence is a set of words that is complete in itself, typically containing a subject and predicate, conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses.

Oxford Dictionary (What is a sentence? (grammar-monster.com)

Definition of a Sentence

A sentence means a group of words that makes complete sense. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. It always contains a finite verb. A sentence may be a statement, question, exclamation or command. It consists of a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. A sentence may be short and simple or long and complex. For example:

She likes Sweets
She likes Bengali Sweets
She likes Bengali Sweets which are made of milk
She likes Bengali Sweets which are made of milk and are tasty

2. Structure of a Sentence

Structure of a Sentence

Illustration: Components of a Sentence

What does is a phrase mean?

a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not form a complete sentence. "out the door" in "they ran out the door" is a phrase. Frasa atau frase adalah gabungan dua kata atau lebih yang membentuk satu kesatuan dan bersifat non-predikatif. Artinya, frasa hanya terdiri atas salah satu fungsi, bisa terdiri dari subjek saja, bisa juga hanya terdiri dari verba atau bisa diawali dengan preposisi. (Wikipedia)

Richard Nordquist

English and Rhetoric Professor

Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks.

In English grammar, a phrase is a group of two or more words functioning as a meaningful unit within a sentence or clause. A phrase is commonly characterized as a grammatical unit at a level between a word and a clause.

A phrase is made up of a head (or headword)—which determines the grammatical nature of the unit—and one or more optional modifiers. Phrases may contain other phrases inside them.

Common types of phrases include noun phrases (such as a good friend), verb phrases (drives carefully), adjective phrases (very cold and dark), adverb phrases (quite slowly), and prepositional phrases (in first place). ( What Is a Phrase? Definition and Examples in Grammar (thoughtco.com)

Types of Phrases With Examples

Noun Phrase
"Buy a big bright green pleasure machine!" — Paul Simon, "The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine," 1966
Verb Phrase
"Your father may be going away for a little while." — Ellen Griswold in the movie "Vacation," 1983
Adjective Phrase
"It is always the best policy to speak the truth—unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar." — Jerome K. Jerome, "The Idler," February 1892
Adverb Phrase
"Movements born in hatred very quickly take on the characteristics of the thing they oppose." — J. S. Habgood, "The Observer," May 4, 1986
Prepositional Phrase
"I could dance with you till the cows come home. On second thought, I'd rather dance with the cows till you come home." —Groucho Marx in "Duck Soup," 1933

"Prepositional phrases differ from the other four types of phrase in that a preposition cannot stand alone as the head word of a phrase. Although a preposition is still the head word in a prepositional phrase, it has to be accompanied by another element—or prepositional complement—if the phrase is to be complete. Most typically, the prepositional complement will be a noun phrase." — Kim Ballard

What is a Phrase? (with Examples)

A phrase is a group of words that stand together as a single grammatical unit, typically as part of another phrase, a clause, or a sentence. For example:

Our vicar played football before he came here.

("Our vicar" is a phrase. It is functioning as a noun.)

She eats eggs in the morning.

("In the morning" is a phrase. It is functioning as an adverb.)

Cats from the alleys control the mice.

("From the alleys" is a phrase. It is functioning as an adjective.)

A phrase does not contain a subject and verb and, consequently, cannot convey a complete thought. (Phrase: Definition and Examples (grammar-monster.com)

The Difference between a Phrase and a Clause

A phrase is different to a clause because a clause contains a subject and verb, and a clause can convey a complete idea.

The Hierarchy of Word Units

Here is the hierarchy of word units, which includes "phrase" and "clause":

Word (e.g., shark)

(A word is the smallest meaningful unit.)

Phrase (e.g., a seven-foot tiger shark)

(A phrase is a single piece of information made up of more than one word. It will not contain a subject and a verb.)

Clause (e.g., When a seven-foot tiger shark arrived...)

(A clause is a single piece of information comprising two or more words that include a subject and a verb.)

Sentence (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark arrived.)

(A sentence conveys a complete idea. It must contain at least one clause. Note: A clause that stands alone as a sentence is known as an independent clause.)

Complex Sentence (e.g., When a seven-foot tiger shark arrived, the crew stopped fishing.)

(A complex sentence is an independent clause supported by at least one other clause.)

Compound Sentence (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark arrived, and the crew stopped fishing.)

(A compound sentence is a sentence made up of at least two independent clauses.)

What is clause in English?

Clauses: How Do We Use Them in English? | Grammarly Blog

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb that have a relationship. This relationship is crucial; a clause conveys information about what that subject is or is doing, rather than simply being a random grouping of words. (what is clause - Penelusuran Google)

Klausa merupakan satuan gramatikal berupa kelompok kata berkonstruksi predikatif yang terdiri atas subjek dan predikat dengan atau tanpa objek, pelengkap, atau keterangan dan berpotensi menjadi kalimat. Wikipedia

Definisi dari Oxford Languages · Pelajari lebih lanjut

clause

/klôz/

noun

1. 1.

a unit of grammatical organization next below the sentence in rank and in traditional grammar said to consist of a subject and predicate.

"the missing verb in the second clause is understood to be the same verb as in the first clause"

2. 2.

a particular and separate article, stipulation, or proviso in a treaty, bill, or contract.

"Clause 1 of the agreement"

Sinonim:

section

paragraph

article

subsection

note

item

point

passage

part

heading

stipulation

condition

proviso

provision

What is a Clause?

A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb. For example:

The dog barks when the postman arrives.

(This sentence has two clauses. In the first one (shown in bold), the subject is "the dog" and the verb is "barks." In the second one (highlighted), the subject is "the postman" and the verb is "arrives.")

Notice that "The dogs barks" could stand alone as a sentence. This means it is an independent clause. Conversely, "when the postman arrives" could not stand alone as a sentence. This means it is a dependent clause. (This is a key point throughout this lesson.)

Also, every dependent clause functions as one part of speech: an adjective, an adverb, or a noun. (Don't worry. This is explained below.) Clause: Definition and Examples (grammar-monster.com)

Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech

Parts of speech are the classification of words categorized by their roles and functions within the structure of the language.

Parts of speech encompass everything a language has in itself. Can you imagine all the words of a language can be sorted into these categories? They play different roles in the structure of a language.
In English, there are eight parts of speech: