Writing Complete Sentences

What you’ll learn

Write a clear subject and verb in a basic statement.

សរសេរប្រយោគមូលដ្ឋានដែលមានប្រធាន និងកិរិយាសព្ទច្បាស់។

Writing focus

A basic statement normally has a subject and a finite verb. English needs be when a noun or adjective describes the subject: she is a student, not she a student. An instruction can omit its understood subject you. A dependent clause such as because I was tired needs a main clause in formal sentence writing.

ប្រយោគថ្លែងធម្មតាត្រូវមានប្រធាន និងកិរិយាសព្ទ។ ពេលពិពណ៌នាដោយនាមឬគុណនាម ត្រូវមាន be។ ឃ្លាដែលចាប់ផ្ដើមដោយ because មិនទាន់ជាប្រយោគពេញដោយខ្លួនឯងទេ។

Writing patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Subject + verb	Birds sing.
Subject + be + description	Maly is a student.
Subject + verb + object	I read books.
Instruction	Please open the window.

Examples

1. My brother works at a school.

   បងប្រុសខ្ញុំធ្វើការនៅសាលា។

2. The room is quiet.

   បន្ទប់ស្ងាត់។

3. We study English every evening.

   យើងរៀនអង់គ្លេសរាល់ល្ងាច។

4. I went home because I was tired.

   ខ្ញុំទៅផ្ទះព្រោះខ្ញុំហត់។

Model writing

My name is Maly. I am a student.

I study English in the evening. My teacher gives us useful examples.

I practise at home because I want to improve.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
My sister a teacher.	My sister is a teacher.	Add is to link the subject to the description.
Because I was tired. (standalone formal sentence)	I went home because I was tired.	The dependent because-clause needs a main clause.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete: The classroom ___ quiet.
2. Repair the fragment: Because the bus was late.
3. Write two sentences about a learner and an activity.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. is

   Be links the subject to its adjective.

2. I missed the lesson because the bus was late.

   Model answer: add a main clause; other logical main clauses are possible.

3. Maly is a student. She reads every evening.

   Model answer: each statement has a subject and a finite verb.

Quick recap

• Give ordinary statements a subject and verb.
• Use be for noun or adjective descriptions.
• Attach dependent clauses to a main clause.