I'm a mathematician not a writer so I need lots of help so pardon me if this question is dumb but is the "the" at the beginning of the sentence actually part of the subject or is it just a part of the sentence.

"The" at the beginning of a sentence is part of the complete subject, but not part of the simple subject. The simple subject is the noun that shows who or what the sentence is about. The complete subject is the the noun and everything to the left of the verb, or predicate.

What about the sentence, Hello. Like if someone says Hello to you. What is the subject and what is the predicate? Pardon me if this is a dumb question.

I think that "Hello" isn't a sentence because it isn't a grammatically complete idea. "Hello" originally came from "halâ, holâ" in Old High German, which was sort of like "halôn/holôn", meaning "fetch" as in fetching someone's attention: https://bit.ly/3clfacr I guess the root of it was sort of like "Give me your attention," which does have the main sentence components. So "hello" is (more or less) a compiled sentence, "give me your attention" being the predicate and the subject being whoever you want attention from. An explanation of commands without subjects is given at 2:57.

Can a sentence contain merely a word? For example _Hello._ or _Yes!_

Yes, I suppose you could. *Hello. Who is this*? OR *Hello, who is this*? Two different ways to say the same thing. And in dialogue it's really useful when you can say a lot in one word. I hope that was helpful!

I don't feel like "I am" is a sentence.

It can be a sentence if it acts like the answer to a question. For example-Who is the person whose phone rang?I am. In this scenario, 'I am' provides full meaning, and hence it is a sentence. In other contexts, it won't be a complete sentence as it won't provide a full meaning.

people say "no" is a complete sentence, but it does not meet the requirements of being a sentence. ?

The word "no" in and of itself communicates a meaning very clearly. However, the word "no" by itself does not attain to the minimum standards necessary to be considered a sentence.

can i make a sentence out of anything

Try as I might, I haven't yet made one out of aluminium foil.

why is it called syntax? is there a story for that or is it just random?

*Syntax* is defined as the way that words and phrases are arranged to create well-made sentences. Our word syntax comes from the the Greek word *suntaxis*, which is a combination of these two roots: - *sun* = together - *tassein* = arrange So *syntax* literally means how things are arranged or put together. Hope this helps!

difference between assertive and imperative sentences?

Assertive sentences make a statement such as "Nicholas took a nap." They're simple sentences. Imperative sentences give commands such as "Go to your room." They make a request.

Is it true that "Go." is the shortest English sentence possible?

No, it's possible to go even shorter. For example: What letter was featured on Sesame Street today? *J*! "J!" is a complete sentence because it contains a noun and a verb (which is implied). - noun = J - verb = was (_implied_) In your sentence "Go." the noun is implied. - noun = you (_implied_) - verb = go Hope this helps!

Can a sentece end with a question mark?

Yes, in fact you ended a sentence with a question mark correctly in your question!

Main content

Course: Grammar > Unit 8

Lesson 1: Introduction to sentences

What is a sentence?

Name: What is a sentence?
Uploaded: 2016-08-23T18:57:11Z
Description: A sentence is a grammatically complete idea. All sentences have a noun or pronoun component called the subject, and a verb part called the predicate. David and Paige explore this division across several different example sentences.

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A sentence is a grammatically complete idea. All sentences have a noun or pronoun component called the subject, and a verb part called the predicate. David and Paige explore this division across several different example sentences.

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David Ma
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to David Ma's post “I'm a mathematician not a...”
I'm a mathematician not a writer so I need lots of help so pardon me if this question is dumb but is the "the" at the beginning of the sentence actually part of the subject or is it just a part of the sentence.
Button navigates to signup pageComment on David Ma's post “I'm a mathematician not a...”
(28 votes)
Answer
- Brenda Roberts
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Brenda Roberts's post “"The" at the beginning of...”
  "The" at the beginning of a sentence is part of the complete subject, but not part of the simple subject. The simple subject is the noun that shows who or what the sentence is about. The complete subject is the the noun and everything to the left of the verb, or predicate.
  Comment on Brenda Roberts's post “"The" at the beginning of...”
  (41 votes)
Mohal Singh
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Mohal Singh's post “What about the sentence, ...”
What about the sentence, Hello. Like if someone says Hello to you. What is the subject and what is the predicate? Pardon me if this is a dumb question.
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Mohal Singh's post “What about the sentence, ...”
(26 votes)
Answer
- M Rambo
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to M Rambo's post “I think that "Hello" isn'...”
  I think that "Hello" isn't a sentence because it isn't a grammatically complete idea. "Hello" originally came from "halâ, holâ" in Old High German, which was sort of like "halôn/holôn", meaning "fetch" as in fetching someone's attention:
  
