Good writers know and use a variety of sentence patterns. The most basic sentence type, the simple sentence, has a number of different patterns.

A simple sentence is simply one independent clause.
An independent clause (simple sentence) is a group of words that
- has a subject and verb
- expresses a complete thought

Every simple sentence, no matter how complicated it might seem, reduces to one subject, one verb and a basic complete idea. Sometimes the sentence will have an object, but this is not a required element. In business writing, simple sentences are used often to emphasize ideas and to express ideas clearly.

Simple Sentence Patterns
In the following patterns, S = Subject, V = Verb, SS = Compound Subject, and VV = Compound Verb.

S V
SS V
S VV
SS VV
(S) V (command)
V S (Here or There beginning)
V S?
V S V?

A simple sentence must

1. Express only one complete idea
2. End with a period or question mark

Another name for a simple sentence is independent clause. You will be using this term in the next two chapters to help you form other useful types of sentences.