Oraciones

The Sentence

Definition:

A sentence is a word or set of words that is characterized by its complete sense. These words can always be kept equally; i.e. not vary in gender or number regardless of what is said (invariable parts of speech) or either may vary in gender and number (variable parts of the sentence).

Types of sentences:

Affirmative Sentences

⁠⁠⁠The affirmative sentences are the one that express something that it’s going to happen for sure.

Structure:

Subject + verb + adjective, name...

Example:

I'm happy. (Estoy contento.)

She likes ice cream. (Le gusta el helado.)

We live in Madrid. (Vivimos en Madrid.)

They have a car./They have got a car. (Tienen un coche.)

Negative Sentences

We use the negative sentences to deny any fact.

Depending on the verb, there are two ways to build negative sentences:

1. As a general rule, to build negative phrases need the auxiliary verb "to do". We combine the auxiliary verb ("to do") in negative sentences. The main verb is the infinitive form.

Structure:

Subject + auxiliary verb ("to do") + negative auxiliary + main verb + adjective, name

Example:

She doesn't like ice cream. (No le gusta el helado.)

We don't live in Madrid. (No vivimos en Madrid.)

They don't have a car. (No tienen un coche.)

2. With the verbs "to be" (be / be) and "have got" (have) do not need an additional auxiliary to make denials. Keep in mind that with the verb "have got" the negative particle is placed between "have" and "got".

Structure:

Sujeto + verbo + auxiliar negativo + nombre, adjetivo...

Example:

I'm not happy. (No estoy contento.)

They've not [they haven't] got a car. (No tienen un coche.)

WH-Questions

Questions Meaning Examples

Who Person Who's that? That's Nancy.

Where Place Where do you live? In Boston

Why Reason Why do you sleep early? Because I've got to get up early

When Time When do you go to work? At 7:00

How Manner How do you go? By car

What Object, idea or action What do you do? I am an engineer

Which Choice Which one do you prefer? The red one.

Whose Possession Whose is this book? It's Alan's.

Whom Object of the verb Whom did you meet? I met the manager.

What kind Description What kind of music do you like? I like quiet songs

What time Time What time did you come home?

How many Quantity (countable) How many students are there? There are twenty.

How much Amount, price (uncountable) How much time have we got? Ten minutes

How long Duration, length How long did you stay in that hotel? For two weeks.

How often Frequency How often do you go to the gym? Twice a week.

How far Distance How far is your school? It’s one mile far.

How old Age How old are you? I'm 16.

How come Reason How come I didn't see you at the party?

Rules:

1. If you ask about the subject of the sentence, simply add the question word at the beginning:

Example:

James writes good poems. — Who writes good poems?

2. If you ask about the predicate of the sentence (the part of a sentence which contains the verb and gives information about the subject), there are three options:

2.1. If there is a helping (auxiliary) verb that precedes the main verb (for example: can, is, are, was, were, will, would...), add the question word and invert the subject and the helping (auxiliary) verb.

Examples:

He can speak Chinese. — What can he speak?

2.2. If you ask about the predicate and there is no helping (auxiliary) verb and the verb is "to be", simply add the question

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