Sentence Construction and Types: Subject-Predicate, Structural and Meaning-Based Classification, Word Order — REET Notes
This page covers the definition of a sentence and its essential elements, subject and predicate, sentence types by structure and by meaning, how to identify clauses, the rules of word order (padkram), and sentence transformation — organised for the exam. REET 2024 asked 8 questions on this topic and every one was rule-based, so once the rules are clear, this section is good for a clean sweep.
- 8 questions in REET 2024
- Grade 6–10 grammar level
- 7 min read
How REET tests this topic
REET 2024's 8 questions came in four flavours. (1) Identifying meaning-based types — 'राजा नगर में आए' / Raja nagar mein aaye (declarative), 'यदि तुम अमेरिका जाओ तो…' / yadi tum America jao to… (conditional). (2) Separating subject from predicate — two questions. (3) Structural types — which type is NOT a structural type (negative is not; that's a meaning-based type), a sentence with one main and one dependent clause (complex), 'शिक्षकों ने कहा कि वे घर जा रहे हैं' / shikshakon ne kaha ki ve ghar ja rahe hain (complex). (4) An inconsistent statement on word order — an adverb usually comes before the verb, not after. The questions were definition-based; the biggest trap is mixing up the 'structural' and 'meaning-based' classifications.
The sentence: definition and essential elements
An organised group of meaningful words that fully conveys the speaker's intent is called a sentence (vakya). When a word is used in a sentence and takes on a grammatical relationship (case, gender, number, tense), it becomes a 'पद' ("pad").
Six elements are considered necessary for a grammatically correct sentence: sarthakta (सार्थकता, meaningfulness — words must be meaningful), yogyata (योग्यता, fitness — the pads must be capable of conveying sense; 'वह पानी खाता है' [vah paani khaata hai, he eats water] lacks fitness), aakanksha (आकांक्षा, expectancy — the sentence shouldn't feel incomplete; hearing just 'राम ने' [Ram ne, Ram (did)] leaves you wanting to know more), aasatti (आसत्ति) or proximity (words should be spoken close together, without long gaps), padkram (पदक्रम, correct word order), and anvay (अन्वय, agreement of gender, number, person, case and tense across the pads — 'लड़की जाता है' [ladki jaata hai, the girl (m.) goes] has an agreement error).
Parts of a sentence: subject (uddeshya) and predicate (vidheya)
| Part | Meaning | Example: 'जंगल के निवासी हिंसक पशुओं से नहीं डरते हैं।' / 'Jangal ke nivasi hinsak pashuon se nahi darte hain.' (Forest dwellers do not fear wild animals.) |
|---|---|---|
| Subject (uddeshya) | What is being talked about (the doer and its extension) | जंगल के निवासी / jangal ke nivasi (forest dwellers) |
| Extension of the subject | Words that describe the doer | जंगल के / jangal ke (of the forest) |
| Predicate (vidheya) | What is said about the subject (verb, object, complement and their extension) | हिंसक पशुओं से नहीं डरते हैं / hinsak pashuon se nahi darte hain (do not fear wild animals) |
| Extension of the predicate | Words describing the verb, plus object, complement, etc. | हिंसक पशुओं से, नहीं / hinsak pashuon se, nahi (of wild animals, not) |
A simple test: 'किसके बारे में बात हो रही है?' ("who is being talked about?") = subject; 'उसके बारे में क्या कहा गया?' ("what is said about them?") = predicate. In 'वह बाज़़ार से सामान लाने जाएगा' / "vah bazaar se saamaan laane jaayega" (he will go to bring goods from the market), 'वह' / "vah" (he) is the subject and everything after it is the predicate.
Three sentence types by structure
| Type | How to identify it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple sentence | One subject and one main verb (predicate) | Bachche maidan mein khel rahe hain. (Children are playing in the field.) |
| Compound sentence | Two or more independent (main/coordinate) clauses joined by conjunctions | Vah bazaar gaya aur sabzi le aaya. (He went to the market and brought vegetables.) / Main aana chahta tha, par baarish ho gayi. (I wanted to come, but it rained.) |
| Complex sentence | One main clause plus one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses | Shikshakon ne kaha ki ve ghar ja rahe hain. (The teachers said that they are going home.) / Jo parishram karta hai, vah safal hota hai. (Whoever works hard succeeds.) |
Conjunctions in compound sentences: additive (aur, tatha, evam), disjunctive (ya, athva, nahi to), adversative (par, parantu, kintu, lekin), consequential (isliye, atah). Conjunctions in complex sentences: ki, jo-vah, jab-tab, jahan-vahan, kyonki, yadi-to, taki.
