A simple sentence is a separate two-member or one-member or a part of a composite sentence.
The sentence is a minimal unit of communication. From the viewpoint of their role in the process of communication sentences are divided into four types: declarative (изъявительные), interrogative (вопросительные), imperative (повелительные) and exclamatory (восклицательные) sentences. These types differ in the aim of communication and express statements, questions, commands and exclamations respectively. These types are usually applied to simple sentences. [Кобрина]
A declarative sentence expresses a statement, in the affirmative or negative form, which gives the reader or the listener some information about various events, activities or attitudes, thoughts and feelings:
- Julie’s favourite words are ‘icky’ and ‘glam’. /P. Sykes Bergdorf Blondes/ [declarative affirmative sentence]
- I couldn’t help myself turning bright red. /H. Feilding Bridget Jone’s Diary/ [declarative negative sentence]
An interrogative sentence expresses a question. Its communicative function consists in asking for information. All varieties of questions may be structurally reduced to: general questions, special questions, alternative questions and disjunctive (or tag-) questions.
A general question asks whether some event or phenomenon exists or doesn’t exist, which requires a positive (or negative) reply. This question begins with an auxiliary, modal or link verb followed by the subject and is characterized by a rising tone. Such question is also called a ‘yes-no’ question:
- Did you hear about Florean Fortescue, Remus? /J.K. Rowling Harry Potter & The Half-blood Prince/
- Are you going to put it on? /J. Lloyd & E. Reese Come Together/
E.g. Can I take you for a romantic dinner at Jo Jo to night? /Plum Sykes Bengdorf Blondes/
A special question (or ‘wh’-question) shows what information is required. It begins with an interrogative pronoun, adverb or adverbial phrase, which function as a question word (what, which, who, whom, whose, where, when, why, how, how long, how often, etc.):
E.g. How long does that leave me? /J. Harris Five Quarters of the Orange/
An alternative question implies a choice between two or more alternative answers. Like a general question, it opens with an auxiliary/link verb. The conjunction ‘or’ links either two homogenous parts of the sentence or two coordinate clauses.
A tag-question (disjunctive question)
- Then I’ve got to track down the rest of the Horcruxes, haven’t I?