  https://bit.ly/3clfacr
  
  I guess the root of it was sort of like "Give me your attention," which does have the main sentence components. So "hello" is (more or less) a compiled sentence, "give me your attention" being the predicate and the subject being whoever you want attention from. An explanation of commands without subjects is given at
  2:57
  .
  Comment on M Rambo's post “I think that "Hello" isn'...”
  (15 votes)
Robin A Johnson
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Robin A Johnson's post “Can a sentence contain me...”
Can a sentence contain merely a word? For example Hello. or Yes!
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Robin A Johnson's post “Can a sentence contain me...”
(6 votes)
Answer
- SierraNightlight
  Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to SierraNightlight's post “Yes, I suppose you could....”
  Yes, I suppose you could.
  
  Hello. Who is this?
  
  OR
  
  Hello, who is this?
  
  Two different ways to say the same thing. And in dialogue it's really useful when you can say a lot in one word. I hope that was helpful!
  Comment on SierraNightlight's post “Yes, I suppose you could....”
  (18 votes)
Pink Butterfly
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Pink Butterfly's post “I don't feel like "I am" ...”
I don't feel like "I am" is a sentence.
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Pink Butterfly's post “I don't feel like "I am" ...”
(6 votes)
Answer
- famousguy786
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to famousguy786's post “It can be a sentence if i...”
  It can be a sentence if it acts like the answer to a question.
  For example-Who is the person whose phone rang?I am.
  In this scenario, 'I am' provides full meaning, and hence it is a sentence.
  In other contexts, it won't be a complete sentence as it won't provide a full meaning.
  Comment on famousguy786's post “It can be a sentence if i...”
  (9 votes)
Kayleigh Gresham
Posted a year ago. Direct link to Kayleigh Gresham's post “can i make a sentence out...”
can i make a sentence out of anything
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Kayleigh Gresham's post “can i make a sentence out...”
(4 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted a year ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “Try as I might, I haven't...”
  Try as I might, I haven't yet made one out of aluminium foil.
  Comment on David Alexander's post “Try as I might, I haven't...”
  (9 votes)
mrichard
Posted 7 months ago. Direct link to mrichard's post “people say "no" is a comp...”
people say "no" is a complete sentence, but it does not meet the requirements of being a sentence. ?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(5 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 7 months ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “The word "no" in and of i...”
  The word "no" in and of itself communicates a meaning very clearly. However, the word "no" by itself does not attain to the minimum standards necessary to be considered a sentence.
  Comment on David Alexander's post “The word "no" in and of i...”
  (5 votes)
Hadeeqa
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Hadeeqa's post “why is it called syntax? ...”
why is it called syntax?
is there a story for that or is it just random?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Hadeeqa's post “why is it called syntax? ...”
(4 votes)
Answer
- Polina Vitić
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Polina Vitić's post “*Syntax* is defined as th...”
  Syntax is defined as the way that words and phrases are arranged to create well-made sentences.
  
  Our word syntax comes from the the Greek word suntaxis, which is a combination of these two roots:
  - sun = together
  - tassein = arrange
  
  So syntax literally means how things are arranged or put together.
  
  Hope this helps!
  Comment on Polina Vitić's post “*Syntax* is defined as th...”
  (7 votes)
shahnawazkhalid786
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to shahnawazkhalid786's post “difference between assert...”
difference between assertive and imperative sentences?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on shahnawazkhalid786's post “difference between assert...”
(4 votes)
Answer
- Michelle Norris
  Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Michelle Norris's post “Assertive sentences make ...”
  Assertive sentences make a statement such as "Nicholas took a nap." They're simple sentences.
  Imperative sentences give commands such as "Go to your room." They make a request.
  Comment on Michelle Norris's post “Assertive sentences make ...”
  (3 votes)
Yisi
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Yisi's post “Is it true that "Go." is ...”
Is it true that "Go." is the shortest English sentence possible?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Yisi's post “Is it true that "Go." is ...”
(3 votes)
Answer
- Polina Vitić
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Polina Vitić's post “No, it's possible to go e...”
  No, it's possible to go even shorter. For example:
  
  What letter was featured on Sesame Street today?
  
  J!
  