Dependent clauses in a complex sentence
| Dependent clause | Role | Identification / connector | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noun clause | Acts as the subject/object/complement of the main clause's verb | Usually starts with 'ki' | Usne kaha ki vah kal aayega. (He said that he'll come tomorrow.) |
| Adjective clause | Describes a noun/pronoun in the main clause | jo, jise, jiska, jiski | Vah ladka, jo kal aaya tha, mera bhai hai. (That boy, who came yesterday, is my brother.) |
| Adverb clause | States the time, place, reason, condition or manner of the main verb | jab, jahan, kyonki, yadi, taki, jaise | Jab varsha hui, tab kisan khush hue. (When it rained, the farmers were happy.) |
Eight sentence types by meaning
| Type | Sense conveyed | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Declarative (vidhanvachak) | A plain statement of an action/state | राजा नगर में आए। / Raja nagar mein aaye. (The king came to the city.) |
| Negative (nishedhvachak) | An action not happening | आज विद्यालय नहीं खुलेगा। / Aaj vidyalay nahi khulega. (School won't open today.) |
| Interrogative (prashnavachak) | Asking a question | क्या तुमने पाठ पढ़ा? / Kya tumne paath padha? (Did you read the lesson?) |
| Imperative (aagyavachak) | Command, request, entreaty | कृपया बैठ जाइए। / Kripya baith jaaiye. (Please sit down.) |
| Desiderative (ichchhavachak) | Wish, good wishes, blessing | ईश्वर तुम्हें सज़़ल करे। / Ishwar tumhein safal kare. (May God grant you success.) |
| Doubtful (sandehvachak) | Doubt or possibility | शायद आज वर्षा हो। / Shayad aaj varsha ho. (It might rain today.) |
| Conditional (sanketvachak) | One action dependent on another (a condition) | यदि तुम मेहनत करोगे तो सज़़ल होगे। / Yadi tum mehnat karoge to safal hoge. (If you work hard, you'll succeed.) |
| Exclamatory (vismayadibodhak) | A feeling of surprise, joy, grief, etc. | वाह! कितना सुंदर दृश्य है! / Vaah! Kitna sundar drishya hai! (Wow! What a beautiful sight!) |
A 'यदि-तो' (yadi-to) sentence can be both complex by structure and conditional by meaning at the same time — so always check whether the question is asking "by structure" or "by meaning".
Rules of word order (padkram), and sentence transformation
The usual word order in a Hindi sentence is subject + object + verb ('राम ने फल खाया' / Ram ne phal khaya — "Ram ate the fruit"). With a ditransitive verb, the indirect object comes first and the direct object after ('माँ ने बच्चे को दूध दिया' / Maa ne bachche ko doodh diya — "Mother gave the child milk"). An adjective comes before the noun it qualifies (meetha aam — "sweet mango"), an adverb usually comes before the verb (vah dhire chalta hai — "he walks slowly"), a qualifying word comes before the word it qualifies, a complement comes before the verb (Ram raja bana — "Ram became king"), and a prior-action verb comes before the main verb (vah khaakar so gaya — "he ate and went to sleep"). If the interrogative word "kya" turns a sentence into a yes/no question, it comes at the very start (kya tum chaloge? — "will you come?"). This order can shift in poetry or for emphasis.
In sentence transformation, the meaning stays the same while only the structure changes. Simple: 'Parishrami chhatra safal hote hain.' (Hardworking students succeed.) → Complex: 'Jo chhatra parishrami hote hain, ve safal hote hain.' (Students who are hardworking succeed.) → Compound: 'Chhatra parishram karte hain aur safal hote hain.' (Students work hard and succeed.) Using a prior-action verb (the "-kar" form) in a simple sentence is the easiest way to turn a compound sentence into a simple one: 'Vah aaya aur baith gaya' → 'Vah aakar baith gaya.' ('He came and sat down' → 'He came and sat down' as one clause.)
