Sentence structure word search

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a word search?

A word search is a puzzle where there are rows of letters placed in the shape of a square, and there are words written forwards, backwards, horizontal, vertical or diagonal. There will be a list of words for the player to look for and the goal of the player is to find those words hidden in the word search puzzle, and highlight them.

How do I choose the words to use in my word search?

Once you’ve picked a theme, choose words that have a variety of different lengths, difficulty levels and letters. You don’t need to worry about trying to fit the words together with each other because WordMint will do that for you!

How are word searches used in the classroom?

Word search games are an excellent tool for teachers, and an excellent resource for students. They help to encourage wider vocabulary, as well as testing cognitive abilities and pattern-finding skills.

Because the word search templates are completely custom, you can create suitable word searches for children in kindergarten, all the way up to college students.

Who is a word search suitable for?

One of the common word search faq’s is whether there is an age limit or what age kids can start doing word searches. The fantastic thing about word search exercises is, they are completely flexible for whatever age or reading level you need.

Word searches can use any word you like, big or small, so there are literally countless combinations that you can create for templates. It is easy to customise the template to the age or learning level of your students.

How do I create a word search template?

For the easiest word search templates, WordMint is the way to go!

Pre-made templates

For a quick an easy pre-made template, simply search through WordMint’s existing 500,000+ templates. With so many to choose from, you’re bound to find the right one for you!

Create your own from scratch

• Log in to your account (it’s free to join!)
• Head to ‘My Puzzles’
• Click ‘Create New Puzzle’ and select ‘Word Search’
• Select your layout, enter your title and your chosen words
• That’s it! The template builder will create your word search template for you and you can save it to your account, export as a Word document or PDF and print!

How can I print my word search template?

All of our templates can be exported into Microsoft Word to easily print, or you can save your work as a PDF to print for the entire class. Your puzzles get saved into your account for easy access and printing in the future, so you don’t need to worry about saving them at work or at home!

Can I create a word search in other languages?

Word searches are a fantastic resource for students learning a foreign language as it tests their reading comprehension skills in a fun, engaging way.

We have full support for word search templates in Spanish, French and Japanese with diacritics including over 100,000 images.

1. What is Sentence Structure?

A sentence’s “structure” is the way its words are arranged.

In English, we have four main sentence structures: the simple sentence, the compound sentence, the complex sentence, and the compound-complex sentence. Each uses a specific combination of independent and dependent clauses to help make sure that our sentences are strong, informational, and most importantly, that they make sense!

2. Examples of Sentence Structures

In the examples, independent clauses are green, dependent clauses are purple, and conjunctions are orange. Here are examples of each type of sentence:

1. The dog ran.                                                                                    Simple Sentence
2. The dog ran and he ate popcorn.                                                    Compound sentence
3. After the dog ran, he ate popcorn.                                                   Complex sentence
4. After the dog ran, he ate popcorn and he drank a big soda.           Compound-complex sentence

3. Parts of Sentence Structures

All forms of sentence structures have clauses (independent, dependent, or both), and some also have conjunctions to help join two or more clauses or whole sentences.

a. Independent Clause

Independent clauses are key parts of every sentence structure. An independent clause has a subject and a predicate and makes sense on its own as a complete sentence. Here are a few:

• The dog ate brownies.
• The dog jumped high.
• She ate waffles.
• He went to the library.

So, you can see that all of the clauses above are working sentences. What’s more, all sentences have an independent clause!

b. Dependent (Subordinate) Clause

A dependent clause is a major part of three of the four sentence structures (compound, complex, and compound-complex).  It has a subject and a predicate; BUT, it can’t be a sentence. It provides extra details about the independent clause, and it doesn’t make sense on its own, like these:

• After he went to the party
• Though he ate hotdogs
• While he was at the dance
• If the dog eats chocolate

Each of the bullets above leaves an unanswered question. By itself, a dependent clause is just a fragment sentence (an incomplete sentence). So, it needs to be combined with an independent clause to be a sentence.

c. Conjunction

A conjunction is a word in a sentence that connects other words, phrases and clauses. Conjunctions are a big part of compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences. The most common conjunction that you know is “and.” Others are for, but, or, yet, and so. Conjunctions are important because they let us combine information, but still keep ideas separate so that they are easy to understand.

Here are two sentences, with and without conjunctions:

Incorrect: The girl ran to the ice cream truck then she ate ice cream.

Correct: The girl ran to the ice cream truck, and then she ate ice cream.

So, you can see that we need a conjunction for the sentence to be clear!

It is important to know that the word “then” is NOT a conjunction—it’s an adverb.

4. Types of Sentence Structures

As mentioned, there are four main types of sentence structures: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. To begin, here is a simple chart that outlines the patterns of each type.

a. Simple sentence

A simple sentence has only one subject and one predicate—one independent clause.  In fact, an independent clause itself is a simple sentence. Here are some examples:

• She jumped.
• The cheetah ran.
• He ran to the gas station.
• He ate dinner.