  "J!" is a complete sentence because it contains a noun and a verb (which is implied).
  - noun = J
  - verb = was (implied)
  
  In your sentence "Go." the noun is implied.
  - noun = you (implied)
  - verb = go
  
  Hope this helps!
  Comment on Polina Vitić's post “No, it's possible to go e...”
  (5 votes)
cortezmendoza.f
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to cortezmendoza.f's post “Can a sentece end with a ...”
Can a sentece end with a question mark?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on cortezmendoza.f's post “Can a sentece end with a ...”
(0 votes)
Answer
- Hecretary Bird
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Hecretary Bird's post “Yes, in fact you ended a ...”
  Yes, in fact you ended a sentence with a question mark correctly in your question!
  Comment on Hecretary Bird's post “Yes, in fact you ended a ...”
  (6 votes)

Video transcript

- [Voiceover] Hello grammarians, hello Paige. - [Voiceover] Hi, David. - [Voiceover] So today we're gonna tackle this idea of what is a sentence, as we go into this realm of language that is called syntax. And syntax is this concept of, basically grammatical order. What this word syntax literally means in Greek, is, you know, putting together and arranging, right, so it just means ordering of language. - [Voiceover] So that's, like, what a sentence is. - [Voiceover] That's what a sentence is, it's what a sentence is, it's what the components of a sentence are. And we'll go into all of that in much greater detail, but in order to do that, first of all we have to figure out what a sentence actually is. So, the definition that you and I came up with, Paige, is that a sentence is a grammatically complete idea. - [Voiceover] Right. It's a bunch of words that say one complete thing. - [Voiceover] So, all sentences have a noun or pronoun component, - [Voiceover] Mmm-hmm. - [Voiceover] Right, and that's what we call the subject. And then we have the verb part, which is the predicate. - [Voiceover] So a sentence has, it has to have like, a thing, or a noun or pronoun. - [Voiceover] Sure, that's the subject. - [Voiceover] Yeah, and something that it's doing. - [Voiceover] Sure, that's the predicate. - [Voiceover] Yeah. - [Voiceover] Okay. So let's say that we've got this sentence, the great big dog licked my face. Here is our sentence, what is the subject? - [Voiceover] Subject is the great big dog. - [Voiceover] Alright, and that means that everything that's not the subject is part of the predicate, right? - [Voiceover] Mmm-hmm. - [Voiceover] So, licked my face is the predicate. So this is the noun chunk that is performing the action of the sentence. - [Voiceover] You got it, yeah. - [Voiceover] Cool. So, all sentences have to have this, right? - [Voiceover] Yeah, they have to have a subject and a predicate, these two separate parts. - [Voiceover] So if you said, if you asked a question like, Are you named David? - [Voiceover] Okay, - [Voiceover] If you asked that of me, - [Voiceover] Mmm-hmm, - [Voiceover] Which, go ahead. - [Voiceover] Are you named David? - [Voiceover] I am. Is this a sentence, it's really short. - [Voiceover] It is very short. But, see, "I" is a pronoun, - [Voiceover] Okay, - [Voiceover] So that can be the subject. - [Voiceover] That's our subject. - [Voiceover] And, "am" is a verb. So it has a subject and a predicate. - [Voiceover] So this is the noun or pronoun part. And this is the action that it is performing. Although "am" or "being" isn't really an action, it's more of a linking verb. - [Voiceover] Sure. - [Voiceover] But it's still a verb. - [Voiceover] Okay. - [Voiceover] Okay, so this is, this is the predicate then, for sure. - [Voiceover] Yeah. - [Voiceover] Okay, so Paige. Let's say I dropped a muffin. - [Voiceover] Right, - [Voiceover] And you told me, pick up that muffin. - [Voiceover] Uh-huh. - [Voiceover] That sentence doesn't seem to have, just let me write that down. That sentence doesn't seem to have a subject. I see how all of this is predicate. - [Voiceover] Right, pick up is a verb, and then, - [Voiceover] And then the muffin is the thing that's being picked up, like that's all one thing. Where's, what goes in the blue box? - [Voiceover] I see, so when we have a sentence like this, where I'm telling you to do something, - [Voiceover] Mmm-hmm, - [Voiceover] There doesn't always have to be a subject said out loud. - [Voiceover] Okay. - [Voiceover] This is like an order, right? I'm telling you you have to pick up that muffin. - [Voiceover] So this is kinda like an invisible, secret subject. - [Voiceover] Right, the subject really is you. - [Voiceover] Okay, - [Voiceover] You pick up that muffin, but I don't have to say it out loud. - [Voiceover] Because I know that you're talking to me. Because I can tell 'cause you're looking at me, and you're yelling at me about a muffin. - [Voiceover] Yes, I am. - [Voiceover] So, a sentence is a grammatically complete idea or expression. - [Voiceover] Mmm-hmm. - [Voiceover] And it has to have a noun or pronoun part, which we call the subject, and it has to have a verb and all its baggage part, which is what we call the predicate. And sometimes that subject can sort of be implied, or invisible, as in the command. "Pick up that muffin!" - [Voiceover] Right. - [Voiceover] Cool. You can learn anything, David out. - [Voiceover] Paige out.