Sentence

Pronunciation: /ˈsɛntəns/

Definitions of sentence

noun A group of words that expresses a complete thought, typically containing a subject and predicate

Example Sentences

A1 I can write a simple sentence.

A2 She struggled to construct a coherent sentence.

B1 The judge handed down a harsh sentence to the criminal.

B2 The author's use of complex sentences added depth to the novel.

C1 His eloquent sentences captivated the audience.

C2 The lawyer crafted a compelling closing argument in just a few sentences.

Examples of sentence in a Sentence

formal The judge handed down a harsh sentence to the defendant.

informal I heard that the teacher gave out a lot of homework sentence.

slang I can't believe he got such a long sentence for that crime.

figurative Her words were like a sentence, weighing heavy on his heart.

Grammatical Forms of sentence

• past tense: sentenced
• plural: sentences
• comparative: more sentence
• superlative: most sentence
• present tense: sentence
• future tense: will sentence
• perfect tense: have sentenced
• continuous tense: is sentencing
• singular: sentence
• positive degree: sentence
• infinitive: to sentence
• gerund: sentencing
• participle: sentencing

Origin and Evolution of sentence

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'sentence' originated from the Latin word 'sententia', which means 'opinion' or 'meaning'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'sentence' evolved to refer to a grammatical unit of words that expresses a complete thought or idea, distinct from a phrase. Its usage has expanded to include legal contexts, where it refers to a punishment imposed by a court of law.