sentence
sentence — noun
1. A complete unit of words arranged in grammatically correct order that communicat
A complete unit of words arranged in grammatically correct order that communicates a full message — for example, telling someone something, asking a question, or issuing a command.
Haruto wrote a long sentence on the whiteboard to show the grammar rule.
subject–verb structure in a declarative sentence
The first sentence of an essay should clearly state the main topic.
Mira's teacher explained that every question sentence must end with a question mark.
Cole struggled to write a complete sentence in his new language.
Arjun rewrote the first sentence of his report after his tutor said it was too vague.
常見錯誤
2. The penalty set by a court for a person found guilty of a crime, such as time in
The penalty set by a court for a person found guilty of a crime, such as time in prison, a fine, or community service.
Diego received a three-year prison sentence for stealing cars from a dealership.
prison sentence for [crime]
The judge reduced Folake's sentence because she cooperated with the police.
Lakshmi served only half of her sentence before being released on parole.
Zayd was given a life sentence for the murder of a police officer.
The judge gave Ada a suspended sentence, so she did not go to jail.
- penalty
penalty is broader and can include non-court punishments such as sports fines or late fees
- punishment
punishment is a general term; sentence specifically refers to a court-ordered punishment for a crime
- acquittal
acquittal means being found not guilty, so no sentence is given
常見錯誤
3. The formal moment in court when a judge publicly announces the punishment decide
The formal moment in court when a judge publicly announces the punishment decided for a convicted person.
The judge will pass sentence on Monday at the city courthouse.
pass sentence — idiom for pronounce punishment
Under sentence of death, Sayaka spent her last days with her family.
The courtroom fell silent as the judge read out the sentence.
Judge Asher passed sentence on the convicted man in a packed courtroom in Nairobi.
- judgment
judgment is a broader legal term that can include the verdict and the reasoning; sentence is specifically the punishment announcement
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 2: sense 2 is the penalty itself (e.g. 'a 5-year sentence'), while this sense is the act of declaring it (e.g. 'pass sentence'). Frequently used with the verb 'pass', 'read out', or 'pronounce'.
sentence — verb
1. For a judge to set and announce the legal penalty for a person found guilty of a
For a judge to set and announce the legal penalty for a person found guilty of a crime.
The judge sentenced the young man to ten years in prison for armed robbery.
sentence + person + to + penalty + for + crime
Christopher was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
passive: be sentenced to + penalty
Élise was sentenced for fraud and ordered to pay back all the money she took.
The court sentenced Ada to three years of community service instead of jail.
Talia was sentenced to death for poisoning her husband with a slow-acting poison.
- pass sentence on
a phrasal alternative used in formal legal contexts; 'pass' is the verb, 'sentence' is the noun
- condemn
condemn is more dramatic and often implies a harsh moral judgment, not just a legal one
- acquit
acquit means to find someone not guilty, which is the opposite of sentencing
文法句型
sentence + person + to + penalty
sentence + person + for + crime
be sentenced to + penalty
be sentenced for + crime
用法筆記
Almost always used in formal, legal contexts. The passive form ('was sentenced to X') is more common in news reporting than the active form. The person sentenced is typically the direct object, and the penalty follows 'to'.