Simple sentences don’t have many details and they don’t really combine multiple ideas—they are simple!

b. Compound sentence

A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. It uses a conjunction like “and” to connect the ideas. Here are some examples:

• The dog ate pizza but the cat drank apple juice.  
• The dog ate pizza but the cat drank apple juice and the fish had eggs.

As you can see, a compound sentence allows us to share a lot of information by combining two or more complete thoughts into one sentence.

c. Complex sentence

A complex sentence has one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. It sometimes uses conjunctions and other words to combine all of the clauses together.

• When he was on the airplane, the man bought cookies.
• When he was on the airplane, the man bought cookies, but not brownies.

A great way to make a sentence more detailed is by adding dependent clauses (which couldn’t be sentences on their own). So, complex sentences let us add information to simple sentences.

d. Compound-complex sentence

A compound-complex sentence has two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause—so, it uses conjunction(s) to combine two complete sentences and at least one incomplete sentence. Here is an example:

The girl smelled cookies, which were baking at home, so, she ran all the way there.

The result of combining the three clauses and the conjunction is a compound-complex sentence that is both informational and easy to understand. The independent clauses give the main information, and the dependent clause(s) give the details.

5. How to Avoid Mistakes

When it comes to making sure your sentence is clear and complete, having the right sentence structure is very important. A couple of common mistakes can happen when you forget how to use clauses or conjunctions in the right way, like run-on sentences and fragment sentences.

a. Run-on sentences

In simple terms, a run-on sentence is a sentence that is too long. For instance, if a writer forgets to use conjunctions, a sentence seems like it “runs on” for too long. For example:

The fox really liked pancakes, he ate them every day for breakfast, he couldn’t eat them without syrup and butter.

But, with the right conjunctions, this can be a normal compound sentence:

The fox really liked pancakes, so, he ate them every day for breakfast; but, he couldn’t eat them without syrup and butter.

As you can see, the new sentence is much easier to read and makes more sense.

b. Fragment (incomplete) sentences

A “fragment” is a small piece of something. So, a fragment sentence is just a piece of a sentence: it is missing a subject, a predicate, or an independent clause. It’s simply an incomplete sentence. Fragment sentences can happen when you forget an independent clause.

For instance, by itself, a dependent clause is just a fragment. Let’s use a couple of the dependent clauses from above:

• While he was at the dance            What happened?
• If he eats chocolate                       Then what?

As you can see, each leaves an unanswered question. So, let’s complete them:

• While he was at the dance, the dog drank fruit punch.
• The dog will get a stomachache if he eats chocolate.

Here, we completed the fragment sentences by adding independent clauses (underlined), which made them into complex sentences.

Normally, sentences in the English language take a simple form. However, there are times it would be a little complex. In these cases, the basic rules for how words appear in a sentence can help you.

Word order typically refers to the way the words in a sentence are arranged. In the English language, the order of words is important if you wish to accurately and effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas.

Although there are some exceptions to these rules, this article aims to outline some basic sentence structures that can be used as templates. Also, the article provides the rules for the ordering of adverbs and adjectives in English sentences.

Basic Sentence Structure and word order rules in English

For English sentences, the simple rule of thumb is that the subject should always come before the verb followed by the object. This rule is usually referred to as the SVO word order, and then most sentences must conform to this. However, it is essential to know that this rule only applies to sentences that have a subject, verb, and object.

For example

Subject + Verb + Object

He loves food

She killed the rat

Sentences are usually made of at least one clause. A clause is a string of words with a subject(noun) and a predicate (verb). A sentence with just one clause is referred to as a simple sentence, while those with more than one clause are referred to as compound sentences, complex sentences, or compound-complex sentences.

The following is an explanation and example of the most commonly used clause patterns in the English language.

Inversion

The English word order is inverted in questions. The subject changes its place in a question. Also, English questions usually begin with a verb or a helping verb if the verb is complex.

For example

Verb + Subject + object

Can you finish the assignment?

Did you go to work?

Intransitive Verbs

Some sentences use verbs that require no object or nothing else to follow them. These verbs are generally referred to as intransitive verbs. With intransitive verbs, you can form the most basic sentences since all that is required is a subject (made of one noun) and a predicate (made of one verb).

For example

Subject + verb

John eats

Christine fights

Linking Verbs

Linking verbs are verbs that connect a subject to the quality of the subject. Sentences that use linking verbs usually contain a subject, the linking verb and a subject complement or predicate adjective in this order.

For example

Subject + verb + Subject complement/Predicate adjective

The dress was beautiful

Her voice was amazing

Transitive Verbs

Transitive verbs are verbs that tell what the subject did to something else. Sentences that use transitive verbs usually contain a subject, the transitive verb, and a direct object, usually in this order.

For example

Subject + Verb + Direct object

The father slapped his son

The teacher questioned his students

Indirect Objects

Sentences with transitive verbs can have a mixture of direct and indirect objects. Indirect objects are usually the receiver of the action or the audience of the direct object.