How to teach this in the classroom
Activity (Grades 3–5)
'वाक्य-रेलगाड़ी' ("Sentence train"): give each child a word card (राम, ने, आम, खाया — Ram, ne, aam, khaya). Children stand in the right order like train coaches to form the sentence. Reorder them and ask whether the meaning stayed clear or not — this builds a feel for word order without any definition.
Activity (Grades 6–8)
Give a declarative sentence ('बच्चे खेल रहे हैं' / Bachche khel rahe hain) and have groups convert it into all eight meaning-based types; then join two simple sentences with 'और' (aur) into a compound sentence, and with 'जो-वह' (jo-vah) into a complex one.
Teaching material
Word strips and a khadi board, subject-coloured and predicate-coloured sentence strips, and a chart of connecting words.
Common misconceptions
Treating every sentence joined with 'और' (aur) as complex; treating a sentence with 'कि' (ki) as compound; mistaking negative for a structural type; assuming any long sentence must be complex. Build identification around whether a clause is independent or dependent, not around sentence length.
Assessment idea
Have students underline the subject and predicate in five sentences; write a paragraph about their school and mark one simple, one compound and one complex sentence in it.
Memory trick / exam tip
See 'कि, जो, जब, यदि, क्योंकि' (ki, jo, jab, yadi, kyonki) → complex; see 'और, या, पर, इसलिए' (aur, ya, par, isliye) → compound; one single verb → simple. Remember the order of meaning-based types as "declarative-negative-interrogative-imperative-desiderative-doubtful-conditional-exclamatory". 'निषेधवाचक' (Negative) is a meaning-based type — if it shows up among structural-type options, that's your "which is NOT" answer.
Questions asked in REET 2024 (with solutions)
Question 47
The type of the sentence 'राजा नगर में आए।' (The king came to the city) is
- Aसंदेह सूचक
- Bइच्छाबोधक
- Cविधानार्थक
- Dआज्ञार्थक
Explanation
अर्थ के आधार पर जिस वाक्य में किसी कार्य या स्थिति की सामान्य सूचना दी जाती है, उसे विधानार्थक (विधानवाचक) वाक्य कहते हैं। ‘राजा नगर में आए ।’ में राजा के नगर में आने की सूचना दी गई है, इसलिए यह विधानार्थक वाक्य है। इसमें न कोई आज्ञा है, न संदेह, न इच्छा।
Question 50
In the sentence "जंगल के निवासी हिंसक पशुओं से नहीं डरते हैं।" the predicate (विधेय) is
- Aहिंसक पशु
- Bजंगल के निवासी
- Cजंगल
- Dहिंसक पशुओं से नहीं डरते हैं
Explanation
वाक्य के दो अंग होते हैं — उद्देश्य (जिसके बारे में कहा जाए) और विधेय (जो कहा जाए)। यहाँ ‘जंगल के निवासी’ उद्देश्य है और उनके बारे में कही गई बात ‘हिंसक पशुओं से नहीं डरते हैं’ विधेय है। इसलिए विकल्प (D) सही है।
Question 67
In the sentence "वह बाजार से सामान लाने जाएगा।" the subject (उद्देश्य) is -
- Aवह
- Bबाजार से
- Cसामान
- Dलाने जाएगा
Explanation
वाक्य में जिसके बारे में कुछ कहा जाता है, वह उद्देश्य होता है। ‘वह बाजार से सामान लाने जाएगा ।’ में ‘वह’ के बारे में बताया जा रहा है, इसलिए ‘वह’ उद्देश्य है; शेष भाग ‘बाजार से सामान लाने जाएगा’ विधेय है।
Question 71
According to structure (rachna), the type of sentence that does NOT exist is -
- Aसाधारण
- Bमिश्र
