Types of Sentences: Simple, Compound, Complex, & …
GRAMMAR (3)
Sentence Structures:
Simple, Compound, Complex, & Compound – Complex
Experienced writers use a variety of sentences to make their writing interesting and lively. Too many simple sentences, for example, will sound choppy and immature while too many long sentences will be difficult to read and hard to understand.
A. Simple
The most basic type of sentence is the simple sentence. A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought.
Example: We arrived early today.
A simple sentence can be as short as one word.
Example: Run!
Usually, however, the sentence has a subject as well as a predicate and both the subject and the predicate may have modifiers. All of the following are simple sentences, because each contains only one clause:
Examples:
Melt!
Ice melts.
The ice melts quickly.
The ice on the river melts quickly under the warm March sun.
Lying exposed without its blanket of snow, the ice on the river melts quickly under the warm March sun.
As you can see, a simple sentence can be quite long -- it is a mistake to think that you can tell a simple sentence from a compound sentence or a complex sentence simply by its length.
In written work, simple sentences can be very effective for grabbing a reader's attention or for summing up an argument, but you have to use them with care: too many simple sentences can make your writing seem childish.
When you do use simple sentences, you should add transitions to connect them to the surrounding sentences.
Example:
Simple
Canada is a rich country.
Simple
However, it has many poor people.
(Transition)
B. Compound
A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator (coordinating conjunction). The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (Helpful hint: The first letter of each of the coordinators spells FANBOYS.) Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always preceded by a comma.
(((( Combining Clauses ))))
| |
|Comma + coordinating conjunction |
| |
|, and , but , or , nor |
| |
|, for , yet , so |
d Method 1
Independent clause Independent clause
Example: We arrived early, so we found a good place to sit.
| |
|semicolon |
| |
|; |
d Method 2
Independent clause Independent clause
Example: We arrived early; we found a good place to sit.
d Method 3
| |
|Semicolon + adverbial conjunction + comma |
| | | |
|; also, |; indeed, |; otherwise, |
|; in addition, |; for example, |; as a result, |
|; besides, |; for instance, |; accordingly, |
|; furthermore, |; however, |; consequently, |
|; likewise, |; nonetheless, |; therefore, |
|; moreover, |; instead, |; nevertheless, |
|; in fact, |; meanwhile, | |
Independent clause Independent clause
Example: We arrived early; consequently, we found a good place to sit.
C. Complex
A complex sentence has one or more dependent clauses (i.e. noun clause, adjective clause, or adverb clause) joined to an independent clause by a subordinator (subordinating conjunction) or a relative clause.
(((( Combining Clauses ))))
| |
|Subordinating Conjunction |
|(or Relative Pronoun) + Dependent Clause |
| | | |
|after |although | |
|as long as |until |Relative pronouns: |
|as |even though | |
|before |rather than |that |
|since |when |which |
|though |whenever |who |
|unless |where |whom |
|if |wherever |whose |
|because |as if |Whoever |
|whereas |as though whether |whomever |
|provided that |while | |
|so that | | |
d Method 1
Independent clause no punctuation
Example: We found a good place to sit since we arrived early.
Example: I can’t believe that he gave this excuse!
d Method 2
| |
|Subordinating Conjunction |
|(or Relative Pronoun) + Dependent Clause |
| | | |
|after |although | |
|as long as |until |Relative pronouns: |
|as |even though | |
|before |rather than |that |
|since |when |which |
|though |whenever |who |
|unless |where |whom |
|if |wherever |whose |
|because |as if |Whoever |
|whereas |as though whether |whomever |
|provided that |while | |
|so that | | |
| |
|comma |
| |
|, |
Independent clause
Example: Since we arrived early today, we found a good place to sit.
Example: That he gave this excuse is unbelievable! (very short sentence – no comma)
D. Compound-Complex
Rather than joining two simple sentences together, a coordinating conjunction sometimes joins two complex sentences, or one simple sentence and one complex sentence. In this case, the sentence is called a compound-complex sentence.
Example:
The package arrived in the morning, but the courier left before I could check the contents.
(independent clause) (coordinator) (independent clause) (subordinator) (dependent clause)
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