Simple, compound, complex sentences
1. Simple Sentences (câu đơn)
Chỉ có 1 mệnh đề chính, nghĩa là có 1 chủ ngữ và 1 động từ.
Có thể chủ ngữ là 2 danh từ nối bằng 'and' hoặc có 2 động từ nối bằng 'and' nhưng vẫn là 1 câu đơn thôi.
- I went to the supermarket yesterday.
- Mary and Tom are playing tennis.
- My brother ate a sandwich and drank beer.
2. Compound Sentences (câu kép/ ghép)
+ Có 2 mệnh đề chính, nối nhau bằng liên từ (như and, but, so, or...) và phải có dấu phẩy hoặc dấu chấm phẩy phía trước liên từ.
- His father is a doctor, and his mother is a writer.
- We missed the bus, so we came to work late.
+ Nếu hai mệnh đề ngắn quá, có thể không dùng dấu phẩy.
- I talked and he listened.
- I failed so I felt bored.
Lưu ý: trong tiếng Việt bạn có thể dùng dấu phẩy giữa hai mệnh đề chính nhưng trong tiếng Anh tuyệt đối không được mà phải sử dụng liên từ.
3. Complex Sentences (câu phức)
+ Có 1 mệnh đề chính (independent clause) và 1 hay nhiều mệnh đề phụ (dependent clause) (nhưng thường là 1 mệnh đề phụ). Hai mệnh đề thường được nối với nhau bởi dấu phẩy hoặc các liên từ phụ thuộc.
- When I came, they were watching TV.
- We'll go out if the rain stops.
* Một số liên từ phụ thuộc:
+ after, although, as, as long as, as soon as, as though
- Minnie went to bed after she had dinner.
- Although he is very old, he goes jogging every morning.
- She went out as I came here.
- He agrees to take the job as long as the salary is high.
- As soon as the teacher arrived, the class became quiet.
+ because, before
- Because I felt sick, I got Johny to take me to the doctor.
- Carol always turns off all the lights before she leaves the office.
+ even if, even though, if
- Even if I explain everything to him, will he forgive me?
- She tried to finish her work even though she felt unwell.
- If you don’t study hard, you won’t pass the exam.
+ in order to, in case, once
- What do I have to do in order to convince them?
- Remember to take your umbrella in case it rains.
- Once you join the game, you can’t get out of it.
+ since, so that, though
- Since the Smiths left for London, I haven’t seen them.
- We decided to go early so that we won’t get stuck in traffic jam.
- Though I studied hard, I couldn’t pass the exam.
+ unless, until, when, where, whereas, while
- Unless you study hard, you won’t pass the exam.
- Sam didn’t go to sleep until his mom came home.
- When I got home, my husband was cooking in the kitchen.
- I came back to where I was born.
- Whereas knowledge can be acquired from books, skills must be learned through practice.
- Jenny was reading a newspaper while her sister was doing her exercises.