- Cनिषेधवाचक
- Dसंयुक्त
Explanation
रचना के आधार पर वाक्य तीन प्रकार के होते हैं — साधारण (सरल), संयुक्त और मिश्र। ‘निषेधवाचक’ वाक्य अर्थ के आधार पर किया गया भेद है, रचना के आधार पर नहीं। अतः उत्तर (C) है।
Question 51
Sentences that have one main clause and one or more subordinate/dependent clauses are called –
- Aसरल वाक्य
- Bमिश्र वाक्य
- Cसंयुक्त वाक्य
- Dसमानाधिकरण वाक्य
Explanation
जिस वाक्य में एक प्रधान (मुख्य) उपवाक्य और एक या अधिक आश्रित उपवाक्य हों, वह मिश्र वाक्य कहलाता है। संयुक्त वाक्य में दो या अधिक स्वतंत्र (समानाधिकरण) उपवाक्य होते हैं, और सरल वाक्य में केवल एक उद्देश्य व एक विधेय होता है।
Question 70
The inconsistent/incorrect statement related to word-order (padkram) in a sentence is-
- Aवाक्य में कर्त्ता और कर्म के बाद क्रिया आती है ।
- Bक्रिया विशेषण प्राय: क्रिया के बाद प्रयोग में आता है ।
- Cकर्त्ता, कर्म और क्रिया के विस्तारक (पूरक) प्राय: इनके पूर्व में आते हैं ।
- Dपूर्वकालिक क्रिया मुख्य क्रिया से पूर्व आती है ।
Explanation
हिन्दी वाक्य में पदक्रम सामान्यतः कर्ता + कर्म + क्रिया होता है, और क्रिया विशेषण प्रायः क्रिया से पहले आता है (जैसे — वह धीरे चलता है)। इसलिए ‘क्रिया विशेषण प्रायः क्रिया के बाद प्रयोग में आता है’ कथन असंगत है। विस्तारक अपने पद से पहले आते हैं और पूर्वकालिक क्रिया मुख्य क्रिया से पहले आती है — ये कथन सही हैं।
Question 59
'यदि तुम अमेरिका जाओ तो तुम्हें विभिन्न देशों के व्यक्ति देखने को मिलेंगे।' — From the point of view of meaning, the type of the above sentence is
- Aआज्ञार्थक वाक्य
- Bसंकेतार्थक वाक्य
- Cसन्देहसूचक वाक्य
- Dविधानार्थक वाक्य
Explanation
वाक्य ‘यदि ... तो ...’ की शर्त पर आधारित है— एक कार्य दूसरे कार्य के होने पर निर्भर है। ऐसे वाक्य जिनमें शर्त या संकेत का भाव हो, अर्थ की दृष्टि से संकेतार्थक वाक्य कहलाते हैं। आज्ञार्थक में आदेश और सन्देहसूचक में संदेह का भाव होता है।
Question 66
'शिक्षकों ने कहा कि वे घर जा रहे हैं' (The teachers said that they are going home) is a
- Aसाधारण वाक्य
- Bसंयुक्त वाक्य
- Cमिश्र वाक्य
- Dआज्ञार्थक वाक्य
Explanation
इस वाक्य में दो उपवाक्य हैं— ‘शिक्षकों ने कहा’ (प्रधान उपवाक्य) और ‘वे घर जा रहे हैं’ (आश्रित संज्ञा उपवाक्य), जो ‘कि’ से जुड़े हैं। एक प्रधान और एक या अधिक आश्रित उपवाक्य वाला वाक्य मिश्र वाक्य कहलाता है। संयुक्त वाक्य में दोनों उपवाक्य स्वतंत्र होते हैं (और, पर, इसलिए आदि से जुड़े)।
Practice questions
Question 1
'क्या तुमने आज का समाचार पढ़ा?' — Based on meaning, this sentence is —
- Aविधानवाचक
- Bइच्छावाचक
- Cसंदेहवाचक
- Dप्रश्नवाचक
Explanation
The sentence asks a question, so by meaning this is an interrogative sentence.
Question 2
'ईश्वर आपको दीर्घायु करे।' The type of this sentence is —
- Aइच्छावाचक
- Bसंकेतवाचक
- Cआज्ञावाचक
- Dविधानवाचक
Explanation
This sentence carries a wish or blessing; sentences that express a wish, good wishes or a blessing are called desiderative.
Question 3
'मेहनती किसान खेत में हल चला रहा है।' — The subject (uddeshya) in this sentence is —
- Aखेत में
- Bहल चला रहा है
- Cहल
- Dमेहनती किसान
Explanation
The sentence is talking about the "hardworking farmer", so that's the subject ("hardworking" being its extension). "Ploughing the field" is the predicate.
