Declarative Sentences: A Complete Guide + 10 Examples

Explore the importance of declarative sentences with this comprehensive guide. Learn about their structure, usage, and get 10 clear examples that help you to improve your writing.

By:Margaret Atwood

Published on : 2024-07-01, Last-Update: 30-08-24

Reviewed by: Margaret Atwood

Table of Contents

Fruits are essential for a healthy diet because they provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Can you identify the type of sentence? Don’t you!

Sometimes, making a clear identification of a type of sentence is difficult. Because every sentence has a meaning, purpose and information in it.

According to an expert's opinion, a declarative sentence is packed with a proper use of subject, verb, optional object to convey a direct and relevant information.

Moreover, after reading this guide, you learn more about declarative sentences. Some key points for major discussion of declarative sentence are:

  • What are declarative sentences?
  • Importance of declarative sentence structuring
  • Types of declarative sentences
  • Tips for writing declarative sentences more quickly

What are declarative sentences?

A declarative sentence is one of the main types of sentences. It is a statement that clarifies major ideas in a concise way. It expresses opinions, facts, statistics, observations, or explanations more smoothly.

A declarative sentence has detailed information in a brief and visually appealing manner. It follows the SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) pattern. However, it also includes a predicate, adjuncts and complements where needed.

Importance of structuring a declarative sentence

Why are declarative sentences so important? The simple answer is, because a declarative sentence simplifies the opinionated and fact based answers in it. Such as when you start reading a story and find no opinion. It would be difficult for you to stay connected and build interest.

Declarative sentences play a crucial part and make the story more interesting. It simply conveys information, whether it's about ourselves, the world around us, or innovative ideas.

Now, let's talk about a crucial aspect of declarative sentences. It follows the standard sentence format to write which is explained as follows:

  • Subject + verb + object

Now let’s discuss what the subject and verb are all about:

1. Subject

Alexa is playing football with her talented and enthusiastic teammates. In this detailed and complimentary sentence the Alexa is a subject and the detailed sentence simply represents a declaration in it.

In declarative sentences, the subject is crucial because, without a clear subject, the sentence might not be clear.

2. Verb

Sam rhymes alphabets and makes his class engaged. The next part of a declarative sentence is a verb (the action word) and the word “rhymes” clearly explaining the action that Sam is doing. This helps you know the sentence is clear and understandable.

Rules for writing a declarative sentence

The declarative sentences follow various rules while writing. The most important rules along with theoretical examples are:

  1. Subject + Object

The hummingbird + hums mostly

  1. Subject + Verb + Object

My mother + had + severe flu

  1. Subject + Verb + Complement

Pasta + tastes + delicious 

  1. Adjunct + Subject + Verb + Object

Last week + I + bought + this from Dubai shopping festival 

Top 6 types of declarative sentences

Declarative sentences are one of the most common types of sentences we use in our communication. But it is further divided into 6 more types that make it more clear and effective.

1. Positive (affirmative) declarative sentences

Bill completed her assignment on time. Can you identify what type of a declarative sentence it is? If not, then don’t worry. Because it seems like writing a simple sentence but the fact of completing her assignment on time makes it a Positive (affirmative) declarative sentence. It is also crucial that there's no denial involved in it. Using a positive or right declarative sentence, add confidence while describing a situation as it is.

For example:

I enjoy playing online 3D games.

This enjoyment while playing 3D games is the positive illustration of the positive (affirmative) declarative sentences.

2. Negative declarative sentences 

Negative declarative sentences involve denial and contraction. Like, she didn’t complete her task on time. Here the not completion of a task on time represents, this is a negative declarative sentence. These sentences also state something as false, or they deny a fact or idea. The highlighted words include "not," "never," "no," or contractions like "isn't," "doesn't," or "won't.

For example

Ken doesn’t enjoy playing piano on the street.

To not enjoy being on the street is the denial phase that Ken explains is the negative declarative sentence type.

3. Simple declarative sentences 

The horse neighs when it sees a carrot. This looks like a simple sentence, but a minor analysis makes it a form of simple declarative sentence. Simple declarative sentences contain one independent clause, which means they express a complete thought and can stand alone.

This type of a sentence mostly follows the basic structure of subject + verb + object (optional).

For example:

The horse neighs when it sees a carrot.

In this sentence:

“The horse” is subject

“Neighs” is verb

“Carrot” is object

“The horse neighs” is fact

“Horse neighs when it sees a carrot” is an independent clause in this sentence.

As you can see, this sentence is simple to understand but a single independent clause makes it a simple declarative sentence which is easy to understand for anyone.

4. Compound declarative sentences

The horse neighs when it sees a carrot, and it kicks its hooves in excitement. It looks like a long sentence at first but what it is all about. After understanding a single independent clause in a sentence, now think of joining two or more independent clauses to make a compound declarative sentence.

The most popular coordinating conjunction to make a compound declarative sentence are, "and," "but," or "or") and a comma.

For example:

The horse neighs when it sees a carrot, and it kicks its hooves in excitement.

“The horse neighs when it sees a carrot,” is one independent clause and the other one “it kicks its hooves in excitement.” is another. But the joining of these two clauses with the help of word “and” make this long sentence a compound declarative sentence.

5. Complex declarative sentences 

Now it's time to know what is a dependent clause in declarative sentences. Things get a bit more interesting with complex declarative sentences. For example, “after Harry finished his homework, he played 3D video games. These sentences contain one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

For example:

  • After he finished his homework, he played video games.

In the sentence the independent clause is “he played 3D video games” and the dependent clause is “after Harry finished his homework”. The dependent clause is meaningless if it never joins with the independent clause.

In each sentence, the dependent clause (the one starting with "after," "because," or "if") adds extra information to the independent clause. It could be about time, a reason, or a condition.

6. Compound-Complex declarative sentences

“I enjoy hiking, and I go on trails every year, even if the weather is bad”. Can you now identify how many independent and dependent clauses in a sentence? This is a compound-complex declarative sentence. As the name suggests, these sentences are a combination of compound and complex sentences. They contain at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

For example:

I enjoy hiking, and I go on trails every year, even if the weather is bad.

In this sentence, “I enjoy hiking” and “I go on trails every year.” are independent clauses. Whereas “even if the weather is bad” is a dependent clause in it.

This type of declarative sentence expresses multiple ideas in a single sentence. They're useful when you want to convey a lot of information concisely.

Pro tips tips for writing declarative sentences more quickly

Here is a quick overview of some pro tips that make your declarative writing more easy:

  • Use simple subject-verb-object (SVO) structures.
  • Keep sentences short and easy to understand.
  • Write in an active voice for more direct statements.
  • Choose strong, descriptive verbs to make sentences meaningful.
  • Practice writing everyday to build speed and confidence.
  • Review and rewrite to make sentences accordingly.

Moreover, having an understanding of sentence structure, writing practice regularly and implementing pro tips will help you make your content unique. You can then easily rewrite your sentences manually or by using an AI sentence rewriter tool. This is a good option to quickly rewrite sentences according to the desired modes. Including, standard, formal and fluency with just a single click.

Final words

Declarative sentences are vital in making sentences informative with stats, facts and clarity. They allow you to convey information, tell stories, make arguments, and express ideas in a clear way.

By learning the different types of declarative sentences and using them effectively, you can create engaging, informative, and persuasive sentences.

So, go read the above discussion and show your thoughts with confidence! With a complete knowledge of declarative sentences, you'll become a good writer.

Let’s take the first step, write a clear, concise sentence now and make your sentences perfect.

Frequently asked questions 

How can I use declarative sentences effectively in my writing?

Focus on clarity, conciseness, and varying sentence structure. Use them to convey information clearly, make arguments, and tell stories

What punctuation marks are commonly used in declarative sentences?

Periods, commas, semicolons, and colons are all used in declarative sentences for different purposes, such as ending sentences or separating clauses.

How do declarative sentences differ from other types? 

Unlike interrogative sentences (questions), imperative sentences (commands), or exclamatory sentences (expressions of strong emotion), declarative sentences simply provide information or make statements.

More informational guides

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