What is the structure of a sentence?

The structure of a sentence refers to the organized arrangement of words and phrases that together form a complete thought. In simple terms, every sentence must have two core parts – the subject (who or what the sentence is about) and the predicate (what is being said about the subject, usually containing a verb). This sentence structure definition ensures clarity and meaning in communication. The most common sentence format in English is Subject + Verb + Object (SVO), such as “The boy reads a book.” This is an example of what is a structured sentence, where each element is in its proper place. To define sentence structure more clearly, it can be seen as the skeleton of language that supports meaning and expression.

There are different types of structures that show how ideas can be combined. For instance, a simple sentence contains only one independent clause (“She sings.”), while a compound sentence joins two independent clauses with a conjunction (“She sings, and he plays the guitar.”). A complex sentence adds a dependent clause (“She sings because she loves music.”), and a compound-complex sentence mixes both forms (“She sings, and he plays the guitar while their friends listen.”). These examples of sentence structure illustrate how sentence types can vary in complexity while still maintaining order and clarity.