For example

Subject + Verb + IndirectObject + DirectObject

He gave the man a good job.

The singer gave the crowd a spectacular concert.

The order of direct and indirect objects can also be reversed. However, for the reversal of the order, there needs to be the inclusion of the preposition “to” before the indirect object. The addition of the preposition transforms the indirect object into what is called a prepositional phrase.

For example

Subject + Verb + DirectObject + Preposition + IndirectObject

He gave a lot of money to the man

The singer gave a spectacular concert to the crowd.

Adverbials

Adverbs are phrases or words that modify or qualify a verb, adjective, or other adverbs. They typically provide information on the when, where, how, and why of an action. Adverbs are usually very difficult to place as they can be in different positions in a sentence. Changing the placement of an adverb in a sentence can change the meaning or emphasis of that sentence.

Therefore, adverbials should be placed as close as possible to the things they modify, generally before the verbs.

For example

He hastily went to work.

He hurriedly ate his food.

However, if the verb is transitive, then the adverb should come after the transitive verb.

For example

John sat uncomfortably in the examination exam.

She spoke quietly in the class

The adverb of place is usually placed before the adverb of time

For example

John goes to work every morning

They arrived at school very late

The adverb of time can also be placed at the beginning of a sentence

For example

On Sunday he is traveling home

Every evening James jogs around the block

When there is more than one verb in the sentence, the adverb should be placed after the first verb.

For example

Peter will never forget his first dog

She has always loved eating rice.

Adjectives

Adjectives commonly refer to words that are used to describe someone or something. Adjectives can appear almost anywhere in the sentence.

Adjectives can sometimes appear after the verb to be

For example

He is fat

She is big

Adjectives can also appear before a noun.

For example

A big house

A fat boy

However, some sentences can contain more than one adjective to describe something or someone. These adjectives have an order in which they can appear before a now. The order is

Opinion – size – physical quality – shape – condition – age – color – pattern – origin – material – type – purpose

If more than one adjective is expected to come before a noun in a sentence, then it should follow this order. This order feels intuitive for native English speakers. However, it can be a little difficult to unpack for non-native English speakers.

For example

The ugly old woman is back

The dirty red car parked outside your house

When more than one adjective comes after a verb, it is usually connected by and

For example

The room is dark and cold

Having said that, Susan is tall and big

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A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought and contains a subject and a predicate. The most basic sentence structure consists of only one clause. However, many sentences have one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses.

The standard order of words in an English sentence is subject + verb + object. While this sounds simple, it may be difficult to identify the subject(s), verb(s), and object(s), depending on the structure and complexity of the sentence. There are four types of sentence structure: (1) simple, (2) compound, (3) complex, and (4) compound-complex.

Types of sentence structures

Sentence Structures in Academic Writing

Simple Sentence Structure

A simple sentence is the most basic sentence structure and consists of a single independent clause.

Types of clauses

An independent clause expresses a full thought. Only independent clauses can function as complete sentences.

In contrast, a dependent clause does not express a full thought and cannot function as a complete sentence.

A dependent clause starts with either a relative pronoun or subordinating conjunction.

Common subordinating conjunctions

because, since, once, although, if, until, unless, why, while, whether, than, that, in order to

Common relative pronouns

that, which, who, whom, whoever, whomever

Subject of a sentence

The subject is whatever is performing the action of the sentence. This is the first of the two basic components of a sentence.

Predicate of a sentence

The predicate contains the verb (the action) and can include further clarifying information.

Direct and Indirect Objects

The direct object is the person, thing, or idea that receives an action.

The indirect object is the person, thing, or idea for which an action is being done.

Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb is the action the subject takes on a direct object.

Here, “we” is the subject, “fabricated” is the transitive verb, and “a composite” is the direct object.

An intransitive verb is a verb that does not have to be followed by an object. Intransitive verbs can function as predicates all on their own.

“We” and “I” are the subjects; “arrived” and “eat” are intransitive verbs.

Subject Complement

A subject complement complements the subject by renaming or describing it. Subject complements always follow a linking verb, which is often a form of the verb “to be.”

“Gold composite” renames the subject “the material.”

“Pretty” describes the subject “Charlotte.”

Compound Sentence Structure

A compound sentence is composed of two or more independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction or semicolon. Note that US English conventions dictate that coordinating conjunctions must be used with a comma when joining independent clauses.

Structure of a Compound Sentence: Independent clause + coordinating conjunction (or semicolon) + independent clause
List of coordinating conjunctions: and, but, yet, or, nor, for, so

Complex Sentence Structure

A complex sentence is composed of an independent clause and a dependent clause.

Structure of a Complex Sentence: Independent clause + subordinating conjunction (or relative pronoun) + dependent clause

Compound-Complex Sentence Structure

A compound-complex sentence is composed of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Structure of a Compound-Complex Sentence: Independent clause + subordinating conjunction + dependent clause + coordinating conjunction + independent clause