Question 4
'वह आया और चुपचाप बैठ गया।' — Based on structure, this sentence is —
- Aसंयुक्त
- Bसरल
- Cमिश्र
- Dविधानवाचक
Explanation
'वह आया' ("Vah aaya") and 'चुपचाप बैठ गया' ("chupchaap baith gaya") are two independent clauses joined by 'और' ("aur"), making this a compound sentence. "Declarative" is a meaning-based type, not a structural one.
Question 5
'वह आकर बैठ गया।' — Based on structure, this sentence is —
- Aमिश्र
- Bसंयुक्त
- Cसरल
- Dसंकेतवाचक
Explanation
It has a single subject and a single main verb ("baith gaya"); "aakar" is a prior-action verb, not a separate clause. So this is a simple sentence.
Question 6
'वह लड़की, जो गाना गा रही है, मेरी बहन है।' — In this sentence, the subordinate clause 'जो गाना गा रही है' is a —
- Aसंज्ञा उपवाक्य
- Bविशेषण उपवाक्य
- Cक्रियाविशेषण उपवाक्य
- Dप्रधान उपवाक्य
Explanation
'जो गाना गा रही है' ("Jo gaana ga rahi hai") describes the noun 'लड़की' ("ladki") and begins with 'जो' ("jo"), which makes it an adjective clause.
Question 7
In 'जब सूर्योदय हुआ, तब पक्षी चहचहाने लगे।', the type of the subordinate clause is —
- Aसंज्ञा उपवाक्य
- Bक्रियाविशेषण उपवाक्य
- Cविशेषण उपवाक्य
- Dसमानाधिकरण उपवाक्य
Explanation
"Jab suryoday hua" states the time of the main verb "chahchahane lage", which makes it an adverb clause.
Question 8
From the point of view of word order (padkram), the correct sentence is —
- Aखाया राम ने आम मीठा।
- Bराम ने आम मीठा खाया।
- Cराम ने मीठा आम खाया।
- Dमीठा राम ने आम खाया।
Explanation
Hindi's usual order is subject + object + verb, and an adjective comes before the noun it qualifies, so "Ram ne meetha aam khaya" follows the correct word order.
Question 9
Class 6 children take sentences joined with 'कि' to be compound (Sanyukt) sentences. The most appropriate approach for the teacher is —
- Aपरिभाषा रटवाना
- Bहर उपवाक्य को अलग करके पूछना कि क्या वह अकेले पूरा अर्थ देता है, फिर स्वतंत्र-आश्रित का भेद निकलवाना
- Cऐसे वाक्य पढ़ाना छोड़ देना
- Dकेवल उत्तर बता देना
Explanation
Separating out each clause and asking whether it makes complete sense on its own lets children discover for themselves that the clause after "ki" is dependent, and therefore the sentence is complex.
Question 10
'यदि वर्षा होगी तो फसल अच्छी होगी।' — The correct statement about this sentence is —
- Aयह रचना से मिश्र और अर्थ से संकेतवाचक है
- Bयह रचना से संयुक्त और अर्थ से आज्ञावाचक है
- Cयह रचना से सरल और अर्थ से विधानवाचक है
- Dयह रचना से मिश्र और अर्थ से निषेधवाचक है
Explanation
In this "yadi-to" sentence, "yadi varsha hogi" is the dependent (conditional) clause, which makes it complex by structure; and since one action depends on another, it's conditional by meaning.
Frequently asked questions
How many sentence types are there by structure?+
Three — simple, compound and complex. Negative, interrogative and the like are types classified by meaning, not structure.
What's the difference between compound and complex sentences?+
In a compound sentence, every clause is independent and they're joined by words like 'aur, par, isliye'. In a complex sentence, there's one main clause and one or more dependent clauses, joined by words like 'ki, jo, jab, yadi'.
How many sentence types are there by meaning?+
Eight — declarative, negative, interrogative, imperative, desiderative, doubtful, conditional and exclamatory.
How do you identify the subject and the predicate?+
Whatever the sentence is talking about is the subject, and whatever is said about it is the predicate. The subject includes the doer and its extension; the predicate includes the verb and its extension.
How many REET questions come from sentence construction?+
The number varies by shift. REET 2024 asked 8 questions on this topic, covering sentence types, subject-predicate, and word order.
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Change Log
- 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked