Parts of a Sentence and Kinds by Structure
Parts of a Sentence and Kinds by Structure
Sentence study supplies roughly eight of the Part-III Hindi questions and this topic gives two of them. The paper either asks you to identify the subject and predicate or asks whether a given sentence is simple, compound or complex, so the test for each has to be clear.
The Two Parts of a Sentence
Every sentence has two parts. The uddeshya is what something is said about, and the vidheya is what is said about it. In राम पत्र लिखता है, राम is the uddeshya and पत्र लिखता है is the vidheya.
Words attached to the subject form the extension of the subject and words attached to the predicate form the extension of the predicate. In परिश्रमी राम प्रतिदिन पत्र लिखता है, परिश्रमी extends the subject and प्रतिदिन extends the predicate.
✗ The verb is the subject of a sentence | ✓ The verb is part of the predicate; the subject is what is being spoken about
Three Kinds by Structure
| Kind | Test | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Saral | one verb, one subject | राम पत्र लिखता है |
| Sanyukt | two independent sentences joined | राम आया और श्याम गया |
| Mishra | one main and one dependent clause | जो परिश्रम करता है, वह सफल होता है |
The most reliable test is to look at the joining word. और, किंतु, परंतु, या and इसलिए usually mark a compound sentence, while जो-वह, जब-तब, यदि-तो and क्योंकि mark a complex one.
The real difference is that both halves of a compound sentence stand as full sentences on their own, whereas the dependent clause of a complex sentence remains incomplete by itself. जो परिश्रम करता है says nothing on its own, so that sentence is complex.
Kinds of Clause
- Noun clause — does the work of a noun, as in उसने कहा कि वह आएगा.
- Adjective clause — describes a noun, as in वह लड़का जो कल आया था.
- Adverb clause — describes the verb, as in जब वह आया, तब मैं सो रहा था.
आसान जाँच: वाक्य के दोनों हिस्सों को अलग-अलग बोलकर देखिए। दोनों अकेले पूरे लगें तो संयुक्त वाक्य; एक अधूरा लगे तो मिश्र वाक्य।
TRE pointer: Identify the kind from the joining word — और, किंतु, परंतु for compound; जो-वह, जब-तब, यदि-तो for complex. The surest confirmation is to say each half aloud and see whether it stands alone. Questions on subject and predicate are also set directly, so keep the two terms and their extensions clear.
60-Second Recap
- Every sentence has a subject and a predicate.
- Words attached to either form its extension.
- A simple sentence has one verb and one subject.
- A compound sentence joins two independent sentences.
- A complex sentence has a main and a dependent clause.
- Both halves of a compound sentence stand alone; a dependent clause does not.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you tell a compound sentence from a complex one?
Say each half on its own. If both halves make complete sense by themselves, the sentence is compound, as in राम आया और श्याम गया. If one half is incomplete without the other, the sentence is complex, as in जो परिश्रम करता है, वह सफल होता है.
What is the extension of the subject?
It is the set of words attached to the subject that add to it without becoming the subject themselves. In परिश्रमी राम प्रतिदिन पत्र लिखता है, परिश्रमी extends the subject राम, while प्रतिदिन extends the predicate. Both are asked as separate terms.
What are the three kinds of clause?
A noun clause does the work of a noun, as in उसने कहा कि वह आएगा. An adjective clause describes a noun, as in वह लड़का जो कल आया था. An adverb clause describes the verb, as in जब वह आया, तब मैं सो रहा था. All three appear in complex sentences.
Can the joining word alone settle the kind of sentence?
Usually, but not always, so it is best treated as a first indication rather than a final answer. और and किंतु point to a compound sentence and जो-वह or यदि-तो to a complex one, but the confirmation always comes from testing whether each half stands